Self-care

Self-care and looking out for yourself

For several days now, we as a society have been faced with a situation that we could never have rehearsed and that we have no experience of. This is uncharted territory, and the associated feeling of insecurity is now widespread. Being worried and anxious about such an unprecedented situation is entirely normal. The new regulations and restrictions to our everyday lives may leave us feeling unsettled. That is why practising self-care and taking care of our physical and mental health is enormously important.

Stay healthy, mental and physically
In times like these, characterised by uncertainty, it is important to look out for your own health. Mental health means that you are able to realise your mental and emotional abilities, cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively and make a contribution to your community (WHO, 2003).
At the moment, none of us know what will unfold over the next days and weeks, or how we will cope with the restrictions to our daily lives. You can find tips and tricks for caring for your mental health right now under the “New” 10 Steps for Mental Health, which have been put together specially for this unusual time.

Talking about it helps
Are you on an emotional rollercoaster right now? Is everything going up and down? Then it is important that you talk about it with people close to you. We are all struggling with similar difficulties and challenges, so let’s support each other and talk. By speaking out, you will gain the distance you need for self-care, and share your problems with someone else. You will find conversation tips under our headings “Communication” and “How are you?”.

A daily routine for rest and strength
Human beings are creatures of habit. Habits and routine give us structure and the stability that we need to cope with the everyday demands of life. This is not only the case in unusual times, but right now it is more important than ever. Consciously set up a daily routine, even if you are currently at home a lot. This will give you structure, which in turn will give you direction and security. Consequently, you will become calmer and feel less stressed, which will be beneficial for your immune system. Try to get up in the morning at the same time as usual, and to keep to your daily routines, such as tooth-brushing, breakfast, lunch, coffee breaks, exercise breaks, etc.
Small rituals spread across the day will give you stability: for example, arrange a Skype chat with a colleague for your morning coffee break, have lunch at 12:00, go for a short walk at 16:00, etc.
Also try to go to bed at the same time as usual and to keep to your normal rhythm.

Deliberate time off
Make a point of taking time off to relax, and doing something that is good for you. For example, listen to your favourite music, drink a nice cup of tea, do some yoga or something else that energises you and makes you feel good.

Control your media intake
Every day, a media tsunami swamps us with information and news about the coronavirus. We are fighting our way through a jungle of opinions, half-truths and fake news on both social and traditional media. Both the overall situation and this flood of information are new to us, and it is important to handle the quantities of news carefully. Make a point of getting your information from official channels such as the Federal Office for Public Health (BAG) and avoid excessive news consumption. Deactivate notifications from online news portals. Consciously keeping yourself informed only once per day is enough. You can find out how this works under Tips for dealing with the media flood.

Other tips and services for you
The number of platforms that have appeared due to the current coronavirus situation shows how important it is that every single one of us practises self-care during this time, and that we get help as soon as we need it when the whole situation becomes too much. We have created a list on which you can find more information to help you give your mental health a boost over the next few days.

• www.dureschnufe.ch: Platform for mental health and the new coronavirus
• inCLOUsiv: An online meeting space for dialogues and urgent questions during the corona pandemic (instructions for registering here).
• Pro Senectute telephone chain
• Self Care

But sometimes tips aren’t enough, and you want to consult or talk to a specialist. You can find the telephone numbers of various specialist centres and counselling services in Zug Canton under Help and Advice – they are there for you during this time.