Currently there’s been quite a buzz around self-care and well-being. This year has taken a shift, and the way we go about our day to day lives has changed dramatically.

Throughout the pandemic, we have lost the luxury of being able to go out to dinner with friends, celebrate milestones with family, and pamper ourselves at our favourite salons and nail shops.

But where there’s a will, there’s a way. We’ve taken things into our own hands and decided to make the best out of this situation. It will never be the same, but now we FaceTime instead. We get a takeaway rather than going out to dine, and we buy a bunch of face masks and bath treats to pamper ourselves at home.

Here in the UK, we had a bit of freedom, however we have now returned to staying at home. We know that this may be another tough and challenging time for many, so we have put together some of our top tips for staying sane and boosting your mental health during 'Lockdown 2.0'.

Mental Health and Wellness Tips for Lockdown

Get Some Vitamin D

Vitamin D is absorbed by your body from sunlight and studies have shown that there is a correlation between low vitamin D levels and depression. Sometimes opening your blinds or going out for a walk can make all of the difference. Breathing in fresh air, looking at the sky and admiring nature’s beauty is a great way to stay grounded, clear your mind and be active.

Focus on the Positive

According to research from experts in positive psychology, gratitude is linked to a greater sense of well-being, energy, optimism and overall makes you a happier person. Positive thinking and gratitude play such a huge role in our mental, physical and emotional well-being. Why not practice writing a list of things that you’re grateful for each day? The more you focus on the good, the less energy you give to negative thoughts. You can be thankful for even the ‘smallest’ of things like waking up in the morning, being able to see the beauty of nature and being able to walk.

Do Your Best, then Relax About the Rest

One of the reasons why we may stress and feel overwhelmed is because we put too much pressure on ourselves. You may find that you’re way more productive and effective when you choose not to push yourself too hard and just do what you can. Some people have been resourceful enough to start a new business or learn a new language. That doesn’t mean that you need to do the same. A great achievement for you may be finishing off a book or getting your laundry done. Milestones look different to different people. Do yourself a favour and just relax, be easy on yourself and take things a day at a time.

Create Routines

After discovering what works best for your lifestyle, why not implement a routine for your day? Structure can often make us feel safe and create order amidst the chaos that may be happening around us. Each day will become more digestible once you know what your plans and goals are for the day. Again, take things at your own pace, don’t overwhelm yourself. If your to-do list has one task, be satisfied with that and proud of what you’ve accomplished.

Check in With Friends and Family

Connecting with friends and family can help take our minds off of problems, develop more meaningful relationships and lift our spirits. When we isolate ourselves, that’s when we tend to struggle more with things like anxiety and depression. Engaging with others is a necessary and healthy way to live life. When we have doubts and struggles, friends and family are the ones to lift us up and support us.

Manage and Limit Use of Social Media

You’d probably be in denial if you said that social media has never had a negative impact on your well-being, the studies show otherwise. Social media has been linked to anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and poor quality of sleep. It can have the effect of sucking us into this alternate universe that doesn’t really exist, tempting us to constantly compare and question ourselves. We’re not telling you to come off of social media completely, but maybe you’d benefit from limiting the amount of time you spend on your socials, not checking your phone first thing in the morning, or muting and unfollowing certain pages that seem to be impacting you negatively.