Keep an active mind

People are finding lots of innovative and original ways to keep themselves as busy and active as possible during this lockdown time. It is just as important to keep your mind engaged as well as your body.

People are contacting old friends they haven’t spoken to for ages, taking up new or old pastimes, or doing things in different online ways.

If you feel that you have time on your hands, especially over long weekends – think about ways in which you can keep mentally active:

• Is there a long-forgotten project you could undertake? Photography? A garden if you have one? Reading, or even writing?
• Keeping a diary or writing about your experiences during this time not only keeps you active but can be also a very helpful way of expressing feelings of anxiety, frustration or thoughts of others.
• A mindful colouring book might be relaxing and provide you with something to look back on or be proud of in better times. These are available online as well as paper copies
• Do you like crosswords or other word games?
• Do you like art?
• There are lots of ways in which you can keep up with games and pastimes with others online or via apps. It is worth searching your app store for something that might interest you.

These are just a few ideas out of many.

Don’t beat yourself up if it takes a bit longer to establish a pastime that you enjoy. Try an activity for a short period of time each day if you can, persevere and you will find that a routine begins to take root. Try to set yourself a goal each day. In the long term, this will give you something to remember this time by, which will give you a sense of achievement and pride.

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