What to do when you feel lonely

COVID-19 has significantly changed our way of life, and has increased the amount of people who feel lonely. With many people in lock-down, and schools either cancelling in-class options or lowering the amount of people who can be there at once, it can be very isolating. 

Whether you are a student, or you live alone, or maybe you just feel lonely in the place you are in, here are some ways to curb your loneliness during these unusual times:

• Find Others to Talk To

It may seem obvious, but finding others to talk to can really help your loneliness. If you don’t like phone calls, or are unable to meet up with people in person, try an online chat, forum, or website. Bonus points if you make a connection with someone who you can talk to continuously over the course of a few weeks. Having the ability to stay in contact with someone and follow up with them about what you had already talked about can really ground you and make you feel less lonely.

• Plan Solo Dates

It may sound awkward, but plan something special for yourself. Maybe you really just want to have a picnic. You go have that picnic! It doesn’t require you to have more people. Make it special for yourself and pack a book and some fruit and a nice blanket. It’s literally planning a special date where you are the one who is being treated and it can decrease your feelings of loneliness because you are still treating yourself. 

• Read

Reading can be a useful tool to avoid the outside word. It could be fiction, non-fiction, graphic novel, whatever! Immersing yourself in a good book can be extremely useful in spending long periods of time NOT thinking about being lonely. Books are a perfect example of something you can do and enjoy alone, but not feel lonely doing. Plus, it gives you something to talk about the next time you see or hear from someone. 

• Plan a Self-Care Night

Similar to planning a solo date, this is just for you. Bring out those face masks, pull out the nail polish, and pour that bubble bath. Tonight is for you and you alone. Bring a book in the bath with you and you can cross two things off this list! When you are feeling lonely, it can be very easy to stop taking care of yourself. Maybe you live alone, and you don’t feel like showering every day, or treating yourself. Put in that time for yourself and you will definitely feel better. You don’t need someone else to treat you when you know exactly what your needs are. 

• Make Your Bed

Something so small and self-explanatory. Every morning when you wake up, make that bed of yours. Feeling lonely can make you dwell in the comfort of your bed, so you want to make sure that it is as clean as possible for the next time you escape under the covers. 

• Stay Active

You will read it everywhere, but make sure that you are moving your body at least a little bit everyday. There is yoga, there is a park calling your name saying “come walk here”, stretch! Any little thing can help with your mental state and can curb your loneliness, especially if you are in nature and are really appreciating the world around you. Set aside at least 30 minutes to dance to your favorite pump up jam, or whatever you want to do. Just keep that heart rate up and you are golden!