Introduction <p>The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown experience required finding new resources and lifestyle changes. Understanding people’s behaviors during the pandemic and its potential effects on mental health indicators and well-being is essential for future directions. This study aimed to compare mental health symptoms during Portugal’s first lockdown with normative data, analyze the perceived utility of activities during this period, and explore how these perceptions related to individuals’ mental health indicators and emotion regulation processes (e.g., mindfulness and compassion).</p> Methods <p>A sample comprising 238 (186 women and 52 men) participants completed an online survey during the first lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic in April (M1) and June (M2) 2020. The survey addressed the perceived utility of various activities to deal with the lockdown (e.g., exercise). It also included self-report measures of psychopathological symptoms and emotion regulation processes.</p> Results <p>No differences were found between depression and anxiety scores (at M1 and M2) and Portuguese normative pre-pandemic data. During the lockdown, perceived stress was higher than normative data. Reading, being outdoors, talking with friends, video calls, and helping others were scored as very useful. Mean comparisons of emotion regulation processes and psychopathological symptoms based on the utility of activities to deal with the lockdown were reported.</p> Discussion <p>Activities related to meaningful connections with others and personal activities may be encouraged as protective activities buffering the potentially harmful effect of isolation and external and uncontrollable threats. These findings highlighted the importance of promoting personal health behaviors and emphasize real social connections (e.g., social activities prescriptions).</p>