From zoom quizzes to gym classes, catching up with friends and family on FaceTime, working from home and endless TV boxsets, for me, life in lockdown has evolved around a variety of screens. Though this has kept us entertained, the impact on our wellbeing may have been detrimental.
Not being able to switch off from the 24/7 technological world can cause headaches, sleep issues, affect our mood and ability to concentrate. In this new way of living, spending time doing something creative may be more important than ever to help us switch off and look after our wellbeing.
Research is increasingly proving that by spending a short amount of time a day doing something creative we can boost our wellbeing. Taking some time to ourselves to concentrate on a different task can help to keep our minds busy and happy. Learning a new skill, or focusing on something for a period of time, can distract us from our daily pressures, loneliness and help us to manage our emotions.
Being creative can mean something different to everyone. It could be anything from painting to story writing, music to drama and, if you can face the queues at the garden centre, even gardening. Sometimes activities like arts and crafts can give you the space to express yourself or distract you from your emotions. Learning a new skill, such as knitting, or completing a painting can give you a sense of accomplishment and improve your confidence.
Let’s be honest though, the thought of attempting to be creative can simply be terrifying. My artistic flare is extremely limited and, thankfully for my neighbours, I have no desire to dust off the violin I used to play at school. The good news is that being creative can be totally private and any painting you complete does not have to be sent off to an art exhibition for public review. You just need to find something you enjoy.
Throughout lockdown I have realised that a lot of people have naturally turned to some sort of creative activity. People have spent more time gardening and decorating their homes, but if you take some time to think about it, then you can be creative in everyday activities as well. I have made more effort to find different recipes to cook and even experimenting with different make up looks or discovering new playlists on Spotify does not take long, but can be a way to add some creativity in to your day.
As the world is returning to some sort of normal and life begins to get busy again I hope that we all make time to try and support our wellbeing. It would be much more beneficial to spend time being creative rather than mindlessly scrolling through our phones and it may even help us to connect with people in a different way. SO why don’t you put your devices away and get creative today by trying our ‘Wellbeing Creativity Challenge’ below.
Try doing a doodle a day in a journal, use your phone to take a picture in your house or garden or put your favourite song on and have a dance
Print out some adult colouring pages, do a jigsaw or find a new recipe to cook