Happiness expert defines way to maintain wellbeing during Covid-19 pandemic
Published: 6 May 2020
One of the best ways to help combat stress from COVID-19 confinement is to close down negative thinking.
One of the best ways to help combat stress from COVID-19 confinement is to close down negative thinking.
Professor Eugenio Proto, expert in Behavioural Economics at University of Glasgow Adam Smith Business School, highlighted the importance of: "Avoid hearing too much bad news, and think about your own personal exit strategy when negative thoughts start to populate your mind."
Professor Proto contributed to a panel of economists, sociologists, behavioral scientists, and public policy experts from institutions in 15 countries to answer questions which could lead to better wellbeing policy.
And this week, the Barcelona Graduate School of Economics (Barcelona GSE) published the results of the survey conducted by the World Wellbeing Panel (WWP) which asked: “How can we maintain wellbeing during isolation while facing huge emotional stress from the threat of the COVID-19 virus?”
The WWP survey highlighted:
- Extensive social isolation can have serious mental and physical health implications, even among well-prepared groups like scientists and astronauts.
- Mentally and emotionally healthy citizens restart economies, create markets, pay taxes; those who are mentally and emotionally unhealthy will be incapable of resuming normal lives, a long-term cost for society.
Further expert advice from the WWP survey on how to keep up wellbeing includes:
- Maintain social interactions
- Have a routine
- Deal with negative thinking
- Develop healthy habits
- Work on the future and on yourself.
Enquiries: clairelouise.smith@glasgow.ac.uk
First published: 6 May 2020