Top tips for your wellbeing during the lockdown

Published: 28 April 2020

Medicine student, Meenakshi Jhala.

Covid-19 has necessitated that social distancing be implemented across the UK. Medicine student, Meenakshi Jhala, shares her top tips looking after your physical and mental wellbeing under the current restrictions. 

1. Social media is a really useful tool right now

I would encourage you to get in touch with friends/family as regularly as possible - maybe call that friend you haven’t spoken to in a while? These small things make a huge difference and can really lift your mood. 

Making sure you are healthy both mentally and physically is also really important. For me, eating my favourite food makes me super happy. It’s great that there are these ‘new’ (ish?) trends going on such as the dalgona coffee. I’m yet to try it out but experimenting with different things can help you feel a bit more refreshed. 

2. Utilise the once a day physical activity outing 

You would be surprised how much difference some fresh air and sunlight can make on your mood. Utilise the once a day physical activity allowance, I’ve found it really makes you appreciate nature. I’ve noticed the birds chirping more, the way the light shines on the leaves of trees and flowers. It’s amazing how we forget to appreciate the little joys in life because of our fast-paced lives. I’m thankful somewhat.

3. Allow yourself to feel emotional 

This is not an ideal situation and, you know what, it is okay to feel down, upset and sad. These are all valid and normal emotions. When I accepted that I felt this way, instead of trying to dismiss it, I felt a weight lift from my shoulders. 

4. Develop a routine 

What has really helped me is developing a routine. Waking up, studying, getting through the academic things and being sure to take regular breaks are all very important.  

5. Go at your own pace 

With all of this in mind, please don’t be hard on yourself. I’ve seen so many quotes saying that if you don’t utilise this time productively, then it’ll be a shame. Go at your own pace and do what you feel is right. The only thing I would encourage in this time is to explore yourself as a person. What are your likes and dislikes? Make a list of all the things you may want to do when social isolation is done. That’s another thing that keeps me motivated! 

6. Struggling for motivation

I have recently discovered "study with me" videos on YouTube. It really helps me because it gives the illusion that someone else being is around while you are concentrating. For those of you who are used to the library environment during exam season (or otherwise), this really works wonders. Some videos apply the pomodoro technique so you can take (well deserved) breaks and get back to it - AND feel good about yourself! 

7. Too much noise in my house 

I've been speaking to a few of my friends and I think one of the biggest obstacles to effective remote study is having a quiet environment. It's a fine line between constantly telling your family or housemates that you need to study versus not wanting to seem too negative. I recently invested in some ear plugs and, although they are not completely noise cancelling, they do muffle out the conversations in the background. Would definitely recommend if you have a noisy/small household. 

8. Communicate and be kind

Last but not least, communicate. It is really important that we support each other during this pandemic. Everyone is going through their own battles right now and it’s vital to be kind. 

You can find further tips on distance learning from St George’s Learning Resource Centre here.