How to take care of your mental health during uncertain times

I think we are all aware that the whole world is going through some real uncertain times at the moment. And, while the world and economy are suffering; it might be causing damage too to normal lives and also have some mental effects on us as human beings. When being stuck at home (or working from home) and having social distancing is good to some extent but when continuing too long can cause some serious side effects. When you are having your “normal life” it is easy to forget everything else than performing at your peak level. It’s easy to push the unwanted feelings aside and just keep going, right? At least for me, this is true.

I haven’t been traveling anywhere for over a month now at it feels like I have lost an important part of my life. It might seem a little extravagant but is so true! It is one thing that keeps my soul lit and my mind happy. So I’ve had to reorganize my priorities and my habits. But I’ve also noticed that this is the perfect time to clear the mental and the physical clutter out of my life. And it feels refreshing!

Breaking from the normal routines can be overwhelming at first. You just have to find a new way to balance in that new way of living, whether it is working from home or sorting out your financial situation and living way below your means. Trust me, I know it can be hard. But it’s not impossible. And that’s the beauty of life. No matter how hard things get, I believe that the universe will never give more than you can handle. And when you notice that you can handle things better than before, you’ve created growth and strength in your life and within yourself. How cool is that! The key is to create a balance that works best for your situation.

I know there is a lot of advice on how this is the perfect time to focus on what matters, do the things you love, and so on. But this isn’t the case for everyone. There are still people working from home with the same amount of work or possibly even more. So the main thing on how to take care of your mental health, in any case, is to start with simple steps. Steps that you are comfortable with. For example, list all the things that need to be done so that you know where you are. And every day, do some of those things but also take some time for yourself – do whatever you enjoy and what clears your mental clutter. Go for a walk, meditate, go out and take care of your garden (this is like meditation for me, I get to take care of my inner garden as well at the same time).

A good way to distract yourself and learn something new is by reading books. I’ve always read books but now for the past month, I have read even more. Books are a good way to learn new things and to make you think outside the box. I would highly recommend these self-help books that I just recently have read. First is “How to stop worrying and start living.” by Dale Carnegie. The book is super old, but the advice given is still valid. He gives good advice on changing your life and how to reduce stress. The other one is “Atomic Habits” by James Clear. It’s a perfect book if there are habits you want to change for better or even learning to recognize your core habits. If you are not a reader, then audiobooks are a perfect choice for you!

So, clear some time for your thoughts and think of how you will want to come out when the situation passes. Do you want to go back to your old way of living or do you feel like you need a change? Remember, everything is only temporary and it is up to you to make a change. Things will pass and then something better will come along. I think the world is facing major changes and we are going to be part of it. It is up to us to react to it the way we want to. Circumstances will affect but you are the creator of your own life in the end.

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