Is Boredom Getting You Down in Lockdown?

Ruby shares some fun ways to keep your mind active if you are struggling during lockdown. 

- Ruby

Lockdown was announced on the 23rd March, and people may be finding it hard to be positive whilst running out of new things to do. From my experience as a peer mentor, I understand that this may be affecting many students at the moment. Having a sense of meaning and purpose is important for our wellbeing, so being bored for long periods of time can have a negative impact on our mood. Whilst many of us are physically disconnected from friends and family, having hobbies or activities which we can engage in and enjoy is important. Here, I share some of the things which, from my experience as a peer mentor, can be helpful in supporting mental wellbeing. 

Connect with people

Design a quiz for the people in your household. Or even host a zoom quiz. This will allow everyone to be together at the same time and connect. 

Be physically active

Go on walks and use an app to count how many steps you do, set yourself goals! This has helped me to break up the day and feel more productive and energised when I return home. 

Learn new skills 

Learn a new language. Build up your CV with free online courses. The Open University offer lots of free courses, which may be relevant to your field of studies, or even about something you have always wanted to know more information on! Not only has this helped me academically with my degree and future work, but it has also increased my knowledge in topics I would not usually have the time to look into whilst at university and work. 

Give to others

Could you volunteer your time to help somebody out? I have been keeping in contact with my mentees during lockdown, supporting them while at home. This has given me a sense of pride about helping people during lockdown. 

Pay attention to the present moment

Take time to reflect and practice mindfulness. Reflection is very important within my degree, so I have been taking the opportunity to keep a journal of what I have done and how I have felt throughout the day. I will then be able to read this in the future to see what I did during lockdown. 

Write a bucket list

Design a bucket list explaining what you want to do when lockdown is over. This could be going to a particular place with a friend or going to your favourite restaurant. This has allowed me to plan activities to do when lockdown is over, and provided me with things to look forward to. 

Other things that you could do to practice self-care and enjoy yourself may include:

• Getting stuck into a good book
• Creating a motivational playlist
• Getting creative and drawing
• Decluttering your room
• Having a pamper night
• Watching a documentary, listening to podcasts

As I will be going into my final year of university this September, I have also been thinking about my dissertation. So I have started a list of potential topics, and started to carry out research. Maybe if you are in a similar position to me, this would be a great way to prepare! 

It is now more important than ever to take action to look after your wellbeing. These tips may help to keep you occupied, look after yourself, and achieve better mental wellbeing.

For more information Student Space is here to make it easier for you to find the support you need during the coronavirus pandemic.

For more information on looking after your mental wellbeing during lockdown, please visit the Student Minds website.   

Hello! My name is Ruby and I am 20 years old. I study at a university in Kent, and have just finished the last of my essays from home-- year 2 is now done! I wanted to get involved with this blog because I study a BA in Counselling, Coaching and Mentoring, and my aim is to become an integrative counsellor.