Guest Blog Post - Cath Drews
/How I am managing to care for myself at this time of coronavirus lockdown
Hey everyone. I really hope you are all keeping well and safe in this crazy time. If you have been following my blog or my Instagram then you will know how important I feel it is to look after your mental health. I am 1 in 5. I suffer with my mental health and make sure I work self care into my week to keep myself sane. Self care is absolutely so important, probably even more right now in this uncertain time. Some of our usual ways of looking after ourselves may not be an option right now. I am definitely missing the gym right now. I have been thinking of how I am going to keep myself mentally healthy at this time. Some of my ideas maybe a bit different to other things you have seen but this is what I think is going to work for me at this time
Lower your standards
Basically we have just been given the equivalent of an extended school summer holiday without the support of any other family members outside of the house. Unless you are a super woman (and good for you if you are, I'm not) the house is going to be pretty messy. If you are a key worker, like me it's definitely going to be a mess more than usual. This is something I know triggers my anxiety but right now I have to keep it tidy as best I can and give a good clean and tidy on my days off. Having an immaculate home is not a priority for me right now but keeping my sanity is.
You are not a teacher
Unless of course you are! I have always been amazed that anyone can home school. Now we are all having a go. I have seen some fantastic ideas people have had and I think it's brilliant. I love that all these ideas are shared for others to try them out. We must remember though that it may not be what works for us and that's ok too. We are all trying our best in this difficult situation and we must try not to put extra pressure on ourselves. Our children need us to be strong and mentally healthy for them first. Try and find the balance. Personally I am going for a bit of Joe Wicks, a bit of the 3Rs and something creative drawing/Lego/Minecraft. Lunch then free play.
Exercise
There is a reason Boris didn't do a complete lockdown and allowed 1 period of exercise daily. Mentally that would have been so hard on all of us. Getting out and being active is so good for our well-being. I am so very grateful for that and look forward to it every day now. We are allowed to go for a walk, run or cycle alone or with members of our household. I highly recommend you use this opportunity as a way to look after your mental wellness. Remember to stay local and keep 2 metres apart from anyone outside of your home.
There are also many apps right now that are offering free entry to their exercise content. I would definitely have a look about and see what is available that you like. I'm also sure that there will be some fitness accounts on Instagram sharing their workouts.
Time out
No not for the kids! For you. If you are at home all the time with small children you will need a break. Usually you can go to playdates or soft play, maybe meet up with some other mums at the park. Arrange a group chat with your friends. We are so lucky to have such amazing communication tools at this time, let's use them! You can keep in touch with family the same way. If you have a partner/husband you will need to support each other in this now more than ever. Take it in turns to take some time out. Baths, face masks all the usual pampering self care treats apply. Bonus points if you get the kids to massage your feet.
At this time it is more vital than ever to look after ourselves and this includes our mental health. Our children will be looking at us to see how we manage ourselves at times of stress. Let's teach them how to be more resilient by practicing self care and taking care of our mental wellness.
I wrote a blog about managing anxiety in self isolation which may help if anyone is feeling really anxious right now.
Take care of yourselves, stay safe and stay home. Love and peace xxx
I'm Cath. Mum, blogger and content creator. We are a blended family of 6 so it's mainly chaos but lots of love and fun. I survive on caffeine and dry shampoo.
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