March 2021 has arrived and I certainly didn’t expect to be once again ordering masks and hand sanitizer for everyday life. When the Pandemic started, a lot of us thought we would return to “normal” within a few months, but here we are still in the midst of a pandemic a year later. While we have hope that the numbers will decrease, the reality is that the world is still not “normal” and may not be for some time. With that in mind it may be difficult for some of us to handle the seemingly never-ending stress of the pandemic.
None of us should feel the pressure to have our lives figured out. Right now feels a lot more like we’re in survival mode, but we should be mindful of our stress levels. Stress can significantly lower our immune systems effectiveness and our health overall. If you’re looking for some ways to cut down on the pandemic stress, consider these tips.
- Plan Before You Head Out
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Unfortunately, even a simple trip to the store is affected by the reality of COVID-19. It can be overwhelming, especially if you’re a germaphobe like me. In order to reduce stress, make a plan before you go. Keep hand sanitizer in an easily accessible place, wear something with pockets to create a germ free space for your keys and phone and bring wipes in case you need to disinfect something other than your hands.
Feeling prepared for any situation where you may feel contaminated will help ease your fears and allow you to enjoy your time more. Consider grabbing hand sanitizer that contains aloe, because It will keep your hands from getting dry and damaged.
- Make Time to Relax
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Taking time to slow down and limit daily responsibilities, will give you a much needed mental rest. Whether it be in the morning or evening, carve out at least thirty minutes for yourself and do something that makes you feel at ease. Put the phone away, close your laptop and allow yourself to live in that moment for more than work and school. Putting on your favorite album, taking a hot bath or shower, or doing any hobby that you find therapeutic can help you to find peace and rejuvenation. This will lead you to feel better prepared for when you need energy again to get things done.
- Journal
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The pandemic is only one of the many tragedies of 2020. There have been global and national events that have brought pain and grief to many of us, not to mention the personal struggles that we each face. The overwhelming amount of stress coming from multiple directions can make us feel out of control. While you may have a friend, family member or counselor that you can confide in, you may not always have them available. Your thoughts can begin to feel trapped in your head which can increase your stress levels and negatively affect your mental health. Journaling is a great way to release some of the emotions that you have been holding in. Writing out your journey or your feelings can help you to process and release some of your stressful and anxious thoughts. I had pushed the idea of journaling away for a long time, due to my subpar handwriting, but then I realized you can also create a Word document or Google document for your own digital journal!
- Be Gracious to Yourself
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Social media posts will be filled with “success stories” of individuals who took this past year to change their lives. They may boast of life transformational weight loss or the starting of a new business, while you may feel like you’ve only regressed this past year. You may even feel like a completely different person, as if the old you was somehow lost, but don’t let those thoughts and feelings create a false impression of l your worth. Your worth is not determined by how much you’ve accomplished this past year. If you are still waking up each morning and taking on the day, that alone makes you amazing and courageous. If you didn’t finish that book you promised yourself you would write over quarantine or you didn’t reboot your life into a perfect routine, that doesn’t mean you failed. We all have time where we have to prioritize our health over our efficiency. Making it to March 2021 is something to celebrate, whether or not you made any progress towards your goals.
While we don’t know exactly when the pandemic will end, we can find ways to push forward and take care of our mental health. It’s okay to still be scared about the future, but don’t let the stress keep you from enjoying the celebrations of life and the bright possibilities ahead!