Covid-19 : Tips to keep things running during the outbreak

Doug Hobson shares a few thoughts on the current situation. As well as being one of the clubs welfare officers/Mental Health Champion, Doug is a qualified Psychological wellbeing practitioner and clinical psychologist in training.

The COVID-19 outbreak represents, for many of us, a unique event in our lifetimes. Its global nature, the restrictions in place, and the uncertainty these are creating means that we can no longer continue living our day-to-day lives as they were just a few weeks ago. We are also uncertain of how long this may last, increased future restrictions, and the overall impact of the virus on our loved ones and across the world. Therefore it is unsurprising if we are feeling, at the very least, a bit unsettled by the current situation.


We know uncertainty can be a breeding ground for increased anxiety, as we spend time seeking reassurance or trying to find out more information about what might happen in order to ‘prepare’ ourselves for any given scenario. Although these strategies can bring short-term relief, they can often keep this underlying anxiety going, as we have little personal control over the current situation and can end up replaying and anticipating potential scenarios in our heads. Spending this time worrying can be exhausting and we can become trapped in a vicious cycle where we try and relieve our anxiety by seeking certainty, only for it to mean our attention becomes solely focused on the potential future threat. Rather than trying to increase certainty (something impossible in the ever-changing situation), a better strategy can be to increase our tolerance to uncertainty by resisting these urges.

Writing down our worries and asking ourselves ‘Can I do anything about this right now?’ can be freeing, as we come to an acceptance of what action we can take, and what we cannot control at the present time. An alternative can then be to try and focus on the present moment and really pay attention to what we are doing. This can also put us back in touch with our enjoyment of the simple things in our life that we may be missing because we are spending our time ‘in our heads’.

Similarly, disruption to our daily routine and the sense of purpose and pleasure this gives us, can make us more vulnerable too, feeling low as we may miss the activities that we normally find rewarding. Therefore it is important to find ways to replicate this structure and meaning we get from activities whilst waiting for things to get back to normal.

Many of us are already likely to have helpful coping strategies in place and we wanted to include some more general wellbeing tips for those whose normal routine has been disrupted by the outbreak.

1. Start a new routine

Many of us find change and uncertainty difficult to manage and we can compensate for this to some extent by beginning a new routine. Try and bring structure to your day by setting working/leisure times and if working from home, give yourself breaks where you can do something relaxing or fun to break up the monotony. Also try and set up a work station away from where you would normally relax to create a sense of separation and continue your pre-work routines of showering/getting dressed to help give the day a sense of purpose and tick off these small achievements.

2. Minimise phone/internet time

It can be tempting to continue to read about the COVID-19 outbreak and it is important to keep updated with the latest advice. However, it is also important to get some separation from the constant stream of rumour and information in order to have space to be in the moment and concentrate on other things in your life at present.

3. Take advantage of your new free time

With many events and social activities cancelled, and the possibility of further restrictions, it is likely you will be spending more time at home. Try and use this as a chance to pick-up an old skill or learn something new that you have always wanted to but never made time for. Whether this is knitting or Warhammer, we all tend to have a hobby or interest that we wish we had more time to do

4. Appreciate time with loved ones

Quality time with family can often be disrupted by busy work and commute routines and the pressures of school and clubs. People are being asked to self-isolate as families. Take advantage of this and spend time talking to each other and appreciating each others company.

5. Physical Activity

We have already spoken about replicating sessions on your own. There are also many online workouts available for free that you can do from your front room i.e. Joe Wicks. These give you a chance to work on core strengthening and flexibility, two areas we often neglect that can improve our overall running performance.

6. Stay in touch on the phone

All too often we tell ourselves we don’t have time to call relatives or friends. Take this as an opportunity to reconnect and pick up the phone as it is likely you will both have time to listen to each other and catch-up.

7. Write worries down

If you find yourself worrying a lot more than usual, ask yourself the question ‘Can I do something about this right now.’ For those where you can take action, set goals or make a plan. For those which you have no control, reflect on this and then try and focus on doing something that takes up your attention in the present moment. Often things that use our senses i.e. cooking, cleaning, or making something can be good ways of doing this as they bring our focus to the present.

8. Help someone out

Government guidance dictates that those in vulnerable categories have to minimise social contact, and these restrictions may result in further prolonged self-isolation for vulnerable individuals as things progress. Keeping an eye out for those in this situation or getting them shopping can be both invaluable and good for our own wellbeing.

Feel free to comment below if you have extra thoughts on what you will do.