LOOKING AFTER PT’S
MENTAL HEALTH
DURING LOCKDOWN
As a species we are social beings and isolation is extremely detrimental to our
mental health. PT and performance coach Susy Natal looks at four behaviours to
help us stay on track.
T he start of this decade has been a
very difficult time. In Australia we
had only just started breathing
clear air after the bushfires before
we were confronted with a global pandemic.
COVID-19 has changed our lives in ways
none of us have previously experienced, and
could never have expected.
It’s true what they say: we’re all in this
together. Everyone is impacted, albeit
to varying degrees. So many people are
without work and worried for the health of
loved ones, particularly the elderly, as well
as being concerned for their own wellbeing.
While we are all affected in our own ways, it
is becoming increasingly clear, as the weeks
and months of ‘business as unusual’ wear
on, that we must address the issue of mental
health.
As gyms closed, so did the doors to the
‘happy place’ for hundreds of thousands
of Australians who don’t just go to the gym
because they need to work out, but because
they love doing so. Social distancing has
left many feeling that they have lost access
to their support network. Many fitness
professionals and clients alike are facing
financial hardship and the very real concern
of entire businesses going under.
Those who have successfully created,
or already had, an online option for their
clients may have been able to reduce the
impact of losing the ability to train clients
face-to-face. While they may be envied by
those not in such a position, they still face
the daily challenge of supporting clients who
are going through these same challenges,
which is no easy task.
However you may have been personally
impacted, you might want to consider the
following points as you navigate the days,
weeks and months ahead.
Routine
Routines are extremely comforting
psychologically, but also create flow to our
days. Having those guiding tracks kicked
out from under your feet can create a great
deal of overwhelm. It may seem counterintuitive,
but many people will find that,
14 | NETWORK WINTER 2020