LOCKDOWN MENTALITY

Focus On The Controllables

A recent study carried out at Queens University in Kingston Ontario, suggests that the average person has around 6200 thoughts per day.

So if you woke up at 6am and went to bed at 10pm, the average person would have around 442 different thoughts for every waking hour.

It's easy to see how you can quickly you can become overwhelmed and lost in your own head, especially at time where you have a lot more free time on your hands than normal.

With the current situation and all the uncertainty associated with it, your mind can feel like its running at 100mph.

So what can you do to help with this?

Focus on the controllables.

What areas of your life do you have control over?

You can control:-

1. Your morning rountine

2. Your evening routine

3. Your nutrition

4. The amount of sleep you get

5. Your activeness during the day

6. Your hydration

7. The information you choose to consume

These are some of the areas that require little to no outside influence and can be worked on, even during a lockdown situation.

They are all important to work on over time, but dont try to change all of them at once. Pick 1 or 2 to work on. Once can do them consistently, have a go at addressing another area and work on that, then another one and so on.

Take The Pressure Off

With social media and the ability to see a highlight reel of someone else's life, it easier than ever to compare yourself to others.

The lockdown situation will affect people in completely different ways. For some its an opportunity to upskill themselves and use the additonal time productively. For others, its a time to take foot off the gas and enjoy a well deserved rest.

There is no wrong or right.

You make the best decision you can for yourself, based on your own circumtances. Don't be drawn into believing you 'should' be dealing with the lockdown a certain way, just because of what someone else is doing.

You're doing your best and thats all you can ask of yourself.

Protecting Your Mental Health

Your mental health is essential.

How you perceive the world around you and how you perceive yourself is based on your beliefs.

Mental health and mindset is a hugely complicated subject, so I wont go into massive detail in this particular article (I'll do an article specifically dedicated to this subject), but there are

some things you can implement today to help cultivate a strong mindset and protect your mental health.

1. Make time to go for a walk outside. Not only will this help you to increase activity, but it allows you to spend time outside in the fresh air, giving you a break from the house.

2. Restrict the amount of news you are consuming. Constantly being bombarded with the headlines, will keep you in a negative mind state. Step away from the news and turn off the notfications.

3. Give yourself time away from soclai media. Overconsumption of social media, will lead to further comparison and drain you mentally. Social media can be an inspirastional place and in small doses can be positive. The issue comes from aimlessly scrolling through your feed. Also, dont be afraid to give your feed a spring clean. Anythin that is not having a positive impact on you needs to go.

However, you choose to spend your time during lockdown, understand that it is you choice and it's ok.

Don't let others dictate your actions.

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