Spending time online
The negative impact of social media on wellbeing has been widely reported however, people are now coming together to celebrate the positive impact that being online can have on your life if physical contact with others is restricted.
If you use this as an opportunity to research and use some of the many online resources available to seek out comfort at a time of great uncertainty it may help you to bring positivity into your life and we will explore the different ways to do this in more detail below.
Video calling
If you are unable to visit your family or friends, being able to see them and talk with them can help you feel less isolated.
Though nothing is as good as real personal contact, the next best thing is being able to talk to people using video calling, for example Skype, WhatsApp and FaceTime. There are numerous online tutorials which can help you set these services up. Always ensure you use a reputable product. You may wish to agree regular check in times so you can feel connected to the people around you.
Learning something new
Is there something that you have always wanted to know more about? Are you able to use this time to enhance existing skills or learning something new? You could try:
- Learning a new language by watching online videos for support or downloading a foreign language app on your phone or tablet.
- Finding out more about the history of your local area. There are lots of special interest history group websites, blogs and forums online.
- Enhancing your current skills by watching online videos for advice and support.
- Enrolling on an online course to learn more about a subject you are interested in. There are lots of free courses available on a variety of subjects.
Take a virtual trip
Have you ever wanted to visit the MET in New York, take a trip to a famous zoo or enjoy a West End Musical but for one reason or another not been able to? In response to the pandemic many organisations across the world are now offering online experiences. You could try:
- Taking a tour through an art gallery or museum including the British National Museum, the American Museum of Natural History, the Louvre or The Vatican Museum.
- Watching a play online with both the West End in London and Broadway in New York making several experiences available online.
