5 Ways to Lift Your Mood During Lockdown
I feel like I'm living in outfits like this at the moment, I mean at home I'm dressing for comfort but then when I go out for a walk to get some exercise and sunshine (Weather permitting) I'm layering up and regularly wearing this coat and a beanie combo. This particular outfit and set of photos were from my last day out in London before Lockdown 2.0 and even then the weather was pretty miserable and rainy. I did have a lovely day though, the rain isn't all bad. It's just getting a little chilly. I think dresses like this one are perfect for layering up, I've got layers underneath, a long cardi and my coat on here.
I love this dress, my boyfriend's mum bought me it when we were all together in China a couple of years ago. I got to spend some time with her and got some food together, she took me to a shopping centre and we ended up browsing some clothes. I like pieces of clothing like this, it brings about a memory of something. I think of China and Zhi's mum when I wear this. <3
Going back to the lockdown, I think most of us are feeling somewhat run down and just plain tired of this situation. I'm feeling like lockdown is never ending. It can be really difficult and if you're anything like me your probably feeling a little down and unmotivated. As someone that suffers with depression, I thought it would be a good idea to share some of the ways that I cope and try to help lift my mood.
Of course you need to get out of the house, exercise helps and you need to have a balanced diet. I'm not going to go on about each of these things, instead I'm going to give you a handful of other things I find useful.
We have spent enough time in a pair of PJs or some loungewear. We've lived in the dressing gown. So I think it's really import to get dressed in an outfit that you think would be fit for public, like your office or something you'd be happy to be seen in if you bump into a someone you know! It could be wearing something that makes you happy, like this dress I'm wearing in these photos, it's nice to wear something someone gifted you. It might be that make-up makes you feel good, try putting make-up on, try a new palette, try perfecting that look always wanted to try. You could put on that lingerie set that makes you feel amazing, even under your loungewear if you want to. If you're really struggling with getting up and getting ready, try changing into fresh pyjamas the next morning if you can. The point is, mix up what you are wearing, don't just get stuck in a rut of comfies just because you can. You probably have loads of things you haven't worn in ages!
The most obvious way to do this is to go for a walk but personally I'm pretty sick of the same walking route and often choose not to go out. While I don't suggest just staying in I think there are other ways to get some of nature into the house. Some of these do sound a little silly but I think it is something that just helps your mental state in a small way over time. So I suggest some of the following, whatever tickles your fancy:
- House plants
- Play nature sounds on your speaker for half an hour instead of music - listen to the birds chirp
- Watch a nature documentary and marvel at the wonderful creatures around the world - I think a little David Attenborough can do wonders for you!
- Buy yourself a bunch of flowers just because
- Use your TV, put on a calming ocean scene or rainforest sounds while your working or reading
- Turn off your heating and open a few windows around the house for an hour for fresh air and outdoor sounds
Personally, I have a lot of plants around the house. I have a bright bunch of dried flowers to add a pop of colour. I play different nature sounds, I almost always play rain sounds to fall asleep to. You'll find things that make you happy and add a little joy to your days. At least some of them!
And don't go skipping this one. I'm not talking learning some dance routine or being really skilled. I mean put on a song that you'd love to hear in a club (pub or whatever your thing is) that would make you move. Just dance around your room, your house, in front of a mirror, with a house mate or family member. Get moving, sing along, have a little fun. Me and my partner do this a fair amount in the house, sometimes even when there is no music on, we go into the room the other is in and just do some weird interpretive dance that makes the other one giggle. To be honest, if you're here because you are feeling low, pause your reading of this post and go dance to Love Shack by the B-52's.
Most of us are guilty of spending too much time on our phones, whether it's Reddit, Instagram or some other site/app that you can get lost in for hours. I don't think it's about limiting your time of your phone too strictly. Check out your screen time stats in your settings and figure out which apps your using most. Mine is Instagram, I spend way too long on there and I know it doesn't always make me feel that good. But I do know that I enjoy that app and want to see the content from the people I follow however only within reason. Try turning off your phone for an hour while you read or get on with something else you enjoy. You'll probably be surprised to see how many times you aimlessly look at your phone, if it's off you get the nudge to carry on with what you are doing rather than wondering where half an hour went. You could have set times that you use your phone for social media. You could charge your phone on in another room to where you sleep so it isn't the first thing you look at in the morning. Which ever way it works for you - try it!
First of all, set goals and I don't mean setting a goal of learning a new skill or to have read a certain number of books by the time lockdown is lifted. To me, these types of goals aren't helpful because I'm not feeling motivated and having a bigger goal that I am actually quite likely not to achieve (because I'm down and I'm working on lifting my mood never mind learning a new language). I personally find loose goals or smaller goals work better for me, they need to be achievable. If I'm in a state of demotivation and some sort of depression, adding something to my list of things to try and do is not going to motivate me. Instead I have smaller goals. You could use some of the above points to set some small goals like:
- Get dressed in an outfit I love once a week
- Set an alarm half an hour earlier than needed one day a week
- On Wednesday and Saturday, clean something
- Dance like a nobody is watching for 5 minutes every day
Secondly, we are all feeling a little lost because we don't know when the lockdown will be over so we don't have specific things to look forward to. So you can combat this by setting a bigger goal for the end of the year or next year and taking a few smaller steps over the next few months to get there. Also think social activities, set up a bigger family video call in a couple of weeks time, organise a book swap with friends, set a film date with friends and all watch the film on the same night. Plan something so you have something to look forward to!
I hope something here helps and if you have anything to add please share in the comments! :)
Wonderful tips! Having a routine and exercise helped me keep sane during the lockdown. Love your outfit!
ReplyDeletexoxo
Lovely
www.mynameislovely.com
Thank you :) Keeping active definitely helps, it's been so long that it can be tricky to keep motivated so I try a short burst of silly dancing to perk up my mood! x
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ReplyDeleteAh very inspiring and helpful, thanks for posting :)
Allie of
www.allienyc.com
Thank you <3
DeleteThis is a lovely post! A lot of us can be struggling right now as lockdowns and restrictions seem to be neverending. Having less screen time is great and something I should do more of. Thank you for this reminder! x
ReplyDeleteJulia x
www.julia-speaks.com
Thank you! I think we could all do with a reminder sometimes, it is so easy to get lost in some sort of internet/social media hole x
DeleteI love the teal coat you're wearing, it's beautiful!! These are some great tips too, I've definitely found that getting up and properly dressed makes a huge difference - I'll try at least a few days a week to get dressed in something other than jeans and do my makeup properly and it really gives me a boost :) Thank you for sharing xx
ReplyDeleteAmy | sassycatlady.com
Thank you lovely! I hope it helped a little, not long now until we get a little more freedom :) x
DeleteThese are some great tips! Getting outside always helps me x
ReplyDeleteZoey | www.zoeyolivia.com