Professor Greg Murray's Great Australian Life
Join Laura Turner and her guest Professor Greg Murray - Director of Swinburne's Centre for Mental Health. For a PDF (including full links) of Professor Murray's Pandemic Hacks - please email a request to our show producer jane.nield@crocmedia.com Prof Greg Murray's Pandemic Hacks The aim of this information is to briefly introduce psychological approaches to maintaining mental health and wellbeing during the pandemic, and to direct readers to good quality, free online resources in Australia. Maintain Wellbeing Routine and daily structure are critical to wellbeing. Like pets and small children, our bodies want to know what's happening next, and that's why daily routines (when we get up, eat lunch, go to bed, etc.) are so important for our physical and mental wellbeing Try to make key daily events (particularly the time you get up) roughly the same 7 days a week. To help with sleep and energy, make sure you get out into the sunlight every day, preferably while exercising (e.g., walking). Always have a 'wind down' time in the evening before bed. If we try to solve problems after sunset, we often end up catastrophising and worrying (see below). It's easy to lose sight of pleasures (the dog?) and simple distractions (Netflix?) when we are busy adjusting to new challenges. Doing things we enjoy creates positive feedback loops because it proves to the brain that we are safe and well. Any behaviour that feels routine and familiar is likely to be comforting at this time. Remember, just because some pleasant activities are not available, doesn't mean none are. And don't forget one of the great 'virtuous cycles': Humans feel less stressed when they focus on the needs of others. Cultivating gratitude for what you do have, and empathy for the challenges of others can be like a breath of fresh air. People find if they keep to their own personal 'values compass', life continues to be meaningful and rich despite misfortune. Manage Anxiety Anxiety is a natural part of our response to threat and uncertainty. Here are some tried and true self-help tools for managing anxiety. The power of planning: Write a list of current concerns down on paper. Pick the most pressing one. List all solutions (including ridiculous ones), then pick one to work towards. Write down the steps (including resources) needed to achieve the solution. Take action, and give yourself feedback about the outcome. What did you learn about the problem, the solution, and yourself? Repeat as necessary. The power of perspective: How we experience a situation depends on the view we take of it. You've probably heard of catastrophising ('what if...'questions), but also be alert to black and white thinking (things are either 'normal' or 'a disaster'), and emotional reasoning ('it feels this way, so it is this way'). Also watch out for worry,which has two parts: (i) ruminating about the worst possible outcome, and (ii) forgetting about the coping resources we would actually use if things didn't turn out as we want. The Power of Being Present: Our stress response encourages to have an emotional focus on future threats (that's what the fight/flight system is adapted to do). An important antidote to stress and worry is to use the senses and the breath to bring attention to the present moment, and away from the silly jabbering of our thoughts (what the Buddhists call 'monkey mind'). Simple meditation and breathing exercises take some practice, but have helped millions of people across thousands of years get through challenging life events. Some Tips From Philosophy People have been dealing with challenges and crises, both personal and public, throughout history. One personal benefit of this challenging time could be that you explore the great traditions of coping with challenges and leading a good life. Buddhism provides a...