Recent global lockdowns have changed the psyche of Americans forever. If you’re isolating at home, you may find yourself waking up late, watching YouTube for hours, or feeling low. Given these circumstances, what are ways to seek out happiness while the world is in chaos?
Although it can be challenging to stay upbeat during a difficult time, read on to learn nine simple, science-backed ways to stay positive.
1. Seek Out a Mentor
In order to grow both personally and financially during this time, why not find a mentor? This could be someone you know or a celebrity that you admire. Find someone who leads the life that you would like to emulate. Are they a professional athlete, musician, or simply a whizz with money?
If they’re someone you know, reach out to them and ask whether they would like to be your mentor.
If they’re famous, read their autobiography, listen to interviews, and write down any tips and tricks they offer.
This is important because research has found that mentorship can be beneficial for career development and advancement, particularly in fields where there may be a lack of role models or guidance.
A study by the Harvard Business Review found that mentorship can lead to a 15-30% increase in career advancement opportunities, and a study by the International Journal of Human Resource Management found that mentorship can lead to a 28% increase in job satisfaction and a 20% increase in salary.
2. Embrace Meditation / Mindfulness
Did you know that meditation and mindfulness are some of the best ways to boost your mental health?
Mindfulness, which is defined as the practice of bringing one’s attention to the present moment with an open, curious, and non-judgmental attitude, has been found to have a number of health benefits.
For those who love the nitty, gritty science, here’s a a compelling statistic about the benefits of mindfulness:
A systematic review of 39 studies involving over 3,500 participants (called a “meta-analysis” because it aggregates the findings of numerous studies) confirmed that mindfulness-based interventions were associated with significant reductions in stress, anxiety, and depression, as well as improvements in well-being and quality of life (Goyal et al., 2014).
Yoga is another healthy way to pass the time, because it has profound benefits too, including increasing your pain tolerance, flexibility, strength, and circulatory health.
2. Seek Out Meaningful Digital Connection
If you are self-isolating at home, now is a great time to call your loved ones. Why not set a daily routine to chat over coffee in the morning? Setting a specific time to chat with friends will help you schedule your day and have something to look forward to.
If you’re not able to travel, then talk about past experiences or vacations that you’ve enjoyed together. It can feel good to reminisce and enjoy shared memories. It’s important to pursue connection, even if it’s digital, because science has revealed that a lack of social connection can cause an increased risk of premature death.
In a compelling meta-analysis titled Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: A Meta-analytic Review, 148 studies involving an astounding 308,849 participants were reviewed. After reviewing the data, the researchers concluded that the quality and quantity of individuals’ social relationships has been linked not only to mental health, but also to both morbidity and mortality. Specifically, there was a 50% increased likelihood of survival for participants with stronger social relationships.
A lack of social connections has been also been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, and immune system dysfunction. These effects are thought to be due to the negative impact of social isolation on stress levels, which can lead to physiological changes that increase the risk of these conditions.
4. Journaling
This is a challenging time so why not keep a journal of how you are coping? Researchers regularly find that those who journal feel happier in the long run.
You only need to spend five minutes per day putting pen to paper to notice that a bad mood hanging over your head tends to alleviate.
Research has shown that journaling can help reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as increase feelings of well-being and positive mood. Writing in a journal allows you to reflect on your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, which can help increase self-awareness and introspection.
Some research has even shown that journaling can have positive effects on physical health, such as reduced blood pressure and improved immune function.
5. Reduce Your News Consumption
It can be very easy to fall down a news wormhole and spend hours reading horror stories online. This is simply one of the worst ways to spend your time during isolation.
Instead, why not reduce your news intake to one reading per week? While you’re committed to staying inside the house, there is no need to read every single news article.
Focus on reading articles online that lift your spirits. Or, focus your attention on a long-forgotten book. By reading a book, you will increase your happiness and feelings of productivity.
Speaking of which, did you know that people who read 30 minutes a day live longer?
6. Learn a New Professional Skill
You’ve been gifted with a lot of free time to spend however you please. As many people are losing their jobs during this time, focusing on learning a new professional skill will help bolster your resume and give you purpose.
You may want to learn a specific skill that will help you develop your career. For example, skills related to digital services, remote communication, and e-learning are always in high demand.
If you spend your time learning, you will evolve with this newly emerging economy. Being confident about your future financial health is a critical part of being happy!
There are many websites online that you can use to learn interesting new skills. Check out Future Learn or Udemy if you need a spot to start.
7. Enhance Your Nutrition
Nutrition is essential to all types of health and wellness, from physical to emotional. Unfortunately, you can’t out-train a bad diet, which is why it’s essential to learn the principles of nutrition.
If you don’t eat right, you will never have the body that you want. You also won’t have the confidence that you deserve. Or, the health to support a long and energetic life.
For most people, diet has about five-times greater effect on body composition than physical training. While you’re at home, you have extra time to learn the principles of nutrition, prepare nutritious meals, and if you’re feeling committed, track your daily intake.
Why not use this time to learn everything you can about fueling your body the right way?
8. Take Time for Goal Setting
Most of the time, when life is moving at full pace and you’re racing off to work, there’s little time for reflecting on your past or envisioning your future.
With the lockdowns, you’ve suddenly recouped commuting time. You’ve probably recovered time spent socializing, running errands, and doing other odds and ends as well.
While you’re home is a perfect time to reflect on what you’ve accomplished over the past 5-10 years.
After you’ve taken a moment to appreciate this incredible progress, set your sights forward and ask yourself, “If I met with myself 5 years from now, what would had to have happened for me to feel happy?”
After answering this, reflect on a few actions steps that will move you in that direction. If the calm of the lockdowns is feeling good, you don’t have to start on them yet. But, the clarity alone should feel empowering and exciting.
Remember, you need a map for your life or you’ll be wandering through it aimlessly.
9. Heat Up Your Mood
An increasing number of clinical studies are finding evidence that regular sauna use may improve depression. The medical term that describes the technique of using heat as a therapeutic modality is “hyperthermia”.
The term hyperthermia means to elevate one’s body temperature above normal levels and protocols that use traditional or infrared saunas to elevate a person’s core body temperature are called hyperthermia interventions.
Presently, a search of the world’s largest database of scientific journals (PubMed.gov) finds 546 research studies that are exploring the correlation between hyperthermia and depression.
The assumption is that one’s mood is improved by heat exposure because it causes the human body to produce more endorphins. These are the neurotransmitters responsible for feelings of our pleasure and happiness.
Sauna use also helps to reduce stress and tension, both of which can contribute to feelings of depression. Finally, heat exposure is widely documented to improve circulation, which can improve mood and mental clarity.
Call nearby health clubs, spas, and even massage and chiropractic centers to find sauna access near you. If you can’t access a sauna, then a hot bath, shower, or even outdoor heat exposure can have positive effects as well.
The Pursuit of Happiness
If you are struggling while spending long periods of time at home alone, know that you are not alone.
The past couple years have been of the biggest challenges that our country has faced in recent decades. It will take time for us all to adjust to new normals, so explore these ways to be happy and I truly hope they lift your spirits!