It’s not just the cold that causes cabin fever, but the fact that we spend our days indoors in a small space, surrounded by nothing but each other and our thoughts—and even then, sometimes we can’t help but think about ourselves and our problems. So how do you escape this gloomy state of mind? There are plenty of ways to alleviate cabin fever:
Set Goals for Yourself
It can also be helpful to create goals and deadlines for yourself each day or week, which may help keep you motivated to make progress toward those goals. The first step is figuring out what’s important to you and then setting some specific goals that support that priority in your life (such as improving your health and relationships). It takes about two weeks to get used to making the change, so if you’ve been struggling with a goal, stick with it until you see results; don’t give up because of minor setbacks along the way. Take it as a learning experience instead. If you can learn from any experience, you’ll be able to move forward to achieve your goals sooner rather than later.
Establish a Regular Routine or Schedule
A regular schedule is critical so that there’s a system to your daily life. Set a routine that you can follow to establish order in your life. For example, getting up early and taking a walk in the park before work will help wake up your body and mind instead of using coffee or a pill to get going in the morning. The key to success with this step is discipline and consistency, which we will discuss later on when we talk about the importance of sticking to your goals through these steps and putting them into action day-to-day. To get started on this step, consider the following: what are your morning and evening routines? How do you relax at the end of each day?
Don’t Forget to Exercise!
Being stuck inside the house often forces us just to sit, lie down, or generally meander about. We don’t get a lot of opportunities to exercise when inside the house, but that doesn’t have to be the case. You can still exercise at home, and you definitely should. Many people aren’t aware of the benefits of exercising in your own home (other than the fact that it’s more convenient), but there are many reasons why this is better for you than going out to the gym or running around town like a lunatic: you save time. If you work from home, exercising during your lunch break or even at 3 AM when everyone else has gone to bed could be beneficial, mainly if you work a 9-5 job. Another reason is to reduce stress levels, increase energy, burn fat, improve sleep quality, and increase overall happiness. With all those benefits, it should come as no surprise that exercising regularly has been linked to increased life expectancy and better health in general.
Learn Something New; Take an Online Class
If you’re generally bored because you don’t have a lot to do, consider taking an online class so you can learn something new. It would help you get that new passion going, or at least give you the foundation and tools to start exploring your options. There are many hobbies out there that take up a lot of time but provide minimal payoff, for example, gaming, watching TV, or collecting things. But if you had a specific skill you wanted to pursue, a hobby could be useful for helping you in your job search; for instance, someone who wants to make games could put together tutorials and write articles about how to use the latest technology.
Of Course, Make It a Point to Go Outside
Let’s face it; we can’t exactly keep avoiding the need to go outside. And that’s the best way to deal with cabin fever: go out. Even if it’s just for a few minutes at a time, any sort of fresh air or sunshine will work wonders for your sanity and mood when you get back inside again. Besides, going outside is something most people have already been doing daily as part of their normal routine anyway (unless they live in some particularly inhospitable climate). And if your location doesn’t have any stunning locations, there’s no harm in traveling, especially if you’re careful and safe about it. Grill some barbecue on a rental boat, go hiking in a local mountain, or go camping in a national park. Of course, you don’t have to travel far; even a quick walk around your neighborhood will suffice.
Given the extended periods of isolation and the fact that we are social animals by nature, the pandemic has taken a heavy toll not just on our physical health but also on our mental health. But if we stick to our goals and try to step out of our comfort zones, we can tough our cabin fever out.