How To Maintain Your Sanity During And After COVID-19

If you are reading this post today it means you're alive and God has kept you up to this point.

Can we please close our eyes and say a short prayer of gratitude to him. It hasn't been an easy three months, twenty-six days, and counting.

Some of us have lost friends, family members, neighbors, and even acquaintances. This period has taken a toll on our economy, our businesses, our schools, our families, and the world at large.

At this point, we have to come to terms with the reality that this might be our new normal. So let me ask you the question I've been dying to ask.

On a scale of one to ten, How healthy are you?

The World Health Organization (WHO) defined health with a phrase that modern authorities still apply.

 Health is a state of complete physical, MENTAL, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

So tell me do you still think you're a 10?

The circumstances that we are faced with these days lead us to deal with issues such as social isolation, loneliness, stress, anxiety, and depression. For some of us we've been facing these issues for quite a while and for others they manifested this period.

Before you stop reading because you feel your mental health is fine. Think about how you're actually feeling, don't let your body sugarcoat the truth from your mind.

I for one, at a point, felt like this whole period was so overwhelming, I was going through a tough time and it took me a while to come to terms with how the world went from normal to whatever we're in right now and I want to share the things I do to try and maintain some sanity and keep my mental health in check.

1) KEEPING UP WITH SOCIAL MEDIA BUT ALSO LIMITING MYSELF TO IT

This might seem impossible for most but trust me it's one of the best things you can do for yourself.

Social media can get so overwhelming and put you off your track. Yes listening to the news is good and trying to stay informed is great, but don't let this make you think you're doing yourself good by not taking a break from it all. 

You might be checking up on the news all day and wondering "where did the time go?", "When is this going to be over?", "I want to see my friends ".It gets you overthinking. It can make you feel lonely and depressed because frankly you have no control over what's happening and that puts you at a dead end.

Everyone is different and there is no specific amount of time spent on social media, or the frequency you check for updates or the number of posts you make that shows your use is getting unhealthy. Rather it's the type of impact the use has on you. 

So if you're feeling like it's not adding anything to your well-being. I advice you to take a break for a while. Sometimes all you need is to unplug yourself from the tweets, the posts, the likes, the views, take a really deep breath, rest, and then come back to it.

2) LEARNING TO PRAY MORE, REFLECT, MEDITATE, AND ULTIMATELY GETTING CLOSER TO GOD

These times might have a lot of people losing their faith and then another set of people gaining it. It's your choice whether or not you want to get closer to God and see just how amazing He is.

I feel in a time like this when the world is in tremendous chaos you really need a lot of faith to know that what's happening is supposed to happen and God has a plan for all of us. We should be patient with him and keep having hope. I know you're scared, I'm scared too but we all have to be strong and brave. Find some time to reflect on the Word. 

Keeping a journal can help as well. Many people feel journals are for girls or it's for people who want to keep secrets but it's way beyond that. It's a means to letting things out, you may want to write down the positive sides of the situation or just scribble down other thoughts to relieve stress. Putting down your thoughts and feelings is way better than keeping everything bottled up inside, because one day that bottle is sure to tip over and break.

So start talking to your God, He answers in the most mysterious ways, write down your thoughts , reflect , meditate and begin again. Try implementing these things into your daily routine.

3) STICKING TO MY DAILY ROUTINE OR ADOPTING A NEW ONE

Wake up when you normally would, say your prayers, meditate, stretch your body out, drink a glass of water, don't skip breakfast, begin the day. This is just an example of a morning routine.

Having a good daily routine helps keep a little normality in your life and gives you the structure and balance that you need to have a relaxing, yet productive day.

Make sure it's all good habits that you're trying to implement and don't forget consistency is key. If you start today and continue tomorrow who knows you might be doing it for the rest of your life.

Personally I would say you should implement exercising in your routine because if you're home all day I bet you're not  moving an inch from your bed or from the front of a TV screen, yet you're still having your meals three times a day.

This has to have taken a toll on your physical health and you're not as fit as you normally would be. So get working on those daily routines and habits. Let it be what's best for you and no one else.

4)   PRACTICING SELF CARE 

Self-care has never been so important. There is and there will never be a proper or perfect way to practice self care because we're all different with different views and opinions. 

I can proudly say my idea of self care is reading a good Sidney Sheldon book , taking a hot shower and getting into bed early. These are things that make me happy and don't really stress me out, it's like going on a date with myself. I'm doing things I know I love and are good for my health and overall well-being.

Take time in your day to indulge in those little moments, like showering for a little longer, cooking your favorite meal, binging your favorite Netflix shows etc. Those little moments can feel really good to dwell on in these fast paced, overwhelming times.

So start thinking more about you. Use this period to figure out your self care activities and try as much as possible to implement them into your daily routines because it would help put your mind at ease and get you feeling relaxed.

5)  FINDING A HOBBY OR SOMETHING TO KEEP ME BUSY IS GOOD BUT IT'S NOT A PRIORITY

Use the extra time and energy you have on hobbies that make you feel good and relieve stress.

Write a book, start painting, spend more time outside(in your backyard ohh), play games, start baking, tutor people online, the list of things and hobbies you can take on is endless. Just find what works best for you.

Being productive can be a distraction for others but not being productive can also help some people relieve stress.

Now is not the right time to be hard on yourself. If you haven’t started working out but planned to, if you eat more than usual, if you are behind on some assignments, if it looks like others are productive at home but you are not IT'S OKAY.....

You should rest and rest well. You're being to hard on yourself trying to be so productive or feeling like you aren't doing enough. You can't be productive if you're not in the right social, mental or physical state.

6) REALIZING THAT SOCIAL ISOLATION DOES NOT MEAN LONELINESS

People are scared, anxious, and lonely but  isolating ourselves from contact with others is not the answer  (even if you just want to be left alone).

We're all stuck in our houses, although the lock down has been eased all over the world, some of us are still taking extra caution so we're avoiding large gatherings with friends and family. This does not mean your friends are not one call away. 

This is where social media comes in. You can video call or  text your guys just to catch up and see how everyone's doing. 

Reach out to those you love, even if it's just to check up on them and tell them you love them. If this small act is not giving you any anxiety or making you feel lonelier than you already feel. Then stay there and make the most of it but don't let it get too overwhelming for you.

These things might help you maintain some kind of normality in our lives these troubling times. 

I'm sure when you read the topic of this post you thought "Oh she's writing about sanity". Sanity is just like a cover up. I mean your mental health. We as Africans, Nigerians most especially don't cater much to our Mental health.

Some people say you're not married, you're not paying rent, you're living under a roof so what could possibly be making you worry, stress or be depressed ?. If you think this way, I'll advise you to perish these thoughts.

Don't feel like you're immune to depression and anxiety, it's happens to the best of us.

We all go through so much and most times we keep it to ourselves. Please don't , especially in these times of social distancing. It might get worse and escalate into something bigger than just stress and  anxiety. It may be a sibling of yours or your best friend, even your mum and dad. 

Let's try to be there for our friends and family. Maybe just wake up one day and decide to call your friends or other people on your contact list. Because you don't know who's depressed or feeling some kind of way and that one phone call could have a great impact on them. Start caring more about your mental health, don't avoid it.

A big special thanks to my home girl Olamide who guided me through this piece. Without her this piece wouldn't have been possible.

Feel free to share your thoughts on this piece and how you're actually feeling below in the comment section. I love you guys so much and I hope we're all staying safe.