I can still remember the days when I thought our first lockdown would end in May, yet somehow we’ve ended up in our third lockdown. Lockdown fatigue has well and truly set in, and we are all missing friends, family and even the simple pleasures of restaurants and shopping sprees. While many people spent the first lockdown baking bread and learning to sew, the overwhelming feeling right now is one of exhaustion and frustration.
While looking back at one of my previous diaries (and laughing at the antics of my younger self), I stumbled upon a self-care challenge I had done. A self-care challenge involves having to do something for self care everyday for a month. I find inspiration by simply googling ‘self-care challenge’ on Pinterest or Google, but you can come up with ideas yourself if you are feeling creative. Ideas include: doing a face mask, having a game night or writing a letter to your future self.
Lockdown has left most of us feeling rather frustrated by what could have been if there was no pandemic, and I’ve definitely found myself feeling guilty that I haven’t been as productive as others. Doing a self-care challenge has been a reminder for me to be kind to myself, and everything I’ve done has been enjoyable – even if I haven’t expected it to be. When faced with the prospect of a 15 minute meditation, the whole idea seemed boring, however it was rather relaxing to unwind and reflect at the end of a long day. I have made plans to incorporate some of the things I’ve done into my daily life long after the challenge is over.
For quite a while I’ve struggled to see the point in acts of self care – I mean, what will painting my nails do for my mental health? While having a bath or going on a walk won’t make conflicts disappear, there’s something about these basic acts of self-care that makes everything feel a bit less overwhelming.
Lockdown restrictions have had such a detrimental impact on so many people’s mental health, so it’s vital to make working on yourself a priority. Even though such a time feels far away, I hope to continue my self-care practices when restrictions are lifted.
This article was written on the 8th of February 2021.