TIPS TO SURVIVE LOCKDOWN

At the end of January 2021, Portugal entered the third wave of the Covid19 pandemic, which resulted in a second lockdown in less than a year. After a month, it seems we are managing to control the impact of Covid19, but still without seeing the end of the restrictions.

The closure of schools, universities, and offices no longer appears as a new situation, but it is likely that you feel down or that you suffer from "pandemic fatigue." This new phenomenon, according to the Order of Psychologists, refers to a feeling of overload, from constantly staying vigilant, and also a feeling of tiredness, from obeying restrictions and changes in our lives. A study conducted by the World Health Organization reveals that pandemic fatigue affects more than 60% of the world's population.

Keep reading to discover our tips to maintain your mental and physical health during this difficult period we are going through!

Define a workspace

Choose an area of the house that will be your study/work station. It is important to know how to separate personal and professional life and, during confinement, this division must be maintained. A specific workspace always facilitates this process and increases your productivity. Working or attending online classes in bed, although it may seem tempting, is not recommended - it is a space associated with rest and therefore decreases motivation. You can consult here some tips for better work posture and reducing visual fatigue caused by prolonged screen exposure.

Plan your days

Setting schedules and making plans is extremely important. Not only for classes or work, but also for leisure activities. Plan your hygienic outings, trips to the supermarket, or Zoom chats with friends and family.

Setting daily goals will help maintain mental health and focus. Try to make your objectives realistic so that you can achieve them.

In the case of children, the weekly plan should be made together with the parents. It will help them maintain a routine with time for school, homework, and free and playful time with family members.

Stay in touch with friends and family

Keeping in touch with friends and family is essential and just a click away. Communication with people outside the professional context or the same household is very important to share experiences, vent, and combat the feeling of loneliness caused by confinement.

Healthy Eating

With gyms closed and a curfew in place, it is natural that there is a reduction in physical exercise and mobility. Maintaining a varied and healthy diet becomes even more essential. This is not the right time for strict diets, but rather to take advantage of this phase to create healthier eating habits. Being confined results in an increased consumption of processed foods, snacks, cookies, and other less healthy foods. Always have a bottle of water with you, to sip throughout the day and thus help control the impulses to eat less healthy foods.

Physical Exercise

Doing sports is essential to keep the body and mind healthy. When confined, we easily let ourselves stay in the comfort of home without doing any physical exercise. You can take advantage of the gardens or green areas near your place of residence to walk, run, or even take a bike ride. At home, you can look for various free online workouts on the internet, (yoga, dance, weight training, among others) and also the possibility of hiring a personal instructor.

"To switch off"

The fact that we are confined makes us lose track of schedules, both professional and personal. Don't fall into the temptation of reading professional emails at any time or even extending the workday. It is important to know how to close the computer and switch off the brain for a few hours. During this rest period, avoid listening to too many news about covid-19 or scrolling through social media for a long time, as all this contributes to this pandemic fatigue. Use your time outside working hours to read a book, exercise, garden, or just listen to music.

And with Digiplanet you can find the headphones you need to listen more peacefully to your favorite music and have that little time just for yourself during the day. Discover them here.