Tips for managing this Pandemic: Covid-19 Coping
Notes for my clients and everyone else
Let’s say it first - you’d have to be flippin’ superhuman to not feel a little on edge while the whole world seems to be in an uncertain, scary kind of spiral. There are constant news reports each delivering more information, education, and data, there are new personal issues and habits to learn and consider, there are new social realities to comprehend and to which to adjust, and there are so many unknowns - the unknowns have their own unknowns. It is and can feel truly overwhelming.
So while everything is so much in flux - happening so fast, new measures and restrictions coming at us at warp speed - here are some ideas, tips, and practices that each of us can implement to try to stay reasonably ok during this unprecedentedly tough time.
Firstly let’s consider the root of all nervousness. Nervousness comes from the unknown. The unknown is understood as a threat. The same way children are afraid of the dark, adults are afraid of what they don’t know or can’t predict. I think it’s fair to feel nervous since there is so much we don’t know: We don’t know what will happen to us individually, socially, financially, psychologically, and of course physically, if we become ill.
But there are loads of things we can do to help us manage how much we are on edge or the extent to which we feel at a complete loss.
For those in self isolation, in quarantine, for those who are trying to figure out how to work at home, and for those who are not but are still experiencing the same giant, eerie changes as stores close and streets empty, here are some ideas to consider:
Keep ROUTINE- we all need parameters within which to operate!!
LIMIT your intake of NEWS- but keep informed: Make a time to watch or listen to reliable news (try to avoid the plethora of social media that is unverified and often spreads panic.)
Think about your physical and mental health:
EAT well - avoid excessive snacking and emotional eating but balance that with some comfort food if you need.
Get good restorative SLEEP - try to keep your sleeping routine whether or not you are going to work outside the home. Consistency in your schedule helps with sleep and sleep helps bolster your immune system.
EXERCISE- at home or go outside for some fresh air. Improvise your workout routine or find loads of exercise choices online - yoga, interval training, aerobics, etc.
RELAX - this is maybe the most important component of your mental health at this time. Finding a way to take a breather and really losing yourself in the renewing space of something else - making the brain shift from the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) to the parasympathetic nervous system (rest, renew, relax,) is a must.
Relaxation is different for everyone but is essential for your system: Lose yourself in things you love - watch comedy and laugh, listen to some music, dance, sing, make some music, watch something on tv or online, play a game, do a craft, read something interesting, learn to do something new (cook, paint, build,) turn off your screens and enjoy some real quiet time, get into nature – revel in the beauty.
Practice GRATITUDE- while the world is topsy turvy it is especially imperative to find some things in your day for which you are immensely grateful. Gratitude puts us in the present and being nervous keeps us in the future. Gratitude is a great way of calming yourself and reducing feelings of panic & overwhelm. Perhaps keep a gratitude journal in which you note the things for which you feel so blessed or make a practice of noting 3 things in the morning for which you are thankful and repeat again in the evening as you begin your nighttime sleep ritual.
Take advantage of OPPORTUNITY- try to focus on what surprising gifts come as a result of time we otherwise typically don’t have. You know alllll those little projects you keep not having time for - maybe think about tackling them slowly and with joy. Or take advantage of time at home with family or friends or even alone that is usually hard to come by. This is about focusing a little on unanticipated “silver linings.”
Reach out and be SOCIAL - while we may need to be physically separated we are so fortunate to be able to connect and commiserate with each other via a variety of communication platforms.
Pay attention to your THOUGHTS - catch yourself in worry and try to divert your mind into something more pleasant. With the exception of reasonable planning and contingency forecasting - excessive worry doesn’t lead to anything good. It also definitely doesn’t change anything.
Consider what is in your CONTROL - one of the best ways to combat feeling overwhelmed and nervous is to remind yourself of what is and isn’t in your control. Feel good about doing your part (social distancing, reasonable shopping practices, supporting your communities,) and let the other stuff go. Easier said than done - but ask yourself... can I control this? If the answer is no.... consider letting the worry float away just like it come. Maybe visualize it floating away…
Reach out for SUPPORT - this is a time of uncharted territory for all of us. Sometimes - talking about what is going on for you can bring a sense of groundedness, focus, perspective, and hope that is often hard to find alone. There are all kinds of resources available - personal and professional - make use of them!!!
Develop your RESILIENCE- people are not born resilient; they develop resilience. That means we can all work on our resilience. The main components of resilience are noted above - stress management, reaching out to your network, prioritizing certain things over others, recognizing limits and your control or lack thereof, and being able to set limits and say “no.”
Own your FEELINGS - no matter what is going on for you feel whatever you’re feeling and own it. It’s from that place of AWARENESS that all change and all coping are possible.
Practice POSITIVITY- it is true that so much is up in the air and unclear and unknown but pulling yourself into a positive headspace is how we make it through. Perhaps we plan for the worst - but we must hope for the best... Practicing positivity is about telling yourself positive things, for example, “I am going to be ok,” or “this will pass.” Just as panic is negatively catchy (as we witnessed in the panic buying of toilet paper,) so too is thinking positively. Uplifting thoughts are more likely to yield good energy and better results.
Embody GRACE - It goes without saying that when we are stretched emotionally - read stressed or worried - we are also sometimes less able to manage our own feelings and consequently relationships with others. That means sometimes we are more quick to anger, or less able to handle someone else’s issues or feelings. So during this time of us being a little more stretched -Be GENTLE with yourself and with others- have a little extra grace as you negotiate the expectations you have for yourself and for others. This is a time we especially need each other and each other’s support. But that can be challenging if we are all cooped up together in our living spaces absent of our regular routines and distractions. So, how about when we bicker if we say “sorry” a little more quickly and when we are not ourselves - to express that we are “having a moment,” or “need a moment.” Bottom line - give a little grace to the space and experience we are all in together.
For additional resources I thought it might be helpful to list some of the many apps that help people manage worry and strengthen mental health. I often refer my clients to a number of them but I don’t endorse one more than the other - here are some that I like but there are so many more:
Becoming more positive:
Happify
Sanvello
Meditation – help for anxiety/sleep etc.:
Calm
Breethe
Headspace
Brain games:
Lumosity
Fit Brains
Exercise:
Sworkit
I’m a big fan of colouring for stress management and there are apps for that as well as apps for jigsaw puzzles!!
There are so many other things I want to offer in the way of comfort and support as we move through this global health crisis. Mostly I just want to acknowledge the feelings and concerns that abound and that to express that it’s ok to have them. And then, beyond that, I offer these thoughts as a way to help each of us manage the best way we can under these strange and new circumstances.
Sending positive, hopeful, healthful and supportive vibrations your way -
Marjorie
All in the same boat…rocking on the same route… Bob Marley