The numerous disruptions caused by COVID-19 can take its toll on our mental health. Sandwiched between the responsibilities at work and home, it is easy to feel stressed and fatigued by our efforts to observe strict social distancing.

Amidst the additional stresses, a mark of mental resilience is having the mettle to maintain a stable and healthy emotional state – allowing one to be empathetic to others, without succumbing to and spreading fear and anger.

Studies have shown that practicing mindfulness and meditation can boost our emotional awareness and intelligence. As we become more mindful, we build inner attributes like compassion and acceptance. We learn to reframe our perspectives on situations at work and life, helping us to concentrate better, respond more altruistically and rise to the challenges we face.

Incorporate Mindfulness into Daily Activities

You can practice mindfulness when engaging in daily activities like drinking your morning coffee or getting ready for work with a morning stretch. Mindfulness is about being present and paying close attention to your physical sensations, thoughts and emotions in order to evaluate them clearly. It is not necessarily about emptying your mind or thinking about nothing. If you feel anxious or worried, slow down, take the time to breathe and release the tension.

Be a Single Tasker and Slow Down to Speed Up

Learning to focus on a single task is also a practice in being mindful as we are making a conscious decision to stay present with the assignment on hand. Some ways to practice this could be to answer emails during dedicated periods of time, rather than constantly throughout the day as soon as it pops into your inbox.

Establish a Meditation Routine

Another way to get attuned to your emotions is through meditation. This may involve setting aside a few minutes to sit down, close your eyes and focus on deep breathing.

If you require some help to start, consider streaming guided meditations to help you build and boost your routine. Several apps like Headspace, Calm and Insight Timer, to name just a few, allow users to choose the duration and style of the meditation session.

Practice Meditation Techniques with a Pinwheel

A simple and fun pinwheel activity can help us to explore and control our breath to benefit our mind and body. Simply sit up straight and blow towards a pinwheel – first with quick and shallow breaths, followed by slow and deep ones. Observe how the different ways of breathing make you feel. Through this, we can teach ourselves to extend the breath while exhaling, and discover how this can lead to feelings of relaxation.
Being aware and mindful of your emotions – especially the negative ones – is the first step to overcoming them. Through this process of reframing our perspectives and mastering our emotions, we then build the mental fortitude and resilience reserves to thrive even during hard times.