How to ease your way back into normality with The Mind Medic

Many of us will have enjoyed a slower pace of life during the lockdown and will want to hold on to as many of those moments as possible. Planning and preparing for the week ahead can make sure we strike a balance between returning to the pre-lockdown norm that may well make us feel stressed and low as well as introducing some of those new practices that we know will support our mental wellbeing and keep us calm and happy.

P.R.E.P.A.R.E.

Pen, paper, plan your day! Think about what you are going to do that day and jot it down so you can visualize it.

Routine – maintain one, as much as possible. Don’t blur the boundaries between day and night; your work and down time - create clear distinctions. Maintaining some semblance of a routine for a lot of us gives us a sense of purpose, it can hold us accountable and help motivate us.

Exercise is a fantastic tool for optimizing our mental wellbeing. It can lift our mood, boost confidence and improve self esteem, our concentration and even our sleep. Build in regular movement breaks if you are at work, getting some extra steps in or take the opportunity to fire up a 20-30 minute YouTube/IGTV home workout.

Prioritise tasks for the day ahead. Don’t be overly ambitious with the tasks you set yourself only to set yourself up for failure and disappointment. What do you absolutely have to get done today?

Avoid being pulled into constant news alerts and social media notifications that are likely to exacerbate any anxiety or uncertainty you are feeling and distract you from what you ought to be doing. Turn off social media and news notifications especially if you find these make you feel anything other than calm and happy.

Remain connected with friends, family and work colleagues particularly if you live alone. Pencil in time to reconnect; virtual lunches or make the most of social distanced walks, picnics or garden meets with a friend or within your social bubble.

Eat well and stay hydrated. Make sure you are taking regular breaks, eating a balanced, colourful diet. Keep an eye on your caffeine intake particularly as you edge into the afternoon/evening when this may well get in the way of a good night’s sleep.

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You can follow Dr Sarah Vohra on Instagram @themindmedic.

The gut is increasingly being recognised as playing a crucial role in maintaining both our physical and mental health. In order to maintain a happy gut, and seemingly, a happy mind, we must look at our diet as well as external factors such as stress-management. We’ve designed our Summer Set package to help with just that. Find out more here.