“It is highly important to develop a healthy routine consisting of seven to nine hours of sleep, 30 minutes of exercise, and something to engage your mind,” Dr. Julio Brionez, a licensed psychologist at the UW Psychology Center, said.
Maya Koch, a psychology major and statistics minor, said students can still apply a regular schedule despite being spontaneous.
“Students who are looking for excitement and novelty in their routine, it’s good to have the three meals a day plan. So you can have the spontaneity but still have the routine,” Koch said. “My number one problem when isolating was I was not getting enough food. There’s a nutritionist in Washake if you need help.”
Koch said she integrated daily walks into her routine as well as balancing creating and consuming.
“One of my indoor survival skulls is to engage my mind in a way. There is a balance between consuming and creating. I could sit on the couch all day watching tv, but I also like crafts. I also read as a way to create and I have also taken up dancing again. They’re really easy things to do to find relief and escape,” Koch said.
Walks are difficult during the winter months, but they are still beneficial for mental health Koch said. One way to stay active inside is to take up Yoga or try weighted exercises.
“To be honest I didn’t keep much of any routine besides calling a friend once a night because I didn’t feel good enough to do any class work,” Luca Bonanno, an art major, said.
“All the days feel like they blur together and without staying entertained somebody would get incredibly incredibly bored. Along with being entertained and staying in contact with people it will help,” Bonanno said.
Bonanno quarantined for two weeks when he had COVID-19.
“It’s a lot better to entertain yourself with friends virtually than to not do anything at all and feel like you’re missing out,” Bonanno said.
Spending time alone can also be a time for reflection.
“Consider your values. Create a list of your top five values and from that create a short term goal to get you closer to that value and create reaction steps to get to that goal,” Brionez said.
According to Brionez, using this mindset of an action step is beneficial when struggling with mental illness as well.
“If you’ve already done what’s mentioned and you’re still struggling, you can call me at the center and we can set an appointment and work something out,” Brionez said.
Additional help can be found at the UW Psychology Center and other locations like Wellspring Counseling.
