For one summer we thought Corona was defeated. But that seems to have been a fallacy. Now another winter threatens with fear of the virus – how are we supposed to hold out?
And again we are facing a winter with corona restrictions. Again weeks and months in which it will be cold and dark outside, and inside it felt narrower, lonelier and more desolate every day. Seeing other people is only advisable in homeopathic doses because of the insidious virus. And at the moment nobody believes that discos or cinemas will stay open normally. So how do you survive the coming months until the spring sun puts you in a good mood again?
Actually absurd that this question should not be answered by some official authority. Because that people live (felt) two years with this constant corona worry, often isolated, stressed by job, family and general insecurity, and just cope with it mentally, nobody can expect that. Indeed, doctors state that depression and anxiety disorders have increased significantly since 2020. Politicians, however, seem to be ignoring the terrifying corona figures as enthusiastically as the Ministry of Magic once did with “Harry Potter” the obvious return of Lord Voldemort. So we will probably have to help ourselves. Here are a few tips for you.
1. Go for a walk
No, please don’t stop reading right away. Yes, we’ve all been walking a lot over the past few years. But that doesn’t make it worse. Especially in winter it is a good thing to get at least 10 or 20 minutes of sunlight – which is why it is advisable to use the lunch break for a small round. Because both in the morning and in the evening, you know, the sun is nowhere to be seen. In addition, the fresh air is good for you, a little exercise (which is often neglected when people work from home) anyway, and it helps to see once a day that the world outside is “still there”. In the Positive psychology So-called “awareness walks” are a tried and tested tool to improve the mood: You try to turn your head off a bit and instead concentrate consciously on the surroundings: the trees, the birds, the houses.
Extra tip: Look for a route that is as uncomplicated as possible that you can start right outside the front door. The less that could stop you from going, the better. In addition, the classic walking routes in particularly attractive places are often overcrowded and are more stressful than fun – in which case a tour of a boring residential area might be a better idea.
2. Celebrate everyday life
Anyone who inevitably spends a lot of time at home, possibly also works there, knows it: at some point everything feels the same. Work, after work, weekend, vacation … which month is it next? What day of the week? Which year? Everything becomes a gray mash of time. That is suboptimal – so come up with something nice for every day. You shouldn’t just “get around” a day, but rather look forward to a little something every day. And you have to actively consider and prepare this little thing. Be it the clichéd bathtub in the evening to relax, be it a joint cooking evening with your partner, a game evening, ordering a pizza on Saturday or watching a movie.
Extra tip: Have you ever thought about what actually makes you happy? Once you list these things out, it becomes a lot easier to incorporate joyful things into everyday life. By the way, at the top of the list of endorphin triggers is: petting animals! Call the local animal shelter and ask if they are still looking for volunteers?
Make it really nice inside
© Adene Sanchez / Getty Images
3. Make your home radically beautiful
Where’s Marie Kondo when you need her? Let’s face the facts: It’s winter, it’s Corona – we’ll be spending a lot of time indoors. That’s why the time has come NOW to make yourself really beautiful there. Have you always wanted to replace the wobbly coffee table? Really muck out? Rearrange the kitchen? To paint the walls? Then do it! You really, really hang out here and have to watch the whole thing – then you damn well should like it too. So go ahead: Think about how your four walls would work best for you, what has bothered you for a long time or no longer corresponds to your current taste, which temporary solution has remained stubborn since you moved in and should finally be tackled. In short: make yourself comfortable!
Extra tip: Mucking out can quickly become overwhelming if you don’t really know where to start, and there are also memories of many things. Be pragmatic: First pack everything that is constantly flying around and annoying you in boxes and stow them in the basement. When you have some peace and quiet, at some point take one box after the other and then sort them strictly according to keep-give-away-throw away.
4. Cultivate friendships
You hear it everywhere, and you notice it in yourself: Throughout the whole process, you have fallen into a kind of social hibernation. Even with your best friends you only get in touch sporadically, meetings are even more rare. Often one simply lacks the energy to maintain relationships because everything else is so exhausting for us. Don’t worry, it’s not just for you – your friends too. Still, it is important to know that you are not alone in this mess. Think about who is really important to you, who is good for you, who you would currently be good for. It is totally okay to let semi-important acquaintances and loose friendships rest for now, more people will understand that than you think. But get up and report to the important people. And be it just a Whatsapp every few days, or an appointment to go for a walk.
Extra tip: Yes, we all don’t talk on the phone anymore, I know. For good reasons – who needs a phone call when it comes to information that can also be transmitted via WhatsApp or email. But let’s not forget how good a long, detailed phone call with a good friend can be. An hour and a half, two and a half hours. A phone call with pauses in silence that are not uncomfortable. One that is at least once about love and once about the universe. Try that again!
Meet once a week to play skat? Why not!
© filadendron / Getty Images
5. Create shared experiences
Why do you think hit shows from the past are suddenly appearing on television again? “Bet that…?” and “TV Total”? Because we all miss being part of a community. It is astonishing that so far the television stations have so little understood the pandemic as an opportunity to become the campfire of a nation sitting at home. But you can not only feel community while watching nostalgic TV, you can also conjure it up yourself. Ask a few friends if you would like to learn something unusual together. Play skat or bridge, for example. Rhythmic gymnastics (or, if necessary, yoga). Life drawing. Cooking Korean. Something that welds together, arouses ambition, feeds your brain with something new, provides a breeding ground for inside jokes that you will have something of for years to come. And, when the going gets tough, everything can be done with Zoom.
Extra tip: The time allegedly “gained” by the pandemic does not have to be consistently and sensibly used. Quite the opposite: everyday life is more stressful than ever, and it’s okay to just hang out on the couch and watch some old sitcom that calms your nerves. Resting is not something you have to earn – rest is a basic need!
And then a few bonus tips:
- If you feel bad and think you have depression or other mental illnesses, seek help. Your family doctor, for example, can be the first point of contact. They know the symptoms there, please don’t be shy! And talk about it openly with friends – that helps (a little).
- Don’t be told that social media is the devil and that you would only be happy if you completely do without Instagram & Co. How are you supposed to stay in contact with the world if you are not allowed to travel to / do not want to meet other people? That’s what social networks are actually made for. Just listen more closely to yourself, when and how much use is really good for you, and when you are more stressed.
- It’s okay if the constant news gets too much for you sometimes. Especially the bad ones. Of course, it is good to stay up to date – when it comes to the corona rules for very practical reasons – but KLAR stresses you out, and KLAR can make you feel bad. Go ahead and look for “positive” content, be it by following accounts on social media that put you in a good mood, or by choosing “The Office” for the eighth time instead of the popular drama series on Netflix “or” Bares for Rares “.
- Prioritize yourselves. It is quite sufficient to only tackle the bare minimum, if that is all you can do. No shame.