If you cast your mind back to 2018, no one would have thought that the entire world would be under lockdown, but that is exactly what happened as a Coronavirus by the name of Covid-19 spread across the globe at lightning speed. While it is a nice change to spend a couple of days at home, extended periods can cause some people serious stress and if you are feeling the pressure of enforced stay at home rules, here are a few tips to help keep you in good spirits.

• Getting Enough Exercise – It is oh so easy to forget about exercising when you are at home all day and night and inactivity can lead to depression, as our bodies require regular exercise. If you are short of ideas, why not follow some of the excellent YouTube dance and exercise routines? There is something for all ages and levels of fitness and they are all free to watch. Exercising outdoors is another positive (even the back garden will do) and if you own a bicycle, use your outdoor time to good effect and take a ride around the community.
• Enjoy the Odd Dinner Date – When you are allowed to travel, why not go ahead and book a table for the best dinner in Rose Bay, which can be booked via the restaurant’s website and do check to see whether they have social distancing measures in place. Taking the family out for lunch or dinner is a great way to bring change into your life, even if it is only for a few hours.
• Take Up Meditation – You could combine meditation with yoga and even enrol in an online yoga class, which all of the yoga studios are currently offering. You interact with your instructor (and the other students) via a Zoom video call and the entire session is recorded and sent to your email address. Most of the people who meditate will tell you that it helps them deal with stress and anxiety and there are many ways that you can meditate; sitting cross-legged, walking or even laying down are all effective ways to become one with yourself. Here are a few more tips on keeping physically fit during extended periods at home, which we should all read.
• Avoid Watching the News – While it is important to keep abreast of news and current affairs, there is only bad news and too much of this can make a person feel rather hopeless. If you watch TV, try to tune into upbeat programs, or better still, unplug the TV and take up a hobby that interests you. We all need some ‘me time’, so make sure you allow yourself at least one hour per day for doing what you love.
• Free Mental Health Counselling – Wherever you happen to reside in Australia, you can talk to a qualified mental health counsellor and this is something you should do if things are becoming too stressful.

Try to change your daily routine so it doesn’t get too monotonous and remember that our input has a lot to do with our general outlook on life.