With the UK having entered into the second lockdown of 2020 how is it affecting you?

It’s different this time around as the seasons have changed, temperatures have dropped, dark nights drawing in, the opposite from the previous lockdown when it was during the spring/summer months.  With the change of season and throw in lockdown as well this can have a a major impact on people’s mental health and wellbeing.  We need to take care of ourselves and others within each household and their social bubbles to help boost our mental health.

There are various ways of doing this and here are just some suggestions you might like o try:

• Catch up on some reading, it’s a great way to escape from the world around you for a short while.
• Catch up with family and friends virtually, by phone or be old school and write them a letter to cheer them up.
• Have a mini home spa session, this could be as simple as running a bubble bath, having some candles in the room and some music playing to let you chill out – but not a great option if you have a dog like I do who want to be in the bath as well!!
• Sit down with the other members of the household and watch a movie, play board/computer games or even have a conversation.
• Have you always wanted to take up a hobby, there are great tutorial you can find online going you step by step instructions
• Sign up to some online learning, it’s a great way to utilise the time you are stuck at home and at the same time learn something new.
• Get outside (social distanced of course) and enjoy the great outdoors, wether its a walk in the park or woods or a visit down to the beach to let the wind blow out the cobwebs from your hair.
• Wanted to do some decorating, why not get stuck in and brighten up the house – if you don’t need to decorate your house and you are good at it please feel free to some and decorate mine as I get bored very easily.
• Or do as so many people have already and get the Christmas decorations up thats if you think you can handle them from now till January – I think I will leave mine for the moment.

In other words use this time to look after yourself, keep the mind active and try to be as positive as you can be under the current circumstances.  It’s not always that easy and there are days when I am not very positive but I try to be as positive I can be.

Speak to your friends and family you might not feel you have much to say as you have not been anywhere but just a quick call to check in to say hi can mean the world to people especially if they are living on their own and not able to be part of a social bubble.

If you are having to work from home, make sure you are taking enough breaks away from your desk or sofa (depending on your home office set up), make sure you have good posture to prevent achy back, and shoulders and if you have these then book in with me for a massage in December when we re open.

Take care and stay safe.