June 15, 2020
How to be emotionally resilient during Covid-19
We are in a situation where life is changing and unpredictable with words like “quarantine” and “isolation” being used regularly.
The key to taking care of your emotional wellbeing is understanding what makes you anxious and act accordingly. Start with these small steps that put together by our Wellbeing Advisor, Ms. Suzie Johnson from Repton Dubai:
1. Watch your language
- Instead of “social isolation” say “staying safe” or “staying indoors”
- Instead of “quarantine” say “keeping myself and others safe”
- Instead of “social distancing” say “standing 2 meters apart”
- Avoid saying the word “don’t”
2. Identify and change your thinking habits
Patterns of thinking or ‘cognitive mistakes are linked to:
- Emotional/mental rigidity vs agility/flexibility
- Anxiety and depression
Some types of cognitive mistakes are:
- Catastrophizing
- Minimizing or magnifying
- Fallacy of control
3. Focus on what you can control
- You cannot and will not control everything
- Control what you can
- Do what you can do
- Actions are empowering and counteract fear –do not wait for motivation
- Visualize letting go
4. Build your immunity
- Reduce stress
- Reduce blue light exposure
- Eat healthy
- Hydrate
- Take your vitamins
5. Make your home a sanctuary
- Declutter
- Decorate
- Aromatherapy
6. Limit the negativity
- Stay close to the present moment
- Limit news and sources
- Highlight the positive in your daily life
- Stay connected through online hangouts
At Repton Abu Dhabi, the health and wellbeing of our community is our priority. While we usually ensure the right measures are in place within school to offer support, we are glad to be able to use technology to extend our help during this challenging time.