People are being advised to maintain a distance from each other, and going out is frowned upon. Businesses that are deemed non-essential were closed or begun operating on a delivery basis, and the rest have also changed the way that they work. Schools have shifted to remote classes, whether through the use of video conferences or simple websites. As a result, I now cannot work and am struggling to maintain my physical and mental well-being. To try and cope with these issues, I intend to start learning new skills and exercising more actively.
The current self-isolation situation is mostly unprecedented, at least in modern history. There have been disease outbreaks in the recent past that generated a considerable amount of publicity, but most of them did not warrant such severe measures. At most, travel restrictions were introduced, but they have proven to be inadequate in the case of COVID-19. As a result, the United States was not been prepared for the current situation, especially concerning its small businesses. They were not ready to switch to a distance-based model. As I worked at such a company, I was furloughed with no pay, as the owner cannot afford it while not making profits.
Due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, self-isolation guidelines have been passed across the United States. The first cause of people’s problems is the lack of income, which means that they cannot afford to live as they had before. They have to save money, as it is unclear how long the current situation will continue. Secondly, people do not get enough exercise because they go out much less than they had before. It is difficult to motivate themselves to work out at home, especially since there is no room to run there. Some people living in an apartment with only three bedrooms cannot appropriately do the exercises. Before the pandemic, they went to Genesis Health Fitness, Life Time Fitness, Planet Fitness. I know people are not interested in sitting at home; it is boring for them. Because of this lockdown, people cannot travel this summer, and kids feel bored at home.
There is not enough choice for teenagers in the framework of job or entertainment. They could complete their schoolwork while combining it with their job before, and they struggle to supplant the latter’s loss. They thought that there would be enough entertainment to use up their time, but they do not feel interested in watching it. The inability to meet other people and interact with them is also affecting them adversely.
People have become more austere in their eating habits; first because one of their severe problems is the lack of income. It means that most people cannot afford to live as they had before. They have to save money, as it is unclear how long the current situation will continue. They prefer to eat inexpensive food that may not taste as good as what they usually make or order. They have begun buying food that can be kept for longer but is not necessarily healthy, such as rice, grain, and various pre-processed meals. This practice and the lack of exercise have led them to start gaining weight, about which they are concerned. It will be challenging to get rid of this extra fat once the lockdown ends, and they would like to prevent putting in that effort. Lastly, boredom and lack of social interaction are affecting their mental well-being. They feel pessimistic and cynical and tend to worry excessively about their problems.
In my opinion, the first solution that they have considered is to start dieting, preventing their weight gain by lowering the number of calories that they consume. In doing so, they would stay physically healthy while also saving food costs. Money could help them stay in comfort for a more extended period or contribute to some other needs. However, this solution does not address their concerns regarding their mental health. Designing a diet and adhering to it are complicated tasks that require dedication and willpower. They may feel worse while dieting. For example, I try to be on a diet and I hurt myself rather than achieve a positive result. But now they don’t feel struggling.
Another option is to look for a new job, whether in the area or online. If they succeeded, they would be able to resolve both their money issues and remove the excessive free time. Doing tasks such as delivery, they might have been able to engage in adequate physical activity, as well. However, their search for a job would fail, if there were too much competition for any available position. They tried applying for some remote work positions as well as delivery jobs throughout the last week but did not receive a response from any contact. Many people have the same concerns as they and have chosen to try the same approach. As they could not find an unoccupied spot, they would likely accept one if they have the chance in the future.
By learning new skills, people would be doing something meaningful with their time. It could help them in my future career, and this awareness could reinforce their well-being. Physical activity could help them lose weight and improve their appearance in general, improving their confidence. According to Budde and Wegner (43), exercises also have beneficial effects on stress reduction in both the short and the long terms. Additionally, neither of these practices cost much money, with possible costs involving essential exercise equipment and a paid learning course. Effective activities and direct learning can occupy my time and help me burn calories while also saving money because the basic equipment required is inexpensive.
First, they can plan the system of exercises that they are going to be doing and try to understand what skills they are lacking. Currently, they plan is to perform basic activities such as squats, pushups, and sit-ups, and work on my writing abilities. Afterward, they will purchase the necessary equipment and look for free courses, that will help them bolster these abilities. They will set a schedule for when they will perform each of these activities and adhere to it strictly. Doing so is necessary because otherwise, they may be too lazy to work on themselves consistently. In the times that stay free, they will try to engage in the entertainment that they have stored up but did not use.
The learning activities do not help me to earn money directly, and it is going to be challenging to overcome this perception. They may not enable me to feel as fulfilled as a job would. As such, they may not benefit from mental health while also failing to contribute to the finances. The exercise may also cause me to require more energy and consume more food as a result. Combined with the equipment and the courses’ costs, this solution may use up their money faster than it would disappear otherwise.
Overall, the current situation has resulted in numerous issues that compound each other and affect many Americans, including myself. They have limited money; they become fatter and worry overmuch because of the stresses of self-isolation. Dieting would only add to the pressure, and their search for another job has not brought any results. As such, they intend to start engaging in exercise and look for courses that would improve the skills needed for their career. In doing so, they can resolve some of their issues, though mental health may remain a concern, and they may lose their money at a faster rate as a result. Their goal is to find a job as fast as possible.
The role of physical activity cannot be underestimated in modern circumstances. It is beneficial for every human being as it makes the immune system stronger and provides additional support for the organism (Matias et al., 876). On the one hand, doing sports helps people to stay healthy. On the other hand, it causes significant stress to the body as the majority of the population cannot estimate their real capacity and suffer from doing hard exercises. This situation’s possible solution is to train online using professional sources with fitness programs provided by high-qualified trainers. What is more, it is crucial, to be honest with oneself and do sports that bring positive emotions. It can be observed that being at home for the whole day shuts out outside activities like riding a bike or hiking. However, it seems important to maintain that one of the most fundamental issues, in this case, is personal motivation. For example, if a human wants to ride a bike, they could buy the required equipment to train at home. Training simulators may be rented to reduce the expenditures.
Physical activity is an essential part of supporting mental well-being. It helps make a change in the everyday routine and provides some diversity in life (Matias et al., 877). What is more, activities are a good option to establish relationships with family members. Joint exercises are a perfect way of spending free time together with health and social benefits. It is advisable to estimate self-isolation as an opportunity to spend more time with loved ones, to know more about their hobbies, concerns, and worries. An activity for everyone would be the right decision because it would help to establish better relations and, at the same time, to learn something new.
Control of mental health is a crucial issue not only during the period of self-isolation but also in the ordinary life of people. It is claimed that emotional well-being is hard to be evaluated without a specialist. Nevertheless, people usually decide to visit the psychologist only in case of an emergency. There is no doubt that self-isolation is a stressful period for many human beings; that is why vital support should be provided by healthcare organizations. It is possible to suggest that the visit to a psychologist once a week can be free for those who have medical insurance. This idea could be sponsored and created by the government department that is responsible for providing social goods for the country’s citizens. Moreover, a specific program for business owners and workers who lost their jobs has to be established. They experience a severe time having not enough money to pay for their rent and food. It is necessary to support them financially, emotionally, and practically.
To conclude, it can be observed that physical exercises have to be a part of the schedule of every human being. It is profitable for the immune system, socialization, and mental health. The government has to create and implement a supporting program for those who cannot afford professional psychological help. What is more, the visit to the specialist in this sphere has to be free during the self-isolation. Physical exercises and the quality of life are closely interrelated and have to be considered one of the most crucial issues that have to be controlled during this period.
Works Cited
Budde, Henning, and Mirko Wegner. The Exercise Effect on Mental Health: Neurobiological Mechanisms. CRC Press, 2018.
Matias, Thiago, et al. “Human Needs in COVID-19 Isolation.” Journal of Health Psychology, vol. 25, no. 7, 2020, pp. 871–882.