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Life is what happens to us when we are busy making other plans. Who would have thought that we would be almost confined to our homes for such a long time? That we would not even be able to hug, handshake or greet each other from close quarters! Our social, professional and family life has completely changed due to the pandemic and none of us was prepared. This makes it the right time to develop mental adaptability and respond well to this change.

Identify Red Flags

If you find yourself longer in a situation you didn’t expect to be in the first place, certain overwhelming feelings are but natural. Be very aware of red flags like excessive worry, negative self-talk (why this happened to me? Am I not good enough?), feeling like a victim, sadness, anger and frustration so that the moment you experience them, you can immediately take steps to nip them in the bud. Identifying red flags and diverting your attention away from them by doing things like listening to a song, going for a walk or talking to a loved one enhances mental adaptability over time.

Adjust Expectations

When things go wrong, we might suffer from negative thoughts, low motivation levels, stress and even difficulty in concentrating for a while. Instead of beating yourself up about these, be aware of what’s happening with you and give yourself time overcoming them. It is completely fine to slow down and take it easy. Thereafter, adjust your expectations from yourself, the situation and people around you depending upon the changed circumstances and begin again with new, realistic goals.

Practice Optimism

We can choose to be miserable about the fact that something that we wanted didn’t happen or look at the bright side and appreciate what has actually happened. For instance, we can feel bad watching the negative effects of the pandemic on television or celebrate the fact that now we get to work from home! We have more time to ourselves which we can invest in pursuing creativity and our hobbies. Inculcating optimism, even in the harshest of times, helps in developing adaptability. 

Be Open to Change

Experiment, be curious and introduce changes in your routine every now and then. Develop flexibility by finding new ways and solutions. Think ahead and have a plan B in place. And in case none works, inculcate emotional and psychological strength to face uncertainties. Move out of your comfort zone, fall down, get up and walk again. Mental adaptability is all about taking each day as it comes and adopting new behaviors/skills/goals in accordance with changed circumstances. Concentrate on the things you can control and give them your best. As they say, past is history and future is mystery, all that we really have is TODAY. Let’s make it count!

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Coronavirus outbreak has made work from home a new reality. Even after the world recovers from this pandemic, many organizations might stick to this arrangement as it has numerous benefits for both employers as well as employees. Work from home can translate into peace of mind and overall enhanced happiness, provided it is done right. No more mad rush and stress with these handy tips!

Ways to Boost Mental Health while Working from Home

• Designate a proper “space” for work which is away from the outside noise and chatter of family members, especially if you have kids. A room whose door can be shut is ideal.
• Use a table/chair while working instead of sitting on a sofa/floor as the latter can cause backache and lethargy. Keep all the things that you need such as laptop, chargers, water bottle, pens, etc. Make the setup professional and convenient.  
• Your home office should have ample natural light. Place your table in such a way that it faces a window from where you can see plants and birds. If this isn’t possible, frame a couple of paintings with beautiful landscapes and hang them around the workspace. The idea is to have something soothing to look at while taking a break.
• Talking of breaks, schedule a coffee or water break with a colleague on video call. It will be a great opportunity for you to discuss work-related challenges, successes and also to help/motivate each other.
• Since you are home most of the time, cook something healthy and delicious. There are many excellent tutorials online if you are game for learning. Whenever you take a break from work, eat nutritious, home-made food as it boosts health and productivity.
• Keep stretching and moving your body every two hours to keep active. Walking five hundred steps, even within the apartment, will do the trick. Remember to hug your pets/kids/spouse every two hours too!
• Keep your personal and work time separate. Finish work on time and disconnect from it. During personal time, do not check office emails or go back to work. Learn when to switch-on and switch-off from work, both mentally and physically.
• Wake up and sleep at the same time. When you wake up, keep the same routine you had when you went to office. Take a long shower, change into something comfortable and professional, eat breakfast and update yourself on current news.
• Now that you aren’t commuting to work, utilize the time saved to upgrade your professional skills. Use this as an opportunity to prep up for future by enrolling into value adding online courses.

Working from home provides enough time for self-care and building positive relationships. Practice “digital detox” in the evenings and spend quality time with family members and pets. Nurture plants, meditate/pray and exercise early mornings. Work from home is a boon, make the most of it!

Photo by Ian Harber on Unsplash

“Change is the only constant” – Heraclitus

Life is unpredictable. Till the time there is life, some or the other struggle will present itself in front of us, having negative repercussions on our mental health. The year 2020 has been particularly stressful due to COVID-19. Uncertainty continues this year as well. It’s time we prepare ourselves for anything and everything that life throws at us by building our psychological resilience.

Routine

Psychological resilience, just like any other habit, takes time, intentionality and effort. It requires changes in behavior, thought and action on a daily basis. Having a routine is a major step towards becoming psychologically strong. Start with having meals and sleeping at the same time every day. Exercise or brisk walk for thirty minutes daily to keep yourself fit, inspired and happy. Add nutritious food and proper hydration to the mix and you are raring to go!

Gratitude

Maintain a gratitude journal. Often times we get so bogged down by the things that have gone wrong in our life that we forget to count our blessings. Every day, make it a point to write about one thing that you have or achieved and are proud of. It can be something as simple as replacing your fast food lunch with something low-calorie and nutritious. It can also be a promotion at work or owning a second seaside home or even being able to sleep on time everyday for a week. Even if something doesn’t happen as planned, you already have a handbook of everything that has gone in your favor in life. This definitely serves as a cushion to any blows that might be coming your way.

Belief

Believe in a higher power. Let go of the things that you have no control over and have a “belief” that they will be taken care of in due course. If something you desire you’re able to get, it’s great. However, if you don’t get it, it’s even better! Have a “belief” that life has planned better things for you. What’s truly yours and is essential will eventually find its way.

Freedom

Focus on the present. Learn the lessons from your past and utilize your experience to build a better future. Make money and invest it wisely. Practice minimalism and spend appropriately. Managing personal finance ensures that there is no stress related to loan repayments, living expenses and retirement funding. In a way, money can buy you freedom from stress.

Self-love

Improve your relationship with yourself. Forgive yourself for any mistakes/failures. Be kind and pamper yourself. Feed your mind with good thoughts by reading something meaningful every day. Feed your soul by meditating and helping those in need. When you wake up, hold a glass of water and close your eyes. Then tell the water a good thing that you want to manifest and drink it. Believe in the mysterious ways this universe works beyond science! Make efforts everyday to build psychological resilience. While you are at it, live an organized life. Pay bills on time and avoid any last minute work. Stay away from drugs and alcohol. Although, life in itself is a great teacher, making us strong, weak, practical, emotional, angry, peaceful, ambitious, spiritual, selfish, giver and many other things at various stages, yet, if conscious efforts are made towards maintaining mental health, an equilibrium and balance of mind is achievable that ultimately leads to bliss!

Photo by Miguel Bruna on Unsplash

If ever there was a way to add up all the New Year goals made by all the people of the world, beginning an exercise routine, losing weight and regaining physical health would certainly come on top! Though something extremely important that majority might overlook is that there is a strong “Mind-Body” connection, making sound “Mental Health” a precursor to physical health and mandatory for overall well-being.

Why Mental Health is Important?

Our mental health affects the way we think, feel and act. From major life choices to everyday decisions, everything is impacted by it. Our professional, personal, social and spiritual life can’t be progressive unless due emphasis is given to mental health. Identifying early signs of mental health problems is a first step towards recovery.

Signs of Mental Health Problems

Social isolation, stress and anxiety, low energy levels, changes in eating and sleeping patterns, losing interest in work and daily activities, unexplained body aches, drug/alcohol abuse, severe mood swings, persistent thoughts, feelings of hopelessness and thinking of harming oneself/others are some of the signs to watch out for. A number of factors like family history of mental health issues, brain chemistry, lifestyle choices, life experiences such as abuse and trauma, financial and social circumstances may lead to mental health problems. Good news is that with counseling, therapy and medication, psychological, emotional and social well-being is achievable!  

Benefits of “Sound” Mental Health

A sound mental health helps in developing coping skills, keeping stress at bay and improving relationships. Being able to maintain a proper exercise and sleeping routine, making healthy choices, higher productivity and also contributing in meaningful ways to the society are some of the positives of overcoming mental health problems. New Year is the right time to build psychological resilience, realize your full potential and enjoy living. For enhancing overall quality of life, be aware and take care of your mental health, starting 2021.  Our upcoming articles with practical, everyday tips will help you reach mental health goals. Happy New Year!