Image Source: Photo by Picsea on Unsplash

Maintaining Your Mental Health with Time at Home

Like it or not, we’re all pretty much stuck at home these days, and there’s no shame in admitting all of this “me time” might be getting to you. It’s hard not to feel a bit smothered with current guidelines about staying healthy at home, but while your physical health is extra important right now, we can’t let our mental health fall by the wayside. Isolation, or even just the inability to go about your normal routine, can take a toll on your mental health. It’s important to keep an eye on it while we get through these new and unusual times together.


There are plenty of ways to maintain a positive mental state ranging from self-care, emotional balance, and even arranging things in your home that are comforting to you or meet your needs. Being healthy at home doesn’t mean you have to be miserable. Let’s talk about some of the different ways you can maintain your mental health through the COVID-19 scare.

Prioritizing Self Care

It’s easy in the hustle and bustle of everyday life to let our self-care routine slip to the back burner, but right now we are in anything but our normal everyday life. With all of these changes happening so quickly, it can take a big toll on us. If you’re finding yourself with a little bit of extra time on your hands these days, it’s the perfect time to get back into a great self-care routine.

If you aren’t sure where to start, start at the beginning of your day. Even though you might not have anywhere you need to be, it’s important to keep a consistent morning routine. Having the comfort of structure at the beginning of every day starts your day off on a good note and one that gets you in the right mindset. Plus, prioritizing this type of self-care as soon as you wake up, keeps the whole idea of self-care in the forefront for the rest of the day.

If you’re someone who is taking time off work during this period, another thing to keep in mind is to continue to get a proper amount of sleep each night. It can be tempting to stay up and watch just one more episode of your favourite show when you don’t have an alarm clock nagging at the back of your mind, but not getting enough sleep can cause a weakened immune system and can have some major effects on your mental health. Doctors recommend between seven and eight hours of sleep a night for the average person, so try and keep that in mind.

Remain Calm

Right now, remaining calm might be easier said than done. The news channels and social media platforms are bombarded with the latest news on the COVID-19 pandemic, and many doctors recommend taking time away from the news and internet. The constant barrage of images and news is tough on our mental health.

The best way to remain calm in uncertain times is to maintain a healthy emotional balance. Your emotional balance can be thrown off by the way you react to extreme feelings in stressful situations, but the key is to process those feelings. Otherwise, these extreme mood swings can lead to exhaustion and poor decision making. If something upsets you, acknowledge those feelings but don’t dwell on them. This also goes for anything that angers you, or makes you fearful or even sad. Once you get into this habit, it’s much easier to be much more even-keeled in the light of everything that’s happening right now.

Change Your Room to Improve Your Mood

Your surroundings can have serious effects on your mood and mental health. Clutter can lead to stress and make it impossible to find peace. If you’re spending more time at home than ever before, it makes sense that you want to make the most of your space. This can be something as simple as rearranging your furniture for a fresh perspective or designating one area of your home as a crafting space for you and your kids. If you find that yoga relaxes you, perhaps setting up an area specifically for your yoga routines is more your route. If you love sunshine, move things around so you have more access to natural light. Regardless of what you choose, certain activities benefit from having their own space within your home. 

This is an unprecedented time for everyone right now, and there’s no shame in admitting if you're having trouble. Struggling with mental health is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. We’re all in this together, and while we might be social distancing for the near future, that doesn’t mean complete isolation. Use your devices to FaceTime or Skype with friends. Stay in touch with friends and family through email or social media, and remind your family to do the same. We’re all waiting to get back out there into the world, and we want everyone to join us.