Well, here we are. Day 21 in the Lockdown House. I hope you’re well. The only things keeping me from total insanity are my friends and family (although its debatable whether my family are helping or hindering my mental health), my daily state-sanctioned exercise, my nightly Quarantini Time and the arts. I miss galleries and the cinema but I realise that really is a first world problem, and with a bit of research, I’ve found some amazing and creative online projects to scratch the cultural itch while I can’t get out.
It is well proven that taking part in creative activities improves our wellbeing and mental health. A study, carried out by UCL in partnership with BBC Arts, found that the brain uses certain cognitive strategies to manage emotions while carrying out creative tasks. This means that the activity itself can be effective in various ways, acting as a tool to:
distract us from stress
give us mental space to contemplate and reassess problems
build confidence and self-esteem
It was also found that skill level isn’t important and just taking part in activities such as singing, painting, writing and dancing is helpful in regulating negative emotions. Trying something new is particularly effective as the mental effort of learning distracts us.
I believe that less active engagement with the arts also improves our wellbeing, so over the next weeks I’ll be posting some great stuff I’ve found online for you to watch, listen to and take part in.
Let me know if you find anything you love.
Stay well x