Quarantine Fatigue and How to Cope with It

It’s been about two months since the start of the quarantines in Singapore. By now, we can say that it is somehow affecting our mental and emotional well-being one way or another. This is what some would call quarantine fatigue. But then again, staying at home is necessary to fight the pandemic and help our frontliners the best that we can. So, here are some ways for you to cope with quarantine fatigue!

The cause of quarantine fatigue

Before everything else, let’s talk about why we get quarantine fatigue in the first place. For one, the easy answer is that we’ve had a sudden change of lifestyle. Towards the start of the spread of the pandemic, most people went to panic mode in an instant. Then, when safety measures started rolling in, our fear also receded. It’s these sudden changes in lifestyle that’s causing us to feel more mentally and emotionally drained. Another reason is that we simply miss human interactions which is another thing that suddenly changed because of the quarantines.  

Establish a routine

One of the best ways to cope with quarantine fatigue is to maintain a routine. Because of the anxiety, stress, and uncertainty, you may feel all over the place and that your life is spiraling down in chaos. By having a set routine, you can eliminate these thoughts because you are establishing control over your life. Schedule time for work, exercise, bonding with family, and the like. This is a healthy way to fight quarantine fatigue.

Set goals

Another thing you can do is to set goals for yourself. More often than not, you will have more time in your hands because of the quarantines. So, set goals for yourself whether it’s for work, self-improvement, for your family, etc. Overall, this will help you continue to have a positive mindset all throughout. You may even come out of the quarantine with new set of skills!

Try self-care practices

One important thing to have during this time is a way to practice self-care and relieve stress. For some it may be yoga, for others it can be meditation. It can even be something as simple as taking a warm bath or reading a book while drinking coffee in a quiet early morning. Find out what your go-to stress reliever is and practice it whenever you can or whenever you need to.

Acknowledge your negative feelings

Lastly, acknowledge your negative feelings. These are trying times and it’s really inevitable to feel negative from time to time. But, don’t bottle up those negative thoughts! Acknowledging them and naturally letting them flow will help you get over them faster. This doesn’t only provides relief, but also reduces the influence of negative feelings over you in general.