This article is written by Salman Samad, Manager, Enterprise Architecture at the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) and Apolitical Insider Fellow. This article has been edited by Molly Fredeen, Apolitical Insider Fellow and policy analyst in the government of British Columbia.

Over the past few months one of the issues that has been at the forefront of many discussions is the effect of the pandemic on our mental health and wellbeing. The lockdowns, quarantines, public and social distancing measures and the feeling of various freedoms escaping from us takes an emotional toll.

Some people are more resilient to this emotional toll while others may not necessarily be as resilient; everyone, to some degree, will be challenged in their own way to maintain their mental health and wellbeing.

Here are a few tips and ways to not let our emotional tanks get too empty and to help us stay well and mentally healthy during these trying times.

Take up a hobby

Over the past couple of months, I have heard people say: “I wish I had a hobby besides hanging out with friends on the weekends!” This may be a reality for many of us. As such, being cooped up at home is perhaps an ideal time to take up a hobby. It does not have to be something extravagant; simple things like gardening, bird watching, cooking or even baking can bring a lot of comfort and a needed break from the monotony of our daily routines.

Read a good book

The libraries might be closed but it does not have to stop us from experiencing the warmth of reading a book.

It can be a new book or time to re-read an old favourite. Public libraries have partnered with a few digital media service providers (like Hoopla and Overdrive) that offer free access to e-books and audiobooks. I recently had the pleasure of reading Jurassic Park and, no offence to Steven Spielberg, the book was simply incredible and much more exciting than the movie!

Most of us simply sit glued to our make shift offices for longer than the typical 8 hours. This can lead to stress and burn out fairly quickly.

Practice gratefulness

Even though things may appear dire and depressing, there are always things we can, and must, be grateful for. In his book “The Happiness Advantage”, Shawn Achor talks about writing three new things one is grateful for each day. It is a simple, yet very powerful, exercise in re-framing our optimism and over time, it has a tremendous boost on our mental health.

Disconnect from work during work

As most of the companies have adopted the work from home model, it has in reality resulted in most of us working even longer than when we were physically in the office.

The reason is simple – there is no commute, no grooming required, and no floors to travel between meetings and, as such, most of us simply sit glued to our make shift offices for longer than the typical 8 hours. This can lead to stress and burn out fairly quickly. Making a conscious effort to disconnect from all the work and meetings will certainly help us to recharge and continue being productive at work. Take breaks and allocate those blocks of time (15-30 minutes if not more) in your calendar to stretch, meditate, practice yoga, pray or whatever else that will help calm your nerves and bring the mind to a more relaxed state. The key is to not cheat yourself and be firm with the use of those time blocks.

Exercise

This one speaks for itself. With the gyms closed and no equipment at home, it has been difficult for me to try and do any sort of workout at home.

However, I have substituted my workout sessions with walks, stretches and other body weight exercises that help me maintain some level of physical activity. The idea is to get moving in whatever capacity you can. Sign up for online classes at your local gym; do gentle stretches while watching TV; perform chores around the house – it all counts. Once again, with most of us staying at home, this is certainly the ideal time to get into the habit of exercising and releasing the endorphins in our brains.

Volunteer

In these unprecedented times, people who are experiencing heightened financial, social, or physical vulnerability may not have access to the resources they need during the pandemic.

Volunteering, if you have time, is an excellent way to offset those vulnerabilities for others. Food banks and local charities are still doing an amazing job while practising all the public health guidelines. Volunteering at those food banks and local charities helps maintain a positive attitude and also provides an emotional high through helping others.

Staying mentally healthy and strong is challenging as it is, and is more so given our current circumstances. The key is to realise that we are not alone in this journey. With the (virtual) support of loved ones and the appropriate mental health resources available to us, we can be well on our way to staying mentally healthy. — Salman Samad

(Picture credit: Unsplash)