Mind

Simple Tips to Self-Care during the COVID Lockdown

June 17, 2020 by Dikshi Gupta

Stressing out about what the future holds for you? Constantly worrying about whether things will ever go back to normal? Regularly doubting yourself on whether you are being productive enough in this lockdown? Making plans every day of doing something meaningful but ending up just scrolling through social media all day? If you are going through any of these situations in these testing times, then don’t worry. You are not alone.

In these strange times that we are living in today, it is normal to feel the pressure. Stress and anxiety can easily creep up on you. But it is important to not let it get to our heads. If all these things that are making noises in our heads go unchecked, there are chances of one slowly spiraling towards a mental breakdown. Not able to go outside and see your friends and family is piling up on that.

But, lying in bed all day with just your thoughts is also not a solution. Being stationary does not help anyone. You need to snap yourself out of it and get moving. There are some things that you can do in order to feel better about yourself which do not take much effort. Below is a list of things you should do in the increase the productivity in your life:

Get Creative – Now that everyone is sitting at home and scrolling their social media, this is the perfect opportunity to up your meme game. And who knows? You might even go viral.

Exercise – You have to shake that lethargy off of you and get your body moving. It’s great if you have some workout equipment at home. But even if you don’t, there are plenty of tutorials and fitness apps on the internet that will tell you simple ways to workout at home.

Cooking – Cooking is the ultimate stress buster. Success does not matter in this endeavour. Just making efforts and preparing food with your own hands can be a really fulfilling experience. And don’t forget, it can also make for good Instagram stories.

Reading – There cannot be a better time to read one of the many books that are sitting in your collection but you haven’t had a chance to read. A good book can enhance your perspective towards the world and that is exactly what is needed in this pandemic.

Meditation – Meditation helps in calming your nerves and is a great tool for stress management.

Learn Something New – Hasn’t there been one thing that you always want to learn but couldn’t for some reason? Well hopefully, you can do it now. From dancing to playing guitar to learning a new language, the options are endless.

Be in Touch with Your Therapist – Just because you cannot physically visit your therapist, does not mean that there are no other ways to communicate. Therapists are there to help you become better. Many of them will be more than willing to offer their advice on phone calls.

Clean Your Room – A dirty room can lead to the conjuring of negative thoughts. Live in a clean and cheerful environment.

Talk to Your Friends – Stay in touch with your friends, ask them how they are doing and keep checking up on them. Everyone is having their own issues right now and it is a really good thing to talk about. It lessens the burden on the heart and can also increase happiness in your life.

Sleep – A lot of people’s healthy sleep cycles are going out of the windows these days. For some, birds chirping outside the window is an indication that they should sleep now. This is unhealthy and can cause physical stress on the body. You should try to avoid watching another episode of that web series that you are binging on and go to sleep at an appropriate time.

We hope this article is of help to you and you come out a better person after this pandemic.

Your Guide to Journaling Gratitude

June 13, 2020 by Rimikak

Often it happens that we are so bogged down by everything that is happening in our lives, that we are unable to look at anything in a positive light. Everything seems wrong and out of place. We do not pay attention to the fact that we are more blessed than many others on the planet.

There are so many things we take for granted but other people dream of. So, during dark times, we should turn our focus towards these things that we should be grateful for. Instead of delving into the negative, we should focus on the positive aspects of our lives, be kind to other people and spread joy and love. Meditation and mindfulness help a great deal. Another way of doing this is by keeping a Grateful Journal.

Why Should I keep a Grateful Journal?

The benefits of the Grateful Journal have not been conjured out of thin air but have their roots in science. Research studies have been conducted that prove the relation between a grateful Journal and a healthy lifestyle. Following is a list of benefits associated with keeping a Grateful Journal:

· Health – It leads to better health and fitness. Good mental leads to good physical health. A person physically feels better while maintaining a Grateful Journal.

· Dealing with Stress – A Grateful Journal fills our mind with happy and cheerful thoughts and this helps in stress management. It also helps in dealing with issues like anxiety and depression.

· Sleeping Pattern – The sleeping cycle of a person gets corrected and he or she can go to sleep and wake up at appropriate times.

· Productivity – Positive mindset is directly related to a rise in productivity. The more cheerful a person is, the better they can perform their job.

· Mood Enhancer – Anytime you are feeling low, you can just revisit the journal to realize it’s not all bad.

· Personal Happiness – In order to maintain a Grateful Journal, you have to constantly think about joyful things on a regular basis. Thus, when we constantly making efforts towards things that we are grateful for, it is bound to create a wave of happiness inside us.

What to Write in the Grateful Journal?

Thinking positively does not come naturally to many people. They have to put in the effort and work on this aspect of their life. And having a Journal where you list down the things you are grateful for on a regular basis can help significantly.

Sometimes, people want to start a journal but they stop even before starting as they have trouble figuring out what exactly they should write in it. Following are some tips you can follow as to what to write in the Grateful Journal:

· Avoid General or Vague Things – Writing about general things like buying a new TV or a sunny morning would not turn out to be much meaningful. You have to focus on something specific, something that will stay with you. It should be something impactful so that whenever you re-read about it in the diary, it should evoke emotions out of you.

· Focus on the Details – Write a detailed account of the event, interaction, thing or the memory. Don’t only write what you observe, go deeper. Go into the finer details, notice what you like about that thing and write about how it makes you feel. Thus, when you read that memory months later, you will remember exactly why that moment, memory or thing holds a place in your journal.

· Starting Options – There might be times when you hit a brick wall and cannot figure out what to write. This can cause a fall in motivation. In those moments, you can think about your relationships, your family, your professional life, your friends, your goals and your hunger for success. You will surely find something to be grateful for among those categories.

How to Maintain a Journal?

Sometimes, the hard part is not to start something but to keep at it continuously. So, below are some tips that might be helpful to you in maintaining a Journal:

· Be Consistent – Consistency is the key to forming a great habit. Entries should be made in the journal regularly. The more consistent you become, the easier it gets.

· Revisit the Earlier Entries – Sometimes lack of motivation can make a person question themselves as to what is the purpose of this journal. At this moment, they should turn back the pages and read the old entries. This will remind them why they started the journal in the first place and why it is important to continue.

· Write at Night – It is difficult to just wake up every day and fill your journal with a new thing you are grateful for. So, night time is advised for writing as you can introspect and analyze the whole day and find something meaningful to write in the journal.

· Set Out Goals and Rewards – One way to keep yourself motivated to write in the Grateful Journal is by establishing goals. For example, set a target to make an entry in the journal every day for the next thirty days and on achieving that target, you will treat yourself to a delicious pizza or go out for a movie. The reward can be anything. It’s the achievement of the goal that will eventually be more satisfying to you.

So, in conclusion, everybody goes through bad phases in their life. But, at the end of the day, if you go home and write something positive in your Grateful Journal, it’ll surely help in lightening your mood.

Social Distancing: The New Normal

June 11, 2020 by Dikshi Gupta

When we hear the word “Social distancing”, the first image that bubbles up in our mind is being in cages, isolation, or halt to a fun-filled life. But it is not like that. It basically requires you to maintain a “physical distance” between yourself and others. You simply need to be conscious in your everyday routines to minimize close contact with others by:

Avoiding as much as possible, crowded places and non-essential gatherings
Avoiding greetings gestures, such as hugs and handshakes
Limiting contact with people at higher risk of catching infection (e.g. older adults and sick people)
Maintaining a distance of at least 6 feet (~2 meters / 2 arms’ length) from others

Social distancing is a non-pharmaceutical infection control action to stop or reduce the spread of a highly contagious disease. It is an observable practice to lower the risk in most circumstances.

Social distancing is a fruitful action for all beings and to make it bearable rather than a major source of strain, we must insist on maintaining our social and emotional support.

To accomplish Social distancing, we should prefer to work from home, cancel mass gatherings and events. We should stay at least 6 feet (about 2 arms’ length) away from other people. All these measures are trying to achieve the same thing but with slightly different strategies and a slightly different touch.

During any pandemic, virus can spread when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks, and droplets in the form of aerosols from their mouth or nose spreads into the air and the people nearby inhale it. It may be possible that a person can get infected by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their mouth, nose, or eyes.

Social distancing helps in limiting opportunities to encounter contaminated surfaces and infected people outside the home.

Things we should do for Social connection during social distancing:

Connect digitally to build community and prevent feelings of loneliness. Learn and share ideas and skills, make the most of being in touch by interacting with people and groups that use the platforms in a positive way.

Restore Family bonding: Enjoy time at home with your family. Cook and eat dinner together. Blow the dust-off games and puzzles. Teach and practice life skills such as cooking, doing laundry, sewing on a button, or cleaning the bathroom. Plant a garden.

Attend a class or meeting virtually: We Should attend any class or online course of our interests, office meetings, school classes, gyms, yoga studios, cooking classes, craft classes, etc. which will surely boost immunity, deliver positivity and energy.

Make a phone call to friends, loved ones and relatives. Sometimes just hearing someone’s voice can be enough to lift spirits. Asking them how they’re doing. Even if a call ends up being a voicemail, you’ve let someone know you were thinking about them, which is always good medicine.

Provide financial support, food support, or any other support that you can afford to help the needy.

During these overwhelming times of Coronavirus pandemic, here we introduce “SAVE THE MATCHES” a game to help you remain pro-positive, encourage to maintain, and practice social distancing during a pandemic. In addition to this, the game would also help you to reduce stress, increase focus, resilience, and physical well being.

Gratitude… The flip side of fear

June 1, 2020 by Rimikak

The world feels like it’s been turned upside down overnight during these challenging times of coronavirus pandemic. One can often feel like a black cloud casting a dark shadow over our lives. The feelings of stress and fear make it easy to be thankless towards life. When it is hard to feel grateful, it perhaps becomes more important than ever to focus on Gratitude — the conscious effort to be thankful and acknowledge everything you have in life. Gratitude shifts our focus from what life lacks to the abundance that is already present.

The benefits of practicing Gratitude are wide-ranging. Famous psychologist Robert Emmons of the University of California at Davis researched Gratitude and its effects. In his book “Thanks!: How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier”, he highlighted numerous benefits of practicing Gratitude. He indicated that practicing daily gratitude results in higher levels of enthusiasm, will power, self-confidence, and energy. It enhances one’s personal as well as societal well-being.

Gratitude is a strong emotion; it is a magic pill that reduces tension, depression, anger, and boosts your energy levels, improves your mood, and helps you sleep better. People who are thankful for little things in life are optimistic, stress-free, and have high immunity levels as compared to people under stress. Another study conducted by Robert Emmons indicated that grateful people take better care of themselves and engage in more protective health behaviors like regular exercise, a healthy diet, regular physical examinations, which makes them lead a happy life.

So, if you practice Gratitude, especially during this pandemic, you can gain various benefits. I am not trying to advocate to express Gratitude instead of emotions of anxiety, fear, or confusion, which you might be currently experiencing. I am just helping to look for ways for yourself to gain confidence and practice self-care.

Following are a few simple ways to practice Gratitude daily:

Start by taking a few moments to recognize all those things that are going well in your life.
Feel a sense of abundance in your life.
Appreciate the contributions of others in your life.
Enjoy life’s small pleasures and blessings.

Initially, it might be that these attitudes do not come to you naturally. Initially, these attitudes may not come to you naturally, but, therefore, deliberately paying attention to these positive attitudes the positives you can train yourself to see more and more of them. It will make you realize that you have most of what you need and a lot of what you want in life. You have people to love you, food to eat, a bed to sleep in, and a roof over your head and so on.

Try to relax and sit down to list your Joys. Make this a regular habit, set aside a few minutes each day to purposely practice Gratitude, and you will feel a change. I must say: Go ahead, try it out right now.

What or who do you have in your life to be thankful for? I am sure your list will not end soon.

An opportunity to reset and reboot: COVID

May 27, 2020 by Rimikak

Most of us are feeling overwhelmed by the outbreak of the latest bushfire, the COVID-19 pandemic. This unforeseen adversity cannot be avoided as it has now become the new common worldwide. It might seem strange to contemplate anything good coming out of this dark COVID cloud, but we have to be cautiously optimistic at this time. Although time is unfortunate, take it as an opportunity to bounce positively and shine a spotlight on your resilience. While most of us are homebound, we can easily assess and creatively pivot ourselves towards a life full of enthusiasm and mindfulness. Perhaps, it’s a great time to pause a little, recognize and renew your emotions and set a course for the coming life.

From the moment you decide to reset, your mind changes its perspective and creates thoughts to uplift your energy. Here are the domains you can hone to reprioritize, reintroduce, and possibly, re-invent your life. Many of these are simple, 5-minute things you can do, while some just “reconnect” you with who you presently are and what you want to be.

Learn something new: start a hobby, be creative, maybe cook your favorite meal.

Read: Reading is a boon for your mental health, stress reduction, and knowledge improvement. Read at least 5 mins a day.

Create a to-do list: One thing that has helped me a lot to organize myself is to create daily a to-do list. This helps me to figure out/ prioritize and track my professional, personal, and pleasure responsibilities.

Self-care: Create an inventory of self-care activities. Exercise (try yoga, Zumba, aerobics, HIIT, or any activity that you enjoy and is effective) eat mindfully, do a digital detox, meditate for spiritual renewal, and connect.

Be social: Call a long-lost friend, hug your child, pamper your pet.

Declutter your space, living, and emotional: Declutter your life from fallow things or something that you don’t use. Donate things that you no longer need. Learn to live with less. Clear out toxic people, negative thoughts that don’t deserve you.

Write a journal: Writing out your emotions is such a great thing to do. It helps to become a better thinker. Write things you are grateful for or just appreciate yourself and your environment. Or simply write whatever thoughts come into your mind.

Create a happiness playlist to revive and comfort your mood.

Enjoy the blooming nature with a cup of that tastiest coffee because you have all the time now.

Being Mind Full or Mindful during COVID: Simple ways to cultivate Mindfulness into your life

May 8, 2020 by Rimikak

Why spend being homebound in fear and stress, when you can actually make the most out of it. This is the perfect time to incorporate mindful practices into your life, which can help calm anxiety and be kind towards ourselves as well as others. Mindfulness is the non-judgmental awareness of breath, body, emotions, and thoughts. We all naturally possess mindfulness. It’s a simple human capacity to be fully present at the moment, become aware of who we are and what’s going around us. It doesn’t let your mind travel into the past or become anxious about the future, but instead, forces your mind to reel you back into the present.

Mindfulness can be practiced anytime during the day, but early morning, before everyone is awake, is a great time to be with yourself. It helps to set the tone for the day. Mindfulness doesn’t have to be elaborate, simple things like deep breathing, meditation, exercising, mindful drinking a cup of coffee, or whatever activity which you enjoy can be practiced. Here are some tips you can do daily to inculcate mindfulness into your life.

• Eat mindfully: Try to eat at least one meal a day just by and with yourself only. Just sit, relax, and be present at the moment. Savor your food with love and gratitude. Smell the food, feel the texture, enjoy every bite of it. Keep away your phone and switch off the gadgets. Don’t multitask.

• Listening to Music: Focus on the whole song, or listen specifically to the voice or the music strings, enjoy the moment.

• Breathe: Put one hand on your stomach and one hand on your chest. Relax your neck and shoulders. Slowly breathe in the cool air through your nose into your lungs (expand like a balloon) and slowly exhale (deflate) air through your mouth. Repeat this for 5 minutes. Focus on the experience. Feel the calmness in each breathe.

• Color something, blow Bubbles, or dance to your favorite song: Enjoy little things through the day, being fully aware of the activity.

• Let Go: With each breathes you take, let go of all the anger, frustration, anxiety, and stress. Forgive yourself and others. Feel the freedom and happiness in the experience.
Finally, when the world is inevitably chaotic, mindfulness brings us to the internal place of stillness. It would definitely help to keep cautious attention to unconscious reactions of stress and fear and treat you with infinite love, patience, compassion, and awareness.

Dr. Rimika Kapoor
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