It’s normal to feel stress when faced with staying indoors and interacting less with people, especially when that is added to the underlying stress of worrying whether you will catch the virus.

While social distancing refers to avoiding large gatherings of people, staying a certain distance from others in public, and only going out of the house for essentials, it can still start to feel a lot like “cabin fever.

What’s the best way to get through this period of isolation? There are many strategies that you can employ to ensure your well-being and good mental health. Most of these involve either finding ways to distract yourself (keep busy) or finding ways to connect with others (despite the circumstances).

Stay Active

If you spend weeks of isolation not getting any exercise, this will have a detrimental effect on your ability to cope mentally. Go for walks or ride a bike around your neighborhood (or walk on a treadmill if you have one and are concerned about going outside).

Do Something Meaningful

If you are finding that you feel not just bored, but also as though you are losing your sense of self, then a loss of meaning might be affecting you. Only you know what will create meaning in your life, but Signing up for an online course and do a bit of work each day can help.

Create Something

Expressing yourself through creative means can be therapeutic, whether it involves painting, writing, dancing, etc.

Distract Yourself

Another way to boost your mental health is to find healthy distractions. This might come in the form of reading, watching shows, listening to music, or finding other activities that interest you.