Category: lock down

2021, health, lifestyle, lock down, Mental health, Well-being

In Lockdown? Tips to help you cope

brainbiscuitscoaching

First of all I want to send positive vibes, wishes of health, happiness and strength we are all in this together. Take care and be safe.

I have been in lockdown restrictions for a while now and wanted to share some things that have helped me get through the days and the ever changing updates and information out there, I waned to share what’s kept me mentally and physically stable.

Start the day as you mean to go on, I have found having a moment first thing to myself helps me to mentally prepare for the day ahead. Find a place in your home you feel most relaxed and positive and take your morning coffee/tea and just take a minute. I am blessed to have a room that has lots of large windows facing green space so I wake up and have my favourite cup of coffee looking out at my garden. 

Find out some great reading material and feed your mind! Have a few things ready to read, I have got a handful of books ready, that will keep my mind focused. I am going to continue to factor this in my day even if it’s a page or two a night.

I have planned some creative projects, given the current situation I have looked at things I can recycle and what also I can do at home for sustainability. 

I have looked at what’s happening in the Community on-line, there is normally lots you can get involved with, help or connect to. It’s important not feel alone. It can be a simple phone call to your neighbours.

Communication, talk to your family and friends call those your closest to. its so important to speak to whoever makes you feel happy and those that keeps your spirits lifted and also think who you can call and help them along the way to. Now is time when it is absolutely key to make time for those you love and care about.

Make sure you check in and reflect daily on how you are. ask yourself how are you feeling and what’s your mood like? There is a lot going on and a lot to take in and adjust to so be kind to yourself. Don’t forget to ask yourself “what helps me feel connected still with the world?”, “what am I learning about myself?”, “how am I doing with this situation?”, “what do I need to help me through this tough time?” 

Make a list of things that takes your mind off everything and then you can use these things again as strategy’s going forward over the coming weeks. I have found watching something funny and that my sense of humour really helps; laughing and lightening the mood allows me to escape and of course also my exercise workouts as they keep me focused.

Allow time to process what’s happening and take this all in. You might find It helpful to write down anything that directly impacts you or is worrying you and look at what steps you can take to support and help yourself through this time from financial matters to practical living issues, such as food and essentials.

Surround yourself with things that make you happy and remind you of good times, photos are always great of places and people in your life. Play music and enjoy mood lifting sounds. Look back at videos and pictures remind yourself this is all temporary and we are all in this together.

I have found making my home as calm as possible is incredibly helpful in this situation, I have got rid of any clutter and created more space to keep the mood positive and allow for clear thinking. Lighting candles with a fragrance you like and make your house your home.

It’s hard to always stay on track of nutrition but I have found it incredibly helpful to log everything into my fitness pal so I can check on what nutrients I am missing or having with limited supplies and monitor my calorie intake, vitamins and minerals.

This situation has created more time for me to give to tasks and things that I don’t normally have, such as cooking at meal times I have more time to prep so can make fresh and from scratch and explore and try new recipes So also allows me to get creative which always boosts my mood.

Get fresh air, when you can make sure you let air into your home, if you have a garden get outside at least once a day if weather allows and your well enough too. The fresh air and sunshine can do wonders, I know some in countries you are ok to take a walk with social distancing so there is this option too.

health, lifestyle, lock down, Mental health, Uncategorized, world mental health Day

Mental health awareness week!2020

brainbiscuitscoaching

Mental health awareness week has fallen at a time where many of us are in lockdown or just starting to come out of it! to a new way of being and living until changes and vaccines are hopefully made!

This is a time where we all will feel a change in our mental health, wether we are fully aware of it or not. It’s a time to be kind to Ourselves and listen to our needs especially if we feel we need support, space or some me time.

We all have mental health just as we have physical health however, it is not always something we look at regularly supporting and training, or exercising and reviewing. It would be wonderful to think we soon will be in a world where we could openly ask each other ” how you feeling today and how’s your mind”, without it being uncomfortable. We all have those moments in life where things can cause us to feel lower in our mood. This often affects our mental health. Times of this “low mood “ or any ongoing sadness can happen to any of us at any time, feeling as if it comes upon us without any warning. It is important to recognise your own personal triggers. It’s important to ask yourself

1,what are my triggers?

2,What sends my stress levels over the edge?

3, Is there any changes you can make to help you manage these things?

4, what helps you to keep going when you feel like this?

The triggers could be anything, such as a memorable date, topics you are sensitive to and don’t want to face yet, family, relationships, self-limiting beliefs, traumas, life events, medical reasons, life pressure, public speaking, anything! It is so important to take the time to look at any trigger patterning you have.

By looking at triggers you can possibly unlock a resilience strategy for yourself that just might help you cope better when you are in need.

Emotional stress can be really overwhelming, it can impact both your physical and mental state. Strategies to support your resilience can work wonders in helping you through this time, along with of course any support groups, professional outreach etc available to you.

Examples of resilience you can use when this happens are things such as supportive building blocks to help manage your stress levels. Some of mine are below:

  • When life is busy I have to make sure I  have me time
  • Personal head space-time, walk, read, chill out somewhere away from everything to just clear your mind (a pause moment)
  • Something that is physical such as sport; for me my main choice of activity to spend my “me” time on is running
  • Something that makes you feel a sense of belonging such as socialising with the right community
  •  Things I enjoy, things that make me happy, as happiness is so important!  Such as hobbies (Creative Diet)
  • I try to goal set my activities into my weekly plans, looking at how I can review and improve and identify the priorities I have. These keep me on track and both my physical and mental health are in better shape for it (Muscle Motivation)
  • Predict my stress triggers.  When I know something is coming up that is likely to cause stress good planning is key.  I look at what I can do to manage it as best I can, and what best supports me
  •  Make sure you tell someone.  If I am worried about things or stressed, just saying things out loud to someone can make a huge difference as you then own your true feelings
  • Choose to hang out with people on your level.  Someone you can text, call, meet and have that support with
  • I ensure I take regular pause moments; so important!
  • Even when you don’t feel like it connect with the world daily so you don’t become withdrawn.

Remember you are often not alone with these feelings and it is so important to tell someone. Don’t suffer in silence, it will only get worse.

lifestyle, lock down, Mental health, self isolating, Thinking space, Uncategorized

Managing your thoughts during lockdown and self-isolation.

brainbiscuitscoaching

You may find yourself worrying more than usually at the moment especially given the situation in the world. I wanted to share some things that I felt have helped me at this time which you may find helpful.

It’s a simple exercise to get all your thoughts down on paper. First take a piece of paper and in the middle draw a line through the centre then in the middle of that line draw a circle, this circle is centred it to the whole page.

In the left-hand side I make a list of everything that is on my mind that I am in control of examples of this may be the way in which my attitude is over this time I’m giving to my health and well-being, the exercise I will do, the food I will eat, how I’m going to homeschool my child, how am I going to line my finances up in light of the isolation, how I am going to continue to socialise with my friends and family such as online phone calls, emails, etc. how can I get on top of any food shortages such as organise meal plans have little waist dig out recipes etcn the left hand side of the piece of paper I write down every think that I feel I am in control of that is worrying me such as:sorting out food shopping sorting out finances sorting out homeschool activities how am I going to look after my health and well-being how can I still keep my running up how can I still socialise from home? These are all examples of course, we all have different priorities of thoughts.

Then to the right hand side of the page I list all the things I am not in control of for example how the virus is spreading, the way in which others are behaving, how long the timeframe of lockdown and isolation will happen etc. All of the items I list in this section I then with a line underscore as they are not in my control so I’m visually telling myself this by drawing a line under them they are not in my control.

Now for my favourite part of this exercise the large circle in the centre of your page is what I like to call your happy bubble.

In your happy bubble list out as many things as you can that make you feel better, lift your mood, stop you worrying so much and generally make you happy.

Examples you can put here are; creative projects going for a walk, reading a good book, exercise, talking to your friends or family, taking part in something .( online of course) doing some charity work or donating, community projects etc. your bubble of happiness will be based on what you like and activities that you Draw upon as strategies to continue to help you get through this time and keep your mood good, positive possibly and therefor as a whole and help you through.

Please see below a really rough example of this whole exercise on paper it’s not about anything being perfect this is solely for you again just an example of some things below.

Stay safe, keep well and hope you find this helpful.