Living alone in lockdown

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For the one in four Australians who live alone, coronavirus lockdown is particularly isolating.

How can you stay healthy and happy if you’re home alone?

Here’s five tips from RMIT psychologist Dr James Collett.

1.       Cultivate insight

The best expert on yourself is you, so check in with yourself daily:

“Am I doing okay today?”

“Am I feeling cooped up?”

“Do I need to get in touch with friends?”

“What do I need to do if I’m not feeling okay?”

Get on top of issues, ignoring them means they’ll just grow.

2.       Make good use of social tech

Don’t just scroll thru feeds, send that friend a message.

Take the chance to renew friendships and build deeper connections.

Be active in organising video chats and virtual gatherings.

3.       Build exercise into your routine

Physical activity is vital for mental wellbeing.

If you have a backyard or a balcony, get outside into fresh air.

Working from home? Turn off the screen when you take a break and move around.

Your brain and body will thank you for it.

4.       Keep your binges under control

Structure and discipline is important.

So set yourself a time for streaming a series of scrolling newsfeeds,

but don’t use mindless screen time to suppress boredom.

Instead, get in touch with old hobbies and interests, or develop new ones.

5.       Seize the opportunity

Take this extra time to reflect on what really matters to you.

Life runs away from us rapidly. This is a time to catch your breath.

Ask what and who you really want to fill your life with,

now so many distractions have evaporated.

Reconnect and reflect.