Jane Hetherington: COVID-19 and Self Care

Yoga and meditation

Jane Hetherington is a town councillor and a mental health specialist who lives in Ramsgate.

Feeling alone and Isolated

Part of the necessary response to COVID-19 is to limit social contact to stop the spread of the virus. This can however leave people feeling isolated, particularly those living alone and in the vulnerable groups. The impact of loneliness can be increased by losing a routine, so try and maintain it.

Keep your alarm set to the same time -if you are used to getting up at 7am continue to do so

Maintain your working hours -if you can set up a dedicated work space, log on and off at your usual time, this applies to pupils and students too.

Plan a home-based exercise activity -you may be used to finishing work and heading off to the gym try to maintain this level of activity. In addition to your daily government approved exercise of walking, running or cycling.  Introduce a home-based exercise routine such as Joe Wickes PE lessons on The Body Coach T.V., these are available for a range of abilities and ages. Introduce yourself to online Pilates, Yoga or other online fitness regimes that can be done within the home and with the family or alone, try something new!

Do something you would not ordinarily do– The National Theatre and the Royal Opera House are streaming theatre, ballet and opera on line and it is free. Comedy is also available, explore You Tube and Next Up Comedy. There are a number of online arts based activities.

Incorporate Meditation into your Life– Deepak Chopra and Oprah have produced a free 21 day meditation programme which teaches the art of meditation and its importance, in short daily sessions.  https://chopracentermeditation.com/experience

Planners– it may be helpful to write things down on a planner to assist with structure in your day , tell others what you are doing which will help you stick to your routine. Staying connected with others may now look different to previous ways of meeting, we cannot physically meet, but we can connect online. Whilst this can be anxiety provoking it can also be an opportunity to learn other ways of engaging, Skype, Zoom and Houseparty are some of the most popular platforms.

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