COVID-19: The Gift of Time

COVID-19: The Gift of Time

Author: Farzana Rashid, Assistant Psychologist

The current coronavirus pandemic has been frenetic and a scary time for all. At the Oaktree Clinic, we urge you to at stay home as suggested by the government. However, this period of time does not have to be all doom and gloom! For most of us, our day to day lives are very busy and we are always on the go. How many of us have thought ‘I don’t have time’?. If you find no positives in this situation, take this as one of them: you have been given the gift of time. In this post, read on for tips on how to fill your new-found time.

• It can be very stressful constantly trying to stay up to date with the news and scrolling through social media. Therefore, it may be wise to take breaks from hearing about the pandemic so try to have a tech-free hour! In current times, we are so immersed by technology. Challenge yourself to try something new for an hour. 

• Exercise is really important whilst we are trying to practice social distancing. Research shows that exercise has benefits for physical well-being as well as mental health. Exercise has been proven to help with decreasing symptoms of depression and anxiety through the release of endorphins. 

• If you love learning and want to feel productive, stimulate your brain by taking an online course. There are many free online courses in a variety of subjects with just a google search, there is no doubt that something will spark your interest. 

• Cook something new! Personally, this is something that I have been doing. I am not a great cook, but I have found cooking to be very therapeutic and it has helped me to feel productive. I recently and successfully made pizza from scratch and this has inspired me to explore more recipes. Let us know below if you have recently tried a new recipe!

• Have you been meaning to unwind but until now you haven’t been able to? This is the perfect time to have a movie marathon. Let us know your favourite movies below.

• Stay in touch with loved ones. Is there a friend who you haven’t spoken to in a while? Why not call, text or video call them? This is a perfect time to reconnect or strengthen social bonds with those who are dearest to us. 

• Structure your day. Time can seem never ending as there is so much of it at the moment. It can be good for your mental health if you like to have structure and stability. Chunk your time into work and social time to make sure your day is well rounded. 

Self-isolation, although tough it doesn’t have to be boring and unproductive. If the above activities are something you have been doing recently, let us know in the comments as we would love to hear from you. Alternatively, if you have further suggestions, we would also love to hear from you too! For now, stay safe. Stay strong.

Farzana Rahim, Oaktree Clinic Administrator