Be productive and fight the blue during the Enhanced Community Quarantine.

5 ways to beat mental stress during quarantine

One of the sacrifices that many people must make amid the COVID-19 pandemic is to stay at home and distance themselves from other people. While this is one way to protect themselves from the virus, isolation—together with anxiety and fear over the crisis—may raise mental health concerns.

If you find yourself struggling to cope with the current situation, you can do more than just browse through Facebook or watch movies. AXA Philippines, one of the country’s leading insurance providers, shares some activities to help you be productive and fight the blues during this Enhanced Community Quarantine.

Exercise. Staying at home doesn’t mean you have to limit your daily physical activity. You can search for exercise videos online that will help you stay fit!  There are so many options to suit your level and preference—from simple but effective walking exercises, high-intensity workouts, zumba, and yoga, among so many other options. This is guaranteed to produce mood-boosting endorphins with the space and equipment you have at home.

Clean your space. With a lot of spare time in your hands, why not use it to clean, declutter, and organize your things at home? Not only will this give you something to do, but sanitizing your home is also another important step in protecting yourself and your loved ones from the virus.

Strengthen relationships. Social distancing doesn’t mean losing connections with other people. If you live with your family, you can now spend some more bonding moments at home. How about a night of watching movies or playing board games together? You can also stay connected to friends from a distance. Carve out some time to call your friends and check on how they are doing via online applications. This will enable you to share experiences and help each other in these trying times.

Learn a new skill. Got an old guitar that you don’t know how to play? You can try learning to play that instrument now. Want to tap into your creative side? Nurture your creativity by trying to draw or write poetry. During the quarantine, many professionals are holding free classes on social media so be sure to stay updated with your favorite ones. There are also countless tutorials and courses that you can find online, so why not try them out? Who knows? Maybe by the time the quarantine has ended, you will have new hobbies for fun or valuable skills that can be helpful in your career.

Meditate. Meditation is one of the best activities to boost mental health. It allows you to connect with your inner self and helps reduce stress and depression and anxiety. The best part is you don’t need much to do it – all you need is a quiet space. You just need to sit down comfortably, close your eyes, and focus on your breathing for a few minutes. If you're new to meditation, you may check out free meditation apps for beginners and soothing music online to help get you started.

Your mental health is a vital part of your overall wellbeing so make sure not to neglect that part.

For more information on AXA Philippines, visit https://axa.com.ph/.