COVID- 19: Tips for coping during these challenging times

It’s natural to feel anxious, stressed or sad at this time. Sometimes it helps to talk about it, sometimes it helps to have a cry. We should also cut ourselves some slack – we may be less productive than we normally are, it’s going to take some time to adjust.

We need to connect. Remember that you can be physically distant but stay socially connected.

This means working within the situation, uncertain and challenging as it is, to look after ourselves and others. Checking in with others “RU OK?”, just listening to how they are feeling goes a long way. Helping our own mental health through exercise, sleep and healthy eating. Finding ways to have fun.

At the moment, we need to think outside the box and find creative alternative ways to socialise, exercise and have fun. We can motivate each other by sharing newly discovered options and ways to virtually connect.

In a time of uncertainty like this, we can find ourselves experiencing information overload. We need to switch off sometimes and take time out from thinking or hearing about covid-19.

Reach out for help and encourage others in our networks to reach out. There are also many online resources for learning anxiety coping strategies to help prevent it snowballing.