TIPS FOR SURVIVING CONFINEMENT

At the end of January 2021, Portugal entered the third wave of the Covid19 pandemic, which resulted in a second confinement in the space of less than a year. After a month, it seems that we are managing to control the impact of covid19, but we are still not 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 will feel down or suffer from “pandemic fatigue”. This new phenomenon , according to the Order of Psychologists, refers to a feeling of overload, due to remaining constantly vigilant, and also a feeling of tiredness, due to obeying restrictions and changes in our life. A study, carried out by the World Health Organization, reveals that pandemic fatigue affects more than 60% of the world's population.

Keep reading to discover our tips for maintaining 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 your personal and professional life , and during the lockdown, this division should be maintained. A specific work area always makes this process easier and increases your productivity . Working or taking online classes in bed, although it may seem tempting, is not recommended - it is a space associated with rest and, therefore, reduces motivation. You can find some tips here for improving your posture while working and reducing eye strain caused by prolonged exposure to screens.

 

Plan your days

 

Establishing schedules and making plans is extremely important. Not only classes or work, but also playful activities. Plan your hygienic walks, 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 goals realistic so that you can achieve them.

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

Keep in touch with friends and family

Keeping in touch with friends and family is essential and is just a click away. Communication with people outside the professional context or from 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 curfews required, it is natural that there will be a reduction in physical exercise and mobility. Maintaining a varied and healthy diet becomes even more fundamental. This is not the right time to go on demanding diets, but rather to take advantage of this phase to create healthier eating habits . Being confined results in an increase in the consumption of processed foods, snacks, cookies and other less healthy foods. Always have a bottle of water with you, so you can drink throughout the day and thus help control your urges to eat less healthy foods.

Physical Exercise

Doing sport is essential to keep your body and mind healthy. Being confined, we easily allow ourselves to stay in the comfort of home without doing any physical exercise. You can take advantage of the gardens or green areas, close to your place of residence, to walk, run or even go for a bike ride. At home, you can search the internet for different free online trainings (yoga, dance, bodybuilding, among others) and even have the option of hiring an individual instructor.

"To switch off"

The fact that we are confined means that we are lost in our schedules, whether professional or personal. Don't be tempted to read professional emails at any time or even extend your work day. It's important to know how to close the computer and turn off your brain for a few hours. During this period of rest, avoid listening to a lot of news about covid-19 or scrolling social media for too long time, as all of this contributes to this pandemic fatigue. Take advantage of your time outside of work to read a book, exercise, garden or just listen to music.

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