7 Things You Can Try to Get Out of a Funk this Pandemic

I’m Christian Foremost, a Filipino Blogger/Writer/Podcaster and mental health advocate who writes personal stories of growth, life advice, and refreshing perspectives to inspire you to love yourself. I promote daily journaling as a healthy outlet to express and explore one’s honest thoughts and feelings. The path towards self-discovery and actualization starts by acknowledging your truths and facing your problems head-on.

How are you all doing? I know it might be difficult to answer right now, but I do hope that you guys are okay. This pandemic has gone on way too long. We’ve all been staying at home and doing what we can day by day to survive despite the great uncertainty that clouds our future.

7 Things You Can Try to Get Out of a Funk this Pandemic

It’s also tricky because you can feel great one second and then bad an hour later. I often find myself in a mental funk, stuck without any will to go on. You can lose all motivation and drive to do your work or even accomplish the most basic things like getting out of bed or eating. You can easily forget all of your goals, all of your reasons or purpose because they just seem insignificant or ultimately useless. The quarantine and this pandemic have taken me to some very dark places in my mind.  It’s a very scary place to be and my advice would be to try to escape as soon as you can. Get out of your head and let yourself do anything that will help distract you or make you feel lighter for the moment.

7 Things You Can Try to Get Out of a Funk this Pandemic

The longer you stay in a mental funk, the deeper you go and the more it affects the other parts of your life. So you have to get away or escape. This week I’m listing down the 7 Things you can try that have helped me get out of a Mental Funk during these months under quarantine. Hopefully, you can find something for you or you can let me know what else I can try doing.

1. Journal

Journaling is my ultimate fix whenever I’m catching myself in an off mood. It’s my literal life savior. I think I write about 1000 words a day just to clear my head. Don’t think about what to write. Write about what you’re thinking. By writing your thoughts down, you’re unloading your brain from the burden of carrying those thoughts throughout the day. Most of my journal entries don’t make sense at all, but my brain is always left with all of this free and peaceful space afterward. Dispose of those negative thoughts because you don’t need them and clear your head for better things.

2. Sing or Dance For No Reason

I know it sounds stupid, but it works. Singing is fun even if you have a bad voice like me. You don’t have to be a singer to sing. If you enjoy doing it and then go for it. I use a Karaoke App on my phone called We Sing and just sing the songs that get stuck in my head. You don’t need to be good. Just let loose and allow the feeling of the songs to carry you.

Your eyes will definitely burn at the sight of me dancing. But if dancing is your thing, pump up the music and just dance to the beat of your heart. You may also follow along some dance videos online or try Just Dance Now on your phone. The point is to turn your brain off for a while and let yourself have fun.

3. Step Out of the Door

We can’t leave the house yes, but we can open the door and breathe in the fresh air. I rarely do this so every time I open the door, the fresh air seems so foreign to me. It must be because I’ve grown too accustomed to the stinky fumes of our boys’ bedroom. LOL. I think that taking outdoor walks or having an outdoor place to chill like a balcony just for a few minutes would give you a sense of calm, of just being.

4. Exercise or Do Home Workouts

Even during quarantine, I try to keep a strict workout schedule. Don’t get me wrong, I’m always too lazy to workout. It would take so much effort to convince myself to do so! But I pull myself out of bed and start, I don’t regret it and I just keep moving. It feels so rewarding to finish a workout and you’ll feel so pumped to conquer the rest of your day. I can be on such a foul mood when I don’t work out but when I do, I feel so good.

5. Call a Friend

If you’re not feeling so good, your friend is probably feeling that too. Why not help each other out? Check on them from time to time, even if it’s just to say “Hi”. Nothing will beat face-to-face interactions and virtual hangouts are honestly really weird. I miss having company and just chilling with your friends, even when you’re not really doing anything. For now, though, chat, calls, and video rooms would just have to do. And hey, you guys can even make fun of the government together!

6. Clean or Do Some Household Chores

It’s super satisfying to clean or do house chores. You’ll just forget about the time and have some peaceful time for yourself. Cleaning is kind of therapeutic and allows you to have something to focus on for the time being. And isn’t it fun to clean? Just as long as your parents didn’t make you do it! Haha.

7. Sleep

This is the thing I look forward to doing every day. I have such great sleep: 10 hours of sleep during weekdays and even naps on weekends. It’s always a bummer to have to wake up and I would close my eyes for the few more minutes than I can spare.  Sleeping is better than anything else going on in my life and I don’t even really want to wake up anymore. Wake me up when this pandemic is over, okay? If your head hurts? Sleep. If you can’t with life anymore? Sleep. Sometimes, I have to lay in bed a few more minutes after I open my eyes, because I was just tired from sleeping. But yeah, nothing beats waking up after a good sleep. 

I hope you guys found something in the list that could help you if ever you find yourself in a mental funk. It’s totally understandable to not deal with things right now. Don’t spend too much time in your head. Distract yourself by doing other things or just turn yourself off a little bit. You can move or you can rest. Do what you think will make you feel better.

It’s Okay to Not Be Okay Right Now

I’ve always been honest and open about my feelings because writing these blogs helps me process and understand them. For an over-thinker like me whose greatest fears are uncertainty and things beyond my control, I’ve been in a mental war-zone ever since the pandemic began. Every day, I rationalize my thoughts and feelings, fighting so hard to be okay only to be defeated again and again. Trying to be positive when all of these bad things are happening can feel toxic. I try so hard to hold on to the hope that things will get better, but will they? What if I have nothing to hold on to after all?

What I’ve realized is you don’t have to find the answer to all of your problems now. If you feel like there’s nothing you can do, don’t pressure yourself to figure it out. You just need to acknowledge the feeling and give yourself some time. Right now, I am not okay. There are days when I feel better, but I know that I am not okay. I don’t know how I will be okay, but I trust that one of these days I will be. In the meantime, I’m still going on with my life and if I feel a little down, I do things that make me feel somewhat alive. That’s what we are right? Alive.

Disclaimer: The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your mental health professional or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding your condition.

Want more blog list this?

Subscribe to get early updates on our latest blogs!

Love this blog? Pin it!

Share this post and tag your friends!

17 thoughts on “7 Things You Can Try to Get Out of a Funk this Pandemic”

  1. Pingback: 2020 Sucked :’) – My Year End Review – Christian Foremost

  2. Really love this Blog Kuya Christian super Elegant tlaga and perfect despite of this Pandemic sobrang laking tulong tlaga.. thank you kuya for sharing this.. and Really Worth to read this super Humble and NkakaAmaze po tlaga 💕💕

    IG: @_roxasedgardo1992_

  3. I did everything already. Especially dancing and singing for no reason. Have been headbangin’ too. For cleaning I almost cleaned the hole house and disposed almost half of our stuff. Tuloy ko pa ba maglinis haha

  4. What I really do to manage the boredom brought by quarantine is singing and dancing for no reason. Lol! Hahaha! It works, though! I actually memorized one rap song na.

  5. Hey, I know it’s tough to keep up during this unsettling time. I hope you won’t give up on yourself and try to find comfort in the presence of others. We aren’t born to be alone so I really pray that you have someone there for you. Your article is a much needed read now. For me, I love working out Kasi it gives you an instant mood boost. Kahit 15 minutes of HIIT Lang Yan, Ang sarap na sa feeling afterwards. I love journaling at night too. Keep posting content like this! You’re helping a lot of people 🙂

  6. Me naman, I keep myself sane by cooking and writing. I also listen to good music. We all our ways to cope this lockdown, it’s really a matter of finding where you are most comfortable and valued as a person.

    Inggit ako sa 10 hours sleep!! hahaha

  7. I’ve been keeping up with my journal and home workouts. However these days I really miss the outdoors, that’s why during market day, I make the most out of it, I buy my favorite milk tea! hehe

  8. I agree with all the things you listed! Wait you get 10 hours of sleep on weekdays? Howww! Maybe next time you can blog about how to get a good night sleep? 😅 lately, that has been my problem prolly coz of anxiety (or too much caffeine haha). I workout and move around a lot naman so i should be tired by the end of the day. 🤷🏻‍♀️

  9. I’ve been doing so many things to keep me sane this pandemic– workout, became a plantita, and has been more focus on blogging. Pero syempre minsan talagang nakakawalang gana kaya it’s nice to be reminded by this list to call a friend but as of now, happy nako na I have you guys, my newfound friends online that helps me para di mabaliw. And I’m even happier that dito sa province namin we get to travel and it isn’t so strict as long as we follow proper health protocols when traveling. That’s why most of my contents recently are travels.

  10. blair villanueva

    This lockdown is getting long but each time I think that it is for the better cause then I don’t feel much worried. Back in the days when I was in grade school and enjoying the provincial life, we are in this similar situation, and no travel or hanging out, and no internet. Every day I still feel grateful. Just go with the flow, and it doesn’t need to be perfectly okay every day.

  11. Yas, it is indeed okay not to be okay! I think it’s really the uncertainty of things that’s keeping people anxious and on their toes. Completely agree with your list, maybe I’ll add: eating healthy food (but having cheat days is okay) and doing constant quiet time or meditation really helps too! <3

  12. I love this. The past few months have been so hard. I have been doing some of your tips and they helped me a lot in maintaining my sanity.

    **Love that you included a Miranda Sings gif in there. 🙂 I super like her.

  13. I have been doing more home workout now that the opening of gyms are still uncertain. I helps me relax and somehow relieves me of my anxiety

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *