Lynne's Top Tips

These are challenging times for everyone, but there's lots of great advice and resources out there, both from within your universities but also via external forums. I've just had one week of the weirdness of working from home and so, here are my 'extensively researched' Top Tips ...

1. Staying Active, Eating Well
I know this is obvious, but it's so very important right now to eat well.  
"Easier said than done", you might respond, "We're on lockdown, I'm self-isolating, the shops have limited options, and the queues are a mile long."
Well, if you're in Medway and in need of food there is help out there, through initiatives such as Medway Foodbank and the Good Neighbour Scheme. If you're a student please contact your university or your student union ... or call the Chaplain :-)
Your physical health is important too and there are lots of great exercise apps and You Tube videos you could follow. Or if, like me, 'exercise' is not your middle name, my own regime is very simple  ...  good music, played really loudly and just jig around your lounge. Thankfully there's no one here to video me!

2. Look after your sleep
Hmmmm, yes I know, it's so tempting to lay in, just another half an hour, and another.  
STOP!!  
Keep a good schedule, go to bed and get up at regular times.


3. Nurture Good Mental Health  
Anxiety is a very normal and natural response to the turmoil that is life in the midst of coronavirus.  All of us are likely to struggle with a sense of loss of control.
If you are a university student you can contact your Well-Being team or access the Big White Wall.  You'll also find some great resources both on the NHS website and through the mental health charity MIND.  Do please contact me for a more extensive list of resources. 
What's important is that you pursue and discover what works well for you  -  be it prayer, mindfulness exercises, colouring, relaxing with a movie or a good book, meditation, the list could go on.
More than anything, please seek out someone with whom you can talk through your feelings and your thought processes. Often verbalising things can help us find new perspective.

4. Stay Connected 
Back in the 1990s (I know that's ancient history for some of you), there used to be a series of BT adverts that said, "It's good to talk."  How true that remains in these days.
Just recently on a BBC news programme the reporter suggested that maybe we should re-phrase 'social distancing' to 'physical distancing'; because even if you're out for a walk and you step off the pavement to give someone safe distance to pass, you can still give them a BIG smile and a friendly hello.
The reality is that being separated physically does not prevent us from staying connected socially.  Those youngsters among you know full well all the different options that technology provides Skype, Whatsapp, Facebook, Zoom, etc (personally I'm on a steep techno learning curve).  But what about a good old fashioned letter - what a joy that would be right now, to receive a hand written note of encouragement.

5. Plan Your Day
Each evening before I head up to bed I do two things ... firstly, I go through my To Do list and prioritise the tasks I want to tackle the next day; secondly, I plan my meals, I write a little menu for the next day and stick it to the cupboard :-)
It is really important to use our time well in these days, otherwise each day will simply morph in to the next and we end up achieving nothing. 
In the midst of 'doing' though, don't forget to factor in time for rest, relaxation and self-care!

6. Avoid Negative News  
Is keeping updated on the spread of coronavirus and the number of deaths really helpful?  Every life lost is a tragic event and deeply affects a family somewhere in the world, but watching the news constantly just may not be helpful. Especially if, like me, you get frustrated by the (impolite adjective) questions asked by the media.  So, do switch off and limit the amount of potentially scary data finding home in your brain.
Here are a few positives you can focus on:
** On March 23rd Boris Johnson expressed a need for 250,000 volunteers to assist the NHS, one week later over 700,000 people have volunteered their services  ...  now that's GOOD NEWS!
** In addition to the above, a further 20,000 retired NHS staff have returned to work  ...  now that's GOOD NEWS!
** The number of deaths worldwide is horrible and shocking but, in reality, the current death rate is less than 1%  ...  now that's GOOD NEWS!
There are millions of stories out there, of neighbours reaching out, and strangers helping strangers :-)  ...  now that's GOOD NEWS!

7. A Chance for Something New
Maybe this time affords you the opportunity to learn a new skill or take up a new hobby.  There are a huge number of free online courses out there, through forums like Future Learn, etc.  There are also lots of things you can learn through You Tube videos.
Or maybe you just want to keep your mind active. Earlier this week I was checking out online quizzes, there's so much out there. I scored 75% in guessing the film title through emojis :-)

8. Spring Clean and De-Clutter
If you're anything like me, there are a list of jobs which you'll do one day, when you have the time. Well, maybe that time is now.
Here I am, making myself accountable with a few things from my own list (you can ask me how it went when this is all over):
**  De-Clutter and tidy middle bedroom
**  Attack and tidy the garden
**  Review and re-write TABLEtalk material
**  Update Mailing List

9. Love Your Neighbour
Look outward. Whilst we need to maintain the rules of physical distancing at this time, you can still watch out for others in need.  You can volunteer, smile at a stranger, put an encouraging note through your neighbours door, shop for someone in need, call someone you've not spoken to in a long time, look for the good and savour the small moments ...

10. Love Yourself  ... and laugh at least a little

If you take note of just one or two things above, I'll take it that is because you care about yourself and want to get through this challenge as best as you can. 
In the process, do find things to laugh about. Laughter carries so many health benefits  ...  it burns calories, releases endorphins, is good for your heart, relaxes your whole body, boosts the immune system, improves your mental health, to name but a few.
There are a lot of parody songs out there right now, but this is my very favourite so far:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5azNpTwVk8

In the midst of everything, know that ...