My article from Medium.com
The prolonged lockdown has added to our stress, anxiety, and chaos. While the pandemic is a serious threat, all of us need to start learning to live all over again. When our brain in a constant state of panic, it shuts down rather than help us with a tangible solution. In my latest article for Medium, I list some possible ways to better manage these situations and help us tackle our mental health issues caused by the virus.
How we live our lives has dramatically changed over the last few months making it difficult to cope with this unprecedented change. The prolonged lockdown has added to our stress, anxiety, and chaos. We have to start learning to live all over again. When our brain in a constant state of panic, it shuts down rather than help us with a tangible solution. Here are some possible ways to better manage these situations.
1. Start your day with a Positive Mood.
The uncertainty in business economics is effecting the job stability and income resource itself. At these times you can worry incessantly, complain about your boss, your situation, about COVID with no use. On the other hand, you can spend just 5 minutes of your morning time focusing on deliberate slow breathing, on being thankful for the things you still have, the people around who still love you, this allows your day to start with a positive mood. And the way you start your day has an impact on how you think and behave for the rest of the day.
2. Add lightness to WFH routine.
Work from home has worn out its novelty. The stress of handling extended work hours and house chores, with no house help, and also managing children, there has been thrown on you with no time to even think. Especially working couples not used to so much together time end up quarreling rather than partnering. Try using this opportunity to take time out for conversations, acknowledging each other’s stress level, keeping separate workspace with common work time, adding late-night home movie dates. It cannot change the situation but can add lightness to the situation.
3. Co-Create a Family Work-Play Schedule.
Managing and engaging young children and teens alike is a task. They need to expend their energy. Being enclosed in a small space does not offer an effective outlet. What helps is sitting as a family and co-creating a timetable to include study, play, food, and sleep-time. Ask how the children can help with the housework. Family games are fun ways to bond. It may be a bit more time and energy consuming but well worth the results.
4. Staying Healthy.
In-between this chaos, staying healthy takes a beating. Living in stress and fear leads to decreased immunity. Add half an hour of yoga or cardio exercises like skipping or jumping jacks to your morning routine. A couple or family workout makes it more fun. Try out healthy recipes, and plating it artistically makes it interesting as well. A healthy lifestyle adds to increased immunity.
5. Reach Out for Help.
One thing that gets effected during the lockdown , with restricted movements, enclosed space and limited or sometimes no social contact can have a negative effect on your mental health. If you feel low, lack of motivation, even mildly depressed, reach out and ask for help. Reach out to a family member, friend, or seek a medical opinion. Asking for help is a sign of strength, in acceptance to be flexible and open to change.