How to Boost Your Mental Health in Times of Solitude

It seems like yesterday we were celebrating New Year’s with a bright outlook for the year to come. We were eager to start fresh and put resolutions into action. We thought 2020 was our year to travel, make a difference, or start our dream business.  However, the circumstances of the current situation have postponed our plans for now. Instead, while laying bare to the social distancing measurements, now more than ever is a time for us to take caution and follow explore what this can look like for our mental health. 

When addressing this significant taboo, we can find a more profound understanding of what it looks like to care and give support towards one another and ourselves. With that in mind, we reached out to the Harbour.Space student and faculty community for tips, habits or practices they follow to help them stay up. 

As expected, our initiative was greeted with a momentous response from the community :) 

Therefore, today’s article contains five daily tactics from the Harbour.Space community that can help you keep your mental health in tip-top shape. Let’s take a look! 

Despite our efforts to join balcony parties, clapping sessions at 8 pm, daily calls to our loved ones, and for some, turning on the camera for online classes, we still find ourselves craving social interaction. Even the most introverted of people find themselves reaching out to others in these moments of solitude. But how does social interaction benefit our mental health? 

A Stanford study states, "social connection creates a positive feedback loop of social, emotional and physical well being." If that's not enough, social connection also creates higher self-esteem and empathy, lowers your rate for anxiety and depression, and increases your chance of longevity by 50%. 

Don't make it a chore; make it your priority to stay social and connect with others. Now is your time to get creative. 
 

• Set up a virtual dinner party through zoom.
• Join a Whatsapp group with other expats.
• Enjoy a coffee while exchanging conversation across the hall with your neighbor. 
• Spend time with the people you care about with Houseparty.

As the Romans used to say - “mens sana in corpore sano” - “a healthy mind in a healthy body.” This saying comes true as our mind and body are intrinsically linked. When you take the time to improve your physical health, you experience the benefits of greater mental and emotional well-being due to the endorphins you release. Though 30 minutes of exercise is recommended a day, healthy food and plenty of water will continue positive upbringing for the rest of the day.  

Also, explore the good, positive, and beautiful with meditation practices. Meditation will help you take a moment to listen and pay attention to your body and mind as you go about your day. Making meditation a habit will help you build a mindful routine and activate your inner peace. Find the best relaxing technique for you. 

When your body is replenished responsibly, it will take care of you in return. So take advantage of these FREE workouts, healthy recipes, and meditation practices to get you started on the right track. 
 

• Dharma Talks
• Yoga on Demand
• Down Dog 
• Fitness Blender

When accomplishing a goal or noticing performance improvements, we have that “feel good” moment. What you’re experiencing is a spike of dopamine in your brain telling you that you did an excellent job. Each time your brain gets a hit of dopamine, you feel encouraged to repeat the corresponding behavior. 

For example, when writing down specific goals or tasks to learn something new and crossing them off each day you accomplish them, your dopamine will rise. This flow will continue, and you’ll want to keep up these good habits. 

However, stick to a specific aim and know your limits. Challenging yourself has amazing benefits, but creating nonsensical goals can ultimately increase anxiety, de-motivate you, or cause self-criticism. That’s why there is a widely accepted practice in place to help you specifically measure achievable and relevant time-setting goals called SMART goals. 

Because many tools are surfacing on the internet for FREE, now is the time to learn new skills from top professionals, take Ivy-league courses, or start learning a new language. 

Set a SMART goal and enjoy the courses below. 
 

• Learn to code with Codeacademy
• Yale - The Science of Well-Being 
• Get started with Adobe Illustrator 
• Learn a new language

Light rays are beaming down, adding that sparkle to your eye and a jump in your step. That’s the serotonin working it’s magic and boosting your mood. Exposure to sunlight is said to decrease anxiety, build strong bones, heal skin conditions, and the list continues… 

Though some of us can’t leisurely enjoy sun exposure as we used to, limited sunshine can go a long way. Even five to 10 minutes in the sun three times a week is enough to enjoy the benefits of vitamin-D. 

If you can, set up your work area near a window for the day - take your time walking to the grocery store, or take a break in your day listening to music or a podcast on your terrace. We created a mix of educational, mood-lifting, and relaxing playlists/podcasts to enjoy while doing those activities. 
 

• The Happiness Lab podcast
• The quarantine party playlist 
• Live streams and concerts 

There are 168 hours in a week and 119 of those hours are you awake experiencing life's journey of highs and lows. To stay on the positive journey, set priorities. The key to balance is realizing when you’ve lost it. Reflect, and you will see what you can adjust to make improvements. Think, what's the most important thing you should be working on right now? What are you wasting your time doing?

Balance keeps away stress and creates time for yourself. Overall, balance is a way of acknowledging what fulfills you most and sets a structure to ensure priorities are kept. 90% of our respondents from an internal survey mentioned how they balance their day with different activities to keep them motivated, connected, and with a healthy mind. 

With this new sense of balance, take a mental break to ride a roller coaster, watch animals live, and explore the most famous museums around the world. 
 

• Ride a roller coaster in Orlando with VR
• Watch your favorite animals live
• Explore museums from around the world 

Not enough credit is given to those fighting, supporting and conquering mental illness. Everyone is affected differently and with more awareness, education, and acceptance, we have the power to illuminate the message of speaking up rather than giving up. 

Take this time as an opportunity to reach out to your neighbors, establish a balance within your own life and make the most of your time. Happiness is not placed by waving a magic wand or achieved by checking off lists. It is a constant internalizing feeling you get while exploring experiences that work best for you. 

Let’s take this moment to create action and change. Our 2020 isn’t over, it’s just beginning. 

Harbour.Space is continuously sending positive vibes and happy, healthy thoughts your way! Although we temporarily closed as a precaution against the spread of Covid-19, we’ve always known the future to be digital. Find us online over the next coming weeks, stay safe and take care of yourselves.