Top Tips For Combatting Self-Isolation

With everything going on in the world right now: COVID-19, self-isolation and the possibility of lock-down (in places that have not imposed that yet), it can be very easy to get lost and worried in this strange new world we've found ourselves in. It is more important than ever now to stay on top of our well-being to ensure we all get through this period with minimal disruption, coming out the other side stronger than ever. With that in mind, I've decided to post my top tips for dealing with any change to routine that has happened due to COVID-19, particularly when self-isolating and/or having events/training cancelled due to having to be kept at a distance to teammates.

Tip Number 1:

My first nugget of advice is to not panic and stay calm. Whilst this may seem obvious, it can be very easy to get lost in everything we hear/read in the media. We are constantly exposed to a load of information and misinformation, and it can be a job just trying to figure out who or what to listen to. Stay calm, follow the guidelines set out by your government and stay as clean as possible. Once this is all over, having learnt how to stay calm with a mass of things going on around you will be an experience you'll be able to benefit from in many ways!

Tip number 2:

Look after yourself. Again, seeming like an obvious bit of information, but it may be very easy to feel lost, nihilistic and overwhelmed. Do what you need to to stay healthy! This will include physiologically and psychologically. Eat nutritious meals to keep your body feeling good, exercise where and when possible and do activities that you can to keep your mind working such as reading or calling a friend. The more you do to keep your thoughts away from the disruption to your routine, the better you will feel and with any extra time you now have. You can even work on something you've wanted to before, but not had time for!

Tip number 3:

Reach out for support! With unprecedented events happening around us, we can feel confused, upset and even apathetic. Do not be afraid to reach out to anyone for help or assistance! If you are an athlete, speak to your coach(es), other teammates/squad-mates, managers, whoever it may be, you have a support network around you, use it! As a trainee sport psychologist myself, I have my online doors open for athletes, coaches or parents to get in touch and talk through any worries or anxieties they may have. This is new for all of us and only together will we get through it.

Tip number 4:

Stay ready! A lot of events and competitions will have unfortunately been postponed or cancelled due to what's happening, and for now no one knows when sports will resume. This is not the time to sit back and give up, this is the time to stay hungry and healthy and do what you can to be ready when everything starts back up again. With your coaches, books and the internet out there, there is a wealth of information on how you can stay physically ready for competition when the time returns.

In these unprecedented and uncertain times, make sure you are looking after yourself and those around you, self-care should be a priority right now. For more information, please feel free to get in touch through my site!

[1] - Maslow, A. H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4), 370–396. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0054346

[2] - https://appliedsportpsych.org/blog/2020/03/the-covid-19-pandemic-tips-for-athletes-coaches-parents-and-the-sport-community/?fbclid=IwAR0gaBOZ8xHuXkpf50hg2AKABEmvXnMmjQ69inGz82GAmNsrcdkiTQrOOLA