DE-STRESSING DURING A PANDEMIC

Self-care is crucial in these trying times!

As stress levels spike in the depressing situation of the current world, the need for self-care continues to gain voice. More and more people promote the need for focusing on ‘good things’. Though it is certainly hard to remain optimistic in current times, there are things, however minuscule, to feel blessed about if you think carefully.

Self-care is essentially the practice of certain activities that help better the well-being of oneself. It has been popular amongst today’s generation, owing to the busy, hectic world, and continues to grow in importance with current situations.

As students, the defamilirisation brought by the almost complete digitalisation of the world topped with the tasks and assignments due only add on to the stress and may lead to burnout. Hence, self-care has become crucial.

Emotional/ Mental Self-care

● The issue of mental health has been gaining more ground as it receives more attention in recent days. Emotional and mental health care is essential for de-stressing and decluttering; otherwise, it may lead to the point where it hinders one’s daily activities. Having a decluttered and rational mindset helps keeps one’s motivations up and concentration levels high, which in turn, beneficially affects personal productivity and performance in academics and at work.

Physical Self-care

● It is often said that a healthy mind can only be possessed by one with a healthy body. Rather than staying idle at home all day, practising yoga, going for walks, exercising, etc. can be much more fruitful than one realise. A balanced diet also helps maintain the stability of bodily functions at their best. Regular exercise combined with proper nourishment will help in keeping one alert and adequately energised for day-to-day actions.

Here are a few ways you can practice self-care with minimal spending at home:

● Yoga/ Meditation

- There are various yoga poses like padmasana/ lotus pose, vrikshasana/ tree pose, bhujangasana/ cobra pose, etc. that you can do easily at home on a yoga mat or any other comfortable flat surface you have.
Benefits:
— It helps keep your body flexible and fit.
— It has various health benefits like improvement of blood circulation.

● Adult Colouring Book
— Adult colouring books are trending for the recreational purposes they offer. There are many such books available online at affordable rates with intricate designs to colour. Or you may choose to draw your own designs and colour them afterwards. You may cut even cut them out to paste on the walls, or make bookmarks out of them!

Benefits:
— It enhances one’s creativity and keeps one visually stimulated.
— It increases concentration levels.

● Crocheting
— Crocheting is a form of handiwork that has been gaining popularity in recent days. It is considered similar to knitting. The process involves interlocking of yarn or threads and has various techniques which one can follow depending on their understanding and skills. Crocheting can be used to make scarves, beanies, sweaters, and more.

Benefits:
— It increases concentration levels.
— The result is a material you can use for decoration, for wear, or for gifting to your loved ones!

● Journaling
— Journaling is considered a more creative form of diary entries. It is a practice that keeps one in touch with their inner self — thoughts and emotions, almost philosophical in a sense. It may include text, illustrations or even printed photos, depending on each person’s form of expression.

Benefits:
— It helps untangle suppressed emotions and thoughts.
— It enhances one’s creativity and allows creative self-expression.
— It can be kept as memorabilia.

All these activities greatly contribute to de-stressing and are beneficial in one or another, which makes them popular recommendations and trends in the present.

Julie Donngaihlun