Being kind to yourself during lockdown
- Bake Soc
- May 22, 2020
- 5 min read
You hopefully saw our Facebook post yesterday for Mental Health Awareness week on this year's theme Be Kind, which listed some great ideas on how to show love to those around you, both those physically close and those you might not be able to see right now (if you haven’t read it yet I highly recommend it!). I felt inspired to continue with this theme of kindness but shift focus on to the question how do you show some love to yourself during lockdown?
Now more than ever it’s important to remember to take care of you, many of us have been left feeling quite anxious by the effects of Coronavirus and seen our day to day routine changed rapidly by lockdown. Taking time to engage with some self-care can help alleviate some of this stress as well as give a greater sense of control over our personal situations during this confusing time.
Below I’ve listed few things I or people close to me have found helpful, I’m by no means a self-care expert but try them out if you think they’ll be helpful and don’t be afraid to look some more up, this post is geared at encouraging you to figure out what self-care you need right now.
1. Have a schedule
It might seem a bit strange, that having some kind of to-do list can be counted as self-care, for a lot of us lockdown has allowed for more flexibility with our time than ever before (and even less social pressure to be awake by a certain time) so surely we can do what we want when we want, government restrictions permitting. But a complete lack of structure can lead to feeling disconnected or at a loose end, allowing for more time spent reading countless news articles that make you feel more anxious than informed.
Use the extra flexibility to your advantage, not a morning person? Aim to be out of bed by 10 am and work until later on in the evening. Easily distracted? Start your day with any chores that might play on your mind later and leave your phone in the other room when you sit down to work. Can’t focus for long periods of time and need at least 6 cups of tea a day? Your brew breaks can be used as rewards for when you’ve worked for an allotted period.
The idea is to find what works for you.
For me, I aim to be out of bed by about 9 am, work out at around midday on weekdays and then I might go for a run with my mum when she finishes work in the evening. I don’t plan every moment out but having this rough guide means that I can do whatever else I need to do for the day, like writing this blog post, around my schedule and have a base idea of what each day will bring.
I have some friends who list what they want to achieve for the day when they wake up and systematically check them off as they go and I have others who find having a set time to wake up and go to sleep is enough to keep them on track. Point is having a schedule that works for you can give a bit of consistency when the future might feel quite unpredictable.
2. Know your limits
Following on from my first tip, it can feel like there’s a lot of pressure to “make the most of lockdown”, I know personally I’ve seen several posts around social media telling me that I’ll “never have this much free time again!” But much like having no schedule can leave you feeling at a loose end, this pressure to fill your time with as many self-improving or Instagram worthy activities as possible can make you feel defeated before you even start.
At the beginning of lockdown my boyfriend decided he would use this time to get back into playing piano, become fluent in German, get fit and complete all the work required for the third year of his degree while also spending time with his family, keeping in touch with friends and generally taking care of himself. It didn’t take long for his list of ambitions to shorten as he realised, he only really had the energy to focus on what was most important to him.
It’s ok to be realistic with what your capacity is at the moment, having more free time doesn’t automatically equal having more motivation or mental capacity, the key is balance. I’ve found it helpful to aim for one activity that keeps me physically active, one form of creative outlet (I would recommend baking of course!), and at least one conversation with someone outside those you’re in lockdown with a day. There are some days when I might do more which is great and there are some days I just watch Netflix and nap, which is also pretty great.
Resist the urge to overload yourself, figure out what your balance is, and don’t be too hard on yourself.
3. Help others
So, it’s no secret that helping others can actually end up helping you, it can give you a sense of usefulness and allows you to do some good in a time where there is a great deal of need. This section will be dedicated to spotlighting some great organisations and causes that you can give your time to in a variety of ways.
A reminder that volunteering should be beneficial not only to those you are helping but also yourself if you are struggling or feeling overwhelmed your priority is always taking care of yourself first, don’t feel bad if you can’t give your time right now.
As always, our own Sheffield Volunteering have a variety of roles you can get involved with, both for those still in Sheffield and virtually for those in lockdown elsewhere (they also list some virtual wellbeing activities that are well worth looking into!) - https://www.sheffieldvolunteering.com/news/article/6242/Covid-19-Response/
The NHS are still in need of volunteers around the country, their central volunteering page will direct you to your local trust who will be able to tell you what the need is in your area - https://www.england.nhs.uk/participation/get-involved/volunteering/
Similarly, Gov.uk have a website that allows you to see local volunteering opportunities near you that are helping towards the coronavirus relief effort - https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus-volunteer-local
Also keep your eyes peeled for the Fun-derpass initiative that the SU will be launching very soon! It’ll be a great excuse to have fun baking as well as hopefully raise some money and bring recognition to some awesome charities!
Good self-care can really help to boost your mood but if you are worried about your mental health or just need some extra support the links below will direct you to some trusted services that will allow you to talk to someone or access helpful advice.
Samaritans
Phone: 116 123 (free, confidential 24h helpline)
Mind
CALM
NHS
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