A wind of uncertainty has
blown over the world and has been hanging over humanity’s head for over to 2
months, Kenya has felt the heat for a month. The defining moment came during,
the president’s press briefing on Sunday, 15th March 2020. On this day,
learning in institutions was suspended indefinitely, sending learners and
teachers home.
At this point, it had become
apparent that more measures had to be put in place to keep the corona virus at
bay. We were earlier advised to keep off social gatherings but this had to be
set as a rule of the thumb to keep citizens safe. The hotel and entertainment
industry was hit hard as flights were stopped, religious gathering were also
put on hold. Left running were the essential service providers, mainly medics
and security service personnel.
The message on the
airwaves is a constant and consistent reminder for people to stay home. Staying
home is relaxing, fun, offering a great opportunity for family to bond. On the
flip side, too much of anything is poisonous and solitude is bound to rake a
toll on people. Mental illnesses creep in at such times when one feels desolate,
helpless, hopeless, stuck, angry and hungry. One can easily reach a breaking
point.
The media isn’t making it
any easier as they share the soaring numbers of the newly infected and those
who have succumbed to the ailment. As informative as it is intended, it carries
hopelessness with it. Below are the tips that can help you maintain sound
mental state in this pandemic:
1 1. Ignite
your passion
Find
something you are passionate about and engage in it in this season when you
have a lot of time in your hands. It could be reading, writing, watching
inspiring content.
2. Exercise
When
you exercise, feel good hormones are released in your system, something that
can keep you afloat in the wake of slow times. Large space is good for
exercising but due to the pandemic, it is important you do it at the confines
of your home.
3. Do
not obsess on the statistics
In
as much as numbers don’t lie, seeing developed countries with better medical
machinery struggling doesn’t make one hopeful.
4. Use
the media channels to your advantage
Video
conferencing can keep you connected to the outside world. Look at it this way,
the money you’d have used as fare or fuel to your friend’s place can buy data bundles
and have you connected via zoom.
5. Soul
search
God
has a way of drawing beauty out of ashes. Use this time to soul search, write
that business plan, start that book that your tight schedule couldn’t allow you
to do.
Covid-19 is not a death sentence;
many have been healed or cured. Seek help as soon as you realize you may be
exposed to the corona virus. Above all, this too shall pass.
