7 Free Ways to Improve Your Mental Health During COVID-19

I stumbled across a new report today, from the CDC, that revealed a whopping 40% of Americans, during the week of June 24 - 30, 2020, said they were struggling with their mental health, with 11% seriously considering suicide.

Let’s be real, 2020 has not been an easy feat for anyone. Many, particularly those who have lost their jobs, young adults, Hispanic persons, Black persons, essential workers, unpaid caregivers and those who previously had mental health issues, have been among those suffering greatly. But while COVID-19 came out of nowhere with no chance for the world to prepare for such pandemic, the fact of the matter is it’s here, and the only thing we can do while we wait for answers and vaccines, is change our mindsets and outlook on the unfortunate situation.

With money and the loss of jobs being another factor greatly affecting the community, I’ve put together some of my FREE top tips that’s helped me and others during this time. Obviously speaking to a mental health advisor or professional is one of the best things you can do for yourself, but I hope these other suggestions help you out too.

I’ve gone in and out of journalling throughout my life, but over the past few years, it’s been here to stay. Sometimes I feel like journalling every single day, other times, a month goes by. I’m working on starting my day journalling to set the right intentions. At the moment, it’s usually the last thing I do before going to sleep.

1. T.I.M.E. to S.E.R.G.

T.I.M.E. and S.E.R.G. are two similar yet very different and effective acronyms I live by. The foundation of the words are based on self-love and loving others.

With T.I.M.E., we need to first and foremost show gratitude and be THANKFUL for what we already have. From health, to a roof over our heads, the ability to live independently, even knowing how to read and write - there is so so so much we take for granted every single day and therefore so much we can be thankful for. Along with gratitude for so many things, it’s important that we continue to keep our heads up by finding INSPIRATION. Everything around us has the ability to inspire us. Whether it be scrolling through Pinterest, writing, reading a book, or mindlessly coloring in, there’s inspiration all around. 

MEDITATE. I have never been one to meditate. I can’t sit still. My mind is constantly in overdrive. It’s always on and someone directing me to ‘turn it off,’ doesn’t exactly work. However, I recently learnt that meditation doesn’t have to be in the traditional way of sitting still. Meditation means doing something that fulfills your soul. If you love baking; that can be your meditation, if you like swimming; that can be your meditation; and if you do like sitting still in silence, that can be your meditation too. The only rule is that it needs to make you happy, fulfill you and be some form of escapism that ground you. EDUCATE. For most of us, we have the ability to educate ourselves all the time. We are always learning whether we realize it or not. Especially in a time when your mental health may be struggling, seeking out something you’d like to learn or perfect, may really help. At the start of COVID-19, it seemed to be a trend that many people were showing off their new skills. And while it’s great to be proud of perfecting the perfect banana bread recipe, it’s also important to note that just keeping yourself alive for another day is impressive enough. There’s no competition. For myself, I completed a puzzle that took weeks and a lot of mental strength, and obtained a diploma in medical studies. Again, that was a great distraction and something that inspired and educated me to keep busy. But that was me, it’s important to do what’s best for you!

S.E.R.G. is a great tool I use during alone time or mindless/second nature activities such as having a shower. First SELF-EVALUATE. I think it’s really important to reflect on things that have happened, our day, our week, our goals etc. Check-in with yourself. How are you feeling? How did that moment make you feel? What are you working on within yourself? I know for me, my life can be so busy I neglect really thinking about how a situation has affected me. EDUCATE comes back around in this acronym because I believe learning is one of the most important things you can do for your mind, body and soul. For me, besides doing things like listening to podcasts when I’m driving or walking, education also means checking in with others and educating yourself on their feelings. Checking in with family, friends, acquaintances is something that makes me feel more whole. Maybe Joey Tribbiani was right, there are no good deeds! REST, so so so important. Whether it be allowing yourself to have a nap, turning off your phone and the news, enjoying a solo adventure in nature, rest is a must for good mental health. You need to be able to give yourself grace and a break every now and then. We sometimes forget just how much we have on our plate, even if we feel like there’s nothing going on in our lives. Give yourself that time, you deserve it and you’ll be 10x better for it too! GAIN INSPIRATION. And also back again is inspiration. It keep our minds fresh and allows us to focus on something different to feed our soul. I truly believe to find something we want to learn about and educate ourselves on, inspiration needs to come first. Out of both these methods, I choose only one at a time, don’t overwhelm yourself. For example, I’m going for a walk, I may use that time to either educate myself with a podcast or have some time to think and self-evaluate a situation.

2. have a goal of the day

Goals, you either love them or hate them. I’m in the middle. I’m not someone who has a five year plan or even a one year plan for that matter. Of course there are things in the back of my mind or on my vision board that I’d like to achieve, but for the majority of my life, there’s no time stamp because things change every single day. I am however a big fan of lists and daily goals. If my naturally overactive mind finds itself in overdrive before bed, I will sit down and write out things I wish to achieve the following day in my daily planner I created and made. (I’ll be sharing the digital version online soon!) I’ve also found daily goals have really helped me during this time too. It can be as simple as go for a walk, reply to an email, make that phone call you’ve been putting off etc.

3. Clear out your social media

What doesn’t serve you shouldn’t be taking up space in your life. Trust me, an unfollowing spree makes you feel so much lighter and clears our so much of the heaviness you’re feeling. But what happens when it’s your supposed ‘friends’ that don’t make you feel so good with what they post online. On platforms such as Instagram and Twitter, you can mute them! I’m the first to admit I have friends who I see regularly but their energy disturbs and interferes with mine. It’s not healthy for me to see what they post and it doesn’t make me feel good, so I mute them. By muting them, they aren’t aware of it as you still ‘follow’ them - which avoids any unnecessary drama. Now I can visit their page and see their stories or posts whenever I want, but ONLY WHEN I WANT, not when social media says I should! Honestly, it’s one of the best things I’ve ever done. My energy, my aura is mine. Remember, it’s YOUR choice what media/activities you indulge in. It’s okay to turn the TV, the news, and your phone off. We all need a break sometimes, and more importantly, there should never be any pressure stopping you from taking a step back from the world and focussing on yourself for a while.

4. CHECK-IN WITH OTHERS AND GIVE BACK

Back to the ‘no good deeds!’ Research shows that doing good for others in turn does good for you. When we give back, it makes us feel valued, important and useful. Sometimes when our mental health takes over, we may feel in no way useful to anyone or anything. It’s important to remember, we mean something to someone. While our self-worth may be running low, someone out there looks up to us as their inspiration. You may just not know it. And giving back doesn’t have to monetary, it doesn’t even have to be volunteering. It could be as simple as writing a positive review of a company online, it could even be educating yourself on political or social issues. This is all giving back to the community. You’re working on being the best person you can be. We all change, just make sure it’s for the better. Another way to give back is to check-in with others. For myself, when I’m feeling low, I’m not one to reach out for love or support. Now that can cause its own issues, as I’ve recently learnt, but for the most part I try to make it a point to always check-in, even with my strongest friends, and even if they have ample support around them. You just never know and you won’t ever know unless you make the effort.

5. FRESH AIR

This is a common tip, and that’s because it does a world of good in so many different ways. Besides Vitamin D, fresh air helps to send oxygen through the blood which reinvigorates your lungs and allows them to work at full capacity. More oxygen also gives your brain more power, which will help clear your mind.

Research has also shown that looking at different colors can help you feel better. One study found that looking at nature, in particular the color green, can help your brain as we subconsciously associate the color with happiness, comfort, hope and excitement. Stepping outside also means you’re getting in some movement and exercise, which of course helps too.

6. UPLIFTING QUOTES AND MESSAGES

If you’re feeling down, yes, it’s helpful to wake up on the right side of the bed with a positive mindset, but sometimes you need to put in the work to ensure the positivity continues throughout the day. I recently downloaded some quote and mindfulness apps on my phone, and turned on the notifications so it can share positive messages various times in the day. Talk about timing, I actually just got a notification. My 1:30pm quote reads;

“Give yourself some credit for the days you made it when you thought you couldn’t.”

After downloading these apps a few weeks ago, they have really helped to boost my mood and keep me uplifted at various times. My favorite apps are: Motivation, Daily Quote, Quotes Daily and #Mindful.

7. ALLOW YOURSELF TO FEEL DOWN…FOR A SET TIME

I think it’s important to feel your feelings. If you’re sad, be sad. If you’re happy, be happy. Feel your emotions otherwise they’ll boil up into a bigger mess. I’m pretty good at, for the most part, allowing myself to feel sad and then telling myself, “Okay, no more.” Obviously when there’s a mental health condition, it’s not as easy as saying, “Stop feeling sad.” I recently went through (and am still going through) quite a difficult time. So what I’ve been doing is allowing myself to mope and feel sorry for myself for a set time, let it all out, then reflect what is in my power to change the situation. If you can’t think of anything, it’s not your problem, you just need to work on how you can live with the issue. Make a choice. I love the short, simple and brutally honest quote, “Trust future to handle future problems.”

We get so bogged down in thinking about the future, before it even has a chance to present itself. Also learn what your best way is to feel better. Is it journaling? Is it talking it out? Is it doing an activity like cooking or going on a hike? Is it focussing on self-care with a spa day? Learn what makes you feel the best version of yourself. And why do we only want to listen to sad music when we’re sad? I’m the same, I chuck on that crying playlist - and that’s fine when we want to be sad, BUT, when we’re ready to feel better, put on some happier tunes, and dance around like no-one’s watching! Even faking a smile somehow helps!

I hope these seven tips help you out and help you to feel even a little bit better if you’re going through a hard time at the moment. The most important thing you can do is listen to your body, listen to your soul, listen to your mind and feel how you feel - NOT how others think you should feel or NOT how you see others feeling. Do what’s best for you, do what makes you the happiest and start every day giving thanks for another opportunity at life, another chance and ALWAYS wake up with a smile!

Sending my love.