Six Ways to Take Care of Your Mental Health During COVID-19
by Brian McKay
The COVID-19 crisis is affecting not only people’s physical health but also their mental health. According to a study in public health journal Elsevier, the pandemic has caused symptoms of anxiety and depression, stress, and instances of disturbed sleep.
The constant updates can be overwhelming. Public health measures like social distancing can cause isolation and loneliness, adding to the stress of the situation.
You may not have control of the pandemic, but you can take charge of your mental health. Here are several tips that can help you manage the stress and anxiety of living in these uncertain times.
Control how you see the news
A common source of stress during the pandemic is the constant updates from the news. Minimize listening, reading, and watching any news related to COVID-19 if it makes you feel anxious.
If you can’t resist receiving updates, consider checking them specific times during the day. Make sure that you’re reading news from trusted sources.
Connect with your community
Churches may have closed, but they offer ways for the community to connect outside service hours. With online resources, you can attend mass or say a prayer of forgiveness on online confession booths.
If you’re a member of any class or club, hold online meetings and do what you usually do. For example, if you’re part of a book club, assign a book to read each week or month, then meet online to discuss your thoughts. For gym junkies, grab your home equipment and do workouts together. You may not be able to hang out physically, but meeting online can somehow make up for the distance.
Seek professional help
Thanks to technology, mental health organizations and professionals are accessible. Look for online counseling services and talk to a psychiatrist. They can help you make sense of what you’re feeling and recommend activities that can help you cope with the crisis.
Support and strengthen relationships
If you’re isolated at home, look for ways to connect with your family and friends. Set aside a time each day to text or call family and friends. If you’re working or studying, check up on your classmates, teachers, and coworkers to see how they’re doing. You might be able to share strategies for coping with the situation.
Take care of your body
Being mindful about your physical health will do wonders with your mental health. Wake up and go to bed at the same time. Exercise regularly and eat a well-balanced diet. Take advantage of quiet times from work or school for self-care practices, like yoga, listening to music, or reading a book.
Be patient with yourself
Like many others, you might struggle with coping with the pandemic. And that’s normal. You’re not supposed to get it right the first time. Allow yourself to experience emotions like anger, frustration, and anxiety. The important part is that you shouldn’t be stuck in a rut for long.
The COVID-19 crisis has rendered almost everyone helpless, and the situation can be overwhelming for some. Although you can’t control what’s happening around the world, you can control what you’re feeling. With these tips, you can take care of your mental health despite these challenging times.
Are you planning to get started in property investment? Property is an appealing investment choice for many reasons, but one of the things that set it apart from other types of investment is the fact that it is a tangible, physical asset.
Investing your money in the real estate market is an exciting prospect, but before you rush out and buy a property, it is vital that you arm yourself with all the knowledge that you need to make your investment a success. Here are some of the things that you need to consider when investing your money in the property market:
Commercial Property versus Residential
One of your first considerations should be to decide on the type of property that you would like to invest in. When many people think of property investment, they immediately associate it with residential property. However, commercial property should not be overlooked. Depending on your circumstances and the area that you plan to invest in, a commercial property could be a wiser investment choice than a residential home. Researching both options is essential to helping you find the perfect investment property for you.
Consider Location
Whether you decide to invest in a commercial or residential property, location is a crucial consideration. For residential properties, you will need to thoroughly research the local housing market to gain an idea of the amount of rent that you can charge versus the amount that you can expect to pay for a property, as this will give you a firm idea of the kind of yield that you can expect from your investment. Consider which areas are popular with the type of tenant that you are hoping to attract, and don’t forget to try and get some inside knowledge to discover any new up and coming areas that may prove to be a lucrative investment in the long term.
If you re investing in commercial property, you will need to think about the type of premises that you would like to invest in. Would you like to take on an office building, a warehouse, or perhaps a retail store; there are many options to choose from. Again, the location should be a driving factor when making your decision. Retail stores will appeal to more tenants if they are in an area with high foot traffic. Industrial buildings are more likely to secure tenants if they are close to major road networks, as this will make logistics easier for the business.
Make Life Easier for Yourself
If the thought of being a landlord is leaving you concerned about managing tenants and dealing with maintenance issues, then don’t worry. Choosing a property management company to look after the day to day aspects of your property is an excellent way to enjoy the benefits of investing in real estate without giving up your precious time. A management company will take care of calls from tenants, collecting rent, and paying invoices on your behalf, leaving you free to focus on other projects.
For many people, the recent pandemic has been a serious wake-up call. When it comes to a virus, or any kind of illness for that matter, you stand a better chance of recovery if you’re in good shape.
The good news is that it’s never too late to start taking care of your health. Whether you’ve eaten a poor diet or you’ve never really exercised much, it’s always possible to change your habits for the better and help your body become fitter and stronger.
Baby steps are all it takes to enjoy better health for life. Here are some ideas for helping you get healthier, at any age.
Being more active has many benefits for your health. It will help keep your lungs and heart strong, help you maintain a healthy weight, and it will keep your joints supple. Being active doesn’t have to involve becoming a gym junkie or training for a marathon – you can choose the activities you enjoy to help you develop a fitness routine. Playing golf can be a great sport to help you get fit. Not only will you walk a lot of miles each time you play, but being out in the fresh air can work wonders for your mental health too.
Eat better
Long gone are the days where healthy eating meant eating nothing but salads and leafy greens – there are all kinds of ways to eat better without missing out on the foods you love. You should focus on a balanced diet that contains protein, carbohydrates and good fats to help give your body what it needs. Eating a balanced diet is easier than you think, and you’ll still be able to enjoy plenty of your favorites while learning more about what’s good for you.
Eating too much sugar is one element of an unhealthy diet, one that can lead to weight gain and diabetes. Switching to healthier drinks like water and natural juices from goodnature.com can help you find some good alternatives to calorie-rich sodas, helping you nourish your body with the things it needs to stay healthy.
Get checked out
It’s easy to ignore a health problem, hoping it will eventually go away. And while some things are a cause for concern, you will know in yourself when something isn’t right. It’s always better to be safe than sorry, so make sure you get any niggle checked out. Learn to treat common colds and other ailments at home or with the help of a pharmacist – but if something triggers alarm bells, it’s time to call the doctor and make that appointment.
Your health is one of your most precious assets, and it’s easy to take it for granted. But once you start making changes to your health, you will start to see improvements inside and out. From eating better to working on your fitness, start taking those baby steps towards better health no matter what your age.
Have you ever wondered how easily you’d survive if dropped into a wilderness? Some people pride themselves on being excellent survivors who could weather any storm, while others are self-admitted pampered princesses. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, surviving has been on everyone’s minds. When our way of life is threatened by an invisible enemy, many people’s instincts have kicked in, and everyone has felt more protective over themselves and their families than ever before.
If you have ever wondered how you’d cope on a survivor-reality-show, or simply in an extreme circumstance, and thought: ‘I’d probably be the first to go!’ – there are ways to change this. If you want to learn how to survive against the odds, here are three survivalist techniques we all need to learn.
How To Grow Food
Not only a survival skill, growing your own food has come into fashion too. Growing your own fruit and vegetables used to be a household skill that most people had; nowadays, we have all grown accustomed to our home comforts and supermarket privileges. However, in a growing climate crisis and a rise in food shortages across the world, there has never been a more important time to learn this skill than now.
Growing your own food doesn’t require a huge patch of land, and can easily be learned online for free. All that’s required is a few basic tools and containers, a little knowledge, and patience!
Don’t Believe Everything You Hear
In this information age, it is becoming apparent that not everything we are presented with by governments and newspapers is a fact. Of course, there are conspiracy theories which spiral far away from the truth, too. But in general, it is important to have a healthy relationship to the truth, and not believe everything that politicians and newspapers say.
If this is something that fascinates you, you can investigate spycraft and other survival techniques used by professionals to move through the world. Many people actually use spycraft as a hobby, which helps them understand how professional spies and other classified jobs are operated.
Fitness and Strength
This seems like an obvious choice, but the USA has an increasingly unfit population. Not only is fitness important for your health, but it also helps your body survive in difficult conditions. These conditions don’t have to be like an apocalypse movie, in which you live in the woods and hunt your own meat. No, surviving often means fighting off disease and injury which you didn’t see coming.
In the COVID-19 pandemic, obesity has played a huge role in the decline of victims’ health. The World Obesity website states,
‘Persons with obesity who become ill and require intensive care present challenges inpatient management as it is more difficult to intubate patients with obesity.’
These challenges, among others, are a great risk to your health. Fitness and strength don’t just prepare you from an apocalyptic, animalistic lifestyle, but also prepare you for things which can reach you just as easily at home.
When it comes to business, things can always go wrong. Nothing is ever perfect, and often things change in the blink of an eye. They can go from good to bad, or bad to worse depending on the situation that you are in. We don’t want to see your business fall because something has gone wrong, which means that you always need to have a plan in place. In this article, we’re going to be looking at some of the things that should be included in your plan for when things start to go badly. If you want to know more, keep reading down below.
Have Lawyers On Retainer
The first thing that we are going to suggest is that you always have a lawyer on retainer. You might hire specialists and have more than one depending on the financial situation of your company, but most people have one lawyer they call when things start to go south. By doing this, you ensure that your lawyer is available to you so that they can help you figure out a solution to the problem and provide you with legal advice. You don’t have to wait or find a lawyer on short notice, you get what you need when you need it. This is the biggest benefit of having a lawyer on retainer, and we can’t stress enough how valuable this can be if you find yourself in trouble.
You always need to have IT solutions. Cybercrime is on the rise, and if something happens to your business network, your Cloud or any other piece of tech in your business, you need support. It might be the case that your business is in danger of having to shut down operations while the issue is sorted, but instead, you should look into Business Continuity Solutions so that it doesn’t get to this point. By doing this, you ensure that you have the IT help that you need and they will do their best to ensure that your business does not have to shut down for any technical reason.
Insurance Is Key
Finally, you must have insurance. Now, this should be part of your plan for when things go wrong as you should be able to call your insurance and report what’s happened to them, avoiding a huge lawsuit. This only works if you are covered and if it’s something such as someone being involved in an accident. Other problems can’t be solved with insurance, but the ones that can, should be. Talk to a broker and have them find you the best insurance deals and policies for each type of cover you need, so that when things hit the fan, you are prepared. Your business must be ready to take responsibility if someone gets hurt, and it’s the fault of your company, and having insurance ensures a payout to them without costing you massive amounts of money.
We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now understand that things can go wrong, so you’re going to need a plan.
Who hasn’t dreamed of living the van life? Out on the open road, driving into the sunset with all your worldly belongings in the back. No worries beyond where your next meal is coming from. It’s all about freedom, breaking free from the shackles of convention and living life on your own terms.
All you need to live this idyllic existence is a vehicle that will take you wherever you need to go. You could buy a fully-formed campervan outright, but this will set you back financially, and it means you won’t be able to customize it to your preferences. Many people under the spell of wanderlust opt for the DIY approach.
Your campervan is not just a vehicle; it is a home. For this reason, it takes a lot of time and effort to create the perfect space, from designing the layout to installing electricity and plumbing. A camper conversion is not a project to be taken lightly. If you are dreaming of lost highways and desert sunrises, here is a step-by-step guide to converting your DIY campervan.
Choose your vehicle
A van is just a vehicle that gets you from A to B. It takes a tremendous amount of imagination and perseverance to turn it into a home. Deciding on a vehicle to convert is a big decision and will depend on several factors, including your budget, personal preferences, and your road trip requirements. There’s a lot to think about when choosing a van and a few critical questions you will need to ask yourself to ensure you make the right decision.
Size: You can convert any vehicle you like, from a small car to an old school bus. You probably already have an idea of what size you need, but there are a few things to consider. How many people will you be traveling with? Do you need room for a pet or even capacity for picking up hitchhikers? The length of time you’ll be touring is also important as that will determine how much storage space you need. Write down a list of your requirements in priority order and determine how much space you will need to accommodate them.
Cost: Buying and converting a vehicle is not going to come cheap, but if you are restricted to a budget, you will want to cut costs wherever possible. A used van will be less expensive than new but may need more maintenance. You could buy a campervan that requires minimal customization, but this will be a lot more costly than buying a plain old panel van and kitting it out yourself.
Brand: You may have your own opinions about which brands and models are best, but there is no right or wrong answer. Some brands are more reliable, whereas others may benefit from better availability of spare parts. Do your research and get some recommendations before you make your mind up. And remember that a reliable, long-lasting vehicle is more important than one with a fancy logo.
Design your layout
Now that you have purchased your vehicle, it’s time to make a plan for your conversion. This is the most exciting part of the process, and the possibilities are endless. You will need to consider how much stuff you need to accommodate and the functionality you want your campervan to have. Here are a few things to consider:
How many people will be living in your van? The more people living in your van, the more space you will need for sleeping and storage. You will also need some open space for everyone to hang out without getting in each other’s way.
How tall are you? If you are particularly tall, then you will be limited in your sleeping setup. A crosswise bed will be too short for you, so make sure you take this into account.
How much storage space do you need? When embarking on the van life, it’s a good idea to downsize as much as possible and get rid of anything you don’t need. For everything you can’t part with, you will need a special place for it. If you have oversized items like bikes or surfboards, decide whether you want to incorporate storage inside your van or find a way of hitching them onto the roof or back. Try to include multi-functionality items to save space—for example, a bed with storage underneath or a kitchen table that doubles up as a workspace.
Will you be cooking in your van? Many van owners just cook outside, but having an internal kitchen means you can prepare your meals comfortably in any weather. A kitchen area will take up space and require proper ventilation. You will need a fridge, cooker, sink, water tank, countertop, and food storage space.
Do you want a bathroom? One of the biggest questions you will need to ask yourself is whether or not you need a toilet. The cheapest option would be to rely on public restrooms or digging a hole when there are no facilities, but if you prefer to have your own bathroom, that’s not a problem. There are many toilet options for a campervan which will give you peace of mind when you really need to go but will take up a lot more space.
Will you need plumbing? Whether you need drinking water, a shower, or a way to wash your dishes, clean water is essential. Although you could get by with just filling up a load of jerry cans, many van owners opt for a more elaborate plumbing system. You could have a manual pump system, a hose-fed water tank, or if you have the budget, you could invest in an electric pump. You should have a water filter too, particularly if traveling in remote areas.
Will you need electricity? Electricity is essential when you’re on the road. It will help you refrigerate food, charge devices, and see at night. But it can also be one of the most costly aspects of owning a van. Most people opt for a solar-powered system linked to panels on the roof, but you could also buy a gasoline generator or rely on power from electric hookups at campgrounds.
Do you need a workspace? If you’re a digital nomad who works from a computer while on the road, you will want a space to set up a workstation. A table will be essential, and can also be used for meals.
Convert your van
Now that you have designed your perfect mobile home, it’s time to put your plan into action. If you know what you’re doing, you can do all the work yourself. This will be a much more budget-friendly option and will give you a feeling of personal accomplishment and pride when the work is complete. If you want to get it done as quickly as possible, you could hire a professional campervan conversion company to carry out the work for you.
Before you go
With your newly-converted campervan all shiny and ready to go, there are a few last things you need to take care of. You will need insurance to cover you and any other drivers on your road trip. The insurance your van had when you bought it will no longer cover you, as a converted van is no longer legally classified as a standard van. Your specific insurance policy will depend on many things: the type of vehicle (do you need van insurance, motorhome insurance, or truck insurance?), what you are using it for, and the specific features and functions.
As soon as you are insured, packed, and have said your goodbyes, it’s time to hit the open road and begin your big adventure.
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