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Self-care essentially means listening to yourself, to understand what your mind and body need, and follow through on the honest answer. In these unprecedented times, when we are grappling with the anxiety of the unknown and fear of illness, a little self-care can go a long way towards helping us sail through the pandemic with ease. Taking adequate measures in the direction of the "self" plays a pivotal role in maintaining our all-round well-being.
Here are some quick tips with which to ensure you stay in good physical and mental health:
1. Declutter your surroundings
We often experience clutter and chaos because of the incessant stresses and worries of routine life. Our mind is not an email inbox, where we can sort, discard or organize things. Therefore, it's important to engage in activities that help us declutter our surroundings and our headspace. The first step for taking care of our health is organizing our surroundings. This allows us the space we need to think about what we need to do next, to take better care of ourselves. A small step like keeping a planner or a calendar handy, where we can write down daily to-do’s and other engagements, can help us feel organized and more in control of our day. (Read more: How to deal with the anxiety of living through a pandemic)
2. Embrace a hobby or learn something new
Partaking in a hobby is a great way to relieve stress; hobbies are a constructive and positive way of distracting our minds from our personal or work troubles. Indulging in something we enjoy doing allows us to explore our talents and widen our perspective, while at the same time, helping us to build up our sense of self. Hobbies give us an opportunity to face new challenges and experiences, which leaves us with a sense of accomplishment. The idea is to enjoy the process of learning something new, perhaps adding a new feather in your cap. You could read a book, try your hand at painting, try new recipes and discover new music. (Read more: How to protect your mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic)
3. Maintain a healthy lifestyle
In times of a lockdown, we often overlook our lifestyle or give in to the pressures of household chores. Adequate rest and sleep, along with some physical exercise during the lockdown, are crucial prerequisites to maintaining a healthy and well-balanced lifestyle. Well-rested people not only cope better with stress but also have improved mood thus ensuring good mental health. (Read more: How to get adequate sleep during the pandemic)
4. Reconnect with a distant friend/relative
The strongest pillars of our lives are the relationships we form. Positive, strong, and healthy relationships are the key to a well-balanced life. Feeling connected with your loved ones in these uncertain times of social distancing (now called physical distancing) is a primary way of taking care of yourself, as it contributes to a greater degree of emotional support which helps improve your mental well-being. (Read more: 10 tips to stay socially engaged while maintaining healthy distance)
5. Do a gratitude exercise
Cultivating gratitude in our routine life is a nurturing self-care practice. People who practice gratitude on a regular basis, by taking time out to observe and reflect upon the things that they are thankful for, experience enhanced optimism, more positive emotions, improved sleep and are better able to express compassion and kindness. Including a moment of gratitude in our day can help us feel happier, more stable and more self-confident. You can also maintain a gratitude journal, where you can jot down things you are grateful for, or perhaps a sketchbook, to doodle images of things or people you’re grateful for.
6. Take regular breaks from daily chores
Many of us are working from home these days and at the same time are managing household responsibilities. This has certainly led to increased amounts of stress and exhaustion, leaving us irritable and devoid of exuberance, while at the same time, jeopardizing our productivity levels. It is important that we identify this and take regular breaks to allow our mind to rejuvenate, as this helps in maintaining our motivation levels, keeps our body fit and enables a work-life balance. (Read more: 7 steps to beat the fatigue of virtual meetings)
7. Engage in mindfulness
Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present in the moment. It is considered good for the self, as it helps provide a space to cope with the demands of daily life, while at the same time, aiding in making the most of our other self-care practices. When we practice mindfulness, we create a positive environment around us where we can think clearly and feel our emotions. We must try engaging in meditation or simply take out some time to focus on our breathing and find solace for at least 10-20 minutes each day.
