People are under an increased amount of stress due to the ongoing 2020 coronavirus pandemic, which has no concrete ending. People who don’t have a mental illness disorder, such as anxiety, are also experiencing mental health vulnerabilities during this time. They report having issues like difficulty concentrating, difficulty remembering things, sleep disturbance, and decreased mood.
4 “M”s in mental health
- Mindfulness
- Mastery
- Movement
- Meaningful connection
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is living in the present moment in a non-judgmental way, and practicing it fosters awareness. People who have completed a mindful activity say that they feel more calm and peaceful afterwards.
Download and use mindfulness apps on your phone, follow along on a YouTube video, and try a variety of other mindful activities like the three below. Building mindfulness takes practice because it is a skill.
Read about what mindfulness is here.
Mindfulness 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Grounding Technique
10 Minute Guided Mindfulness Meditation for Anxiety YouTube video.
Mastery
Mastery is about engaging your mind and doing what you’re good at. Ways of engaging can be tasks as simple as cooking and cleaning. Other ways of engaging your mind include creative writing and expressing yourself through art or music. Mastery can be thought of as a form of distraction. Lastly, it can be thinking about what we have already overcome in life.
Movement
Physical movement, such as walking, weightlifting, running, hiking, yoga, writing, painting, playing an instrument, and dancing are all ways to keep moving forward. Movement helps our minds de-stress and feel better. Another benefit is that mood is boosted.
Meaningful connection
Stay connected to people. If you can’t meet in-person, then stay in-touch through video chatting, social media, phone calls, and sending letters in the mail. Another idea of staying connected is by having a digital picture frame and sharing the “add photos” link with your extended family. Then, extended family members can upload pictures to your frame. This is a good way to see what they (and their pets) have been up to.
These four tips take 10-15 minutes per day and everyone can apply them.
We should be taking advantage of mental wellness strategies like these daily to build up resiliency and improve overall wellbeing. Everyone should have mental health preparedness for situations like the pandemic.
People need a list of resources and coping strategies. People should also re-engage with their mental health treatment professional or seek out one if counseling is new to them. Needing support from a professional does not mean that you are weak.
Watch psychiatrist, Sue Varma’s 03:31 video, practical tips to reduce anxiety here. The video is from March, 2020 during the Coronavirus pandemic, however it is still applicable today.
Excellent article Shannon! Great suggestions and reminders to practice these things on a regular basis. 🙂 Sanna
Sanna Beels Publisher 228 Corridor Neighbors cell (724) 321-2799 http://www.bestversionmedia.com “Bringing People Together”
Thanks for the positive insights! I especially liked the tip of non-judgmental mindfulness, Shannon! A positive frame of mind is more than being an optimist. It is making a commitment to one’s self and God to not put one’s self down (or other people either for that matter which also lowers one’s self esteem). I would like to couple it with movement too: “Move enthusiastic and you’ll be enthusiastic!”
Loved the 10 minute mindfulness exercise too! I need to start doing this daily! Thanks Shannon for sharing.
Sanna Beels Publisher 228 Corridor Neighbors cell (724) 321-2799 http://www.bestversionmedia.com “Bringing People Together”