The Importance of Self-Care in a Pandemic!

In a world of uncertainty and pandemic, taking care of yourself stops overwhelming your personal curve! Here's why you should prioritize self-care during this lockdown Nona Walia

Self-care isn't the big word when you are on the go and busy working. During a pandemic, working from home, looking after children, being a caregiver, setting new plans and routines, unknown future, economic and health uncertainty, taking care of your emotional needs becomes critical. In a world where abnormal is the new normal, a beep on your mobile brings the worst news every 10 minute, you need a powerful self-care regimen. To take care of your family, you need to take care of yourself. Dig deep into your own emotional reservoir? Here's how: 1. Start with your own self-care: Your family needs you, your society needs you, you also need your balanced self. We are processing loss of normal life, loss of health, loss of loved ones and loss of livelihoods. This is a emotional storm. You can't be of any use if you are stressed yourself. Have a plan, ask yourself -- how will I care for myself physically, emotionally and spiritually. Check your sleep cycles. Get ready feel good. Don't be lethargic or lazy. Learn to process any grief or trauma. Note down your emotional moods. Stay away from emotional roller coasters. Just to manage the basics is good enough. The 5-minute conversation, the 2-minute jog. Small goals are great. 2. Go easy on yourself and others: This is no time for perfectionism. Or profitism. This is a time for emotional and physical care. Self love. Turn your pain into your power. Try solving some game, keep engaged in a crossword, write for yourself. Learn a language online. Stand in your balcony and say hello to all going by. Do little things to feel good, yet feel a social connect.Coping with social isolation is not easy. 3. Don’t hesitate to give help and also ask for it: This is a stressful time for caregivers and people in bad marriages. Seek advise if you feel claustrophobic. Connect to friends and family. Set up your own selfcare mechanism, don't burden the mental health workers unless you think it necessary. Be there for others. The world needs emotional helpers and those who can empower others. Do daily acts of kindness. 4. The three most important words 'How Are You': Ask as many people on your social media groups -- How Are You. Forget the business of life and things, in a pandemic, when you ask someone 'How Are You' you are checking on their emotional health and strength. The COVID-19 is a emotional roller-coaster, help other overcome it with this simple 'How Are You'. Show patience, show compassion. Give out appreciation and love, it will come back doubly into your life. The world needs carers and supporters. Show enthusiasm for others. 5. Turn away from pain and panic-inducing information: Unplug from the world news. Turn to meditation (though it is the most difficult thing to do if you are overwhelmed), just try breathing or exercising or other easy mindful activities to deepen your energy reservoirs. The Disney characters didn't have mobiles, they learnt how to survive in their own magic. Don't let world's template of success and productivity guide you or pressurize you. There's disappointment, there's hurt, there's emotional strain -- know it that you are bigger than your problems. 6. Learn to invent 'delicious rituals': It can be looking at funny mindless TikTok videos, jokes, or listening to calming music at night, gardening, whatever provides escapism from your thoughts. Indulge. Enforced solitude is a wake-up call to a lot of things. Even yourself. Sometimes all you need to do is stare endlessly out of a window. Take a nap in the afternoon, wake up to your favourite song, enjoy cookies with tea. Make sure you create rituals to uplift yourself. (MAY is the Mental Health Month)