Feeling Anxious About COVID-19? Here’s How You Can Manage It…

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by Jeri Johnson

With the sudden and rapid change to life that the COVID-19 pandemic has wrought across the world, it is unsurprising that many people are feeling anxious and unsure of how to manage these new emotions. Here are a couple of anxiety-reducing methods that we find useful during this time:

Take things one day at a time

It is important to note that this pandemic is a traumatic time for everyone. Most of us have never experienced illness on this scale before. For that reason, it is important to be kind to oneself and understand that you may be feeling more lethargic and emotional during this time rather than productive. Try to avoid thinking long-term during this time of rapid change. What can you do right now that will make you feel better?

Stay connected with people

While complying with the stay at home orders, it is easy for people to feel separated from their regular life and routine. Without access to their friends and community, life can seem emptier and more lonely. It is important to reach out to the people around you during this time. Thankfully, we live in a time of great communicative technology. Perhaps watch a movie while texting or organize a quiz via video chat. Think about the people in your community who may not have anyone to talk to. Helping others can also help you to feel better.

Maintain a schedule or routine

Many people around the world have found themselves suddenly house-bound during this pandemic, which can create anxiety and aimlessness. Maintaining routines, such as bed-times and meal-times can help you to avoid you becoming lost and confused as to which day is which. Additionally, sticking to a routine will ensure that you are well-rested, well-fed, and not overworked which can lead to more anxiety.

Create a specific time to worry

In this time of constant, breaking news, it’s no wonder so many of us feel more anxious than normal. It can seem difficult while you’re in the middle of an anxiety spiral, but many people find that scheduling time to worry extremely beneficial. Postponing worries makes them easier to deal with as you can address them from a calmer mindset. We have found that deleting news apps and only consuming news during a set period reduces the constant feeling of worry.

Focus on activities you enjoy

Many people are now having to stay at home, which can be disorienting as most of us are used to being out and about. Instead of wishing you were outside, why not take this time to your advantage. Pick up a new hobby or refocus on things that you enjoy doing but couldn’t devote time to before. Partaking in enjoyable activities has been proven time and time again as a stress reliever.

Practice gratitude every morning

It can be easy during this time to feel that we’ve lost something during this time, especially considering we must stay at home. Consider restructuring the narrative of this pandemic. Every morning, why not make a list of 3 to 5 things you are grateful for. Remembering the things that make us happy every day can set us off on a good path for the day.

Feel Prepared

Anxiety often appears when we feel a lack of control. Unfortunately for us, the COVID-19 Pandemic is something that we, as individual citizens, cannot control. At this time, it is important to be prepared and understand what we can control. Come up with solutions to your dreaded what-ifs and they will fail to scare you as much.

We hope these anxiety-relieving tips help you during this time. The most important thing to remember is to be kind to ourselves. That is something we can control, and it will reduce anxiety massively.

 

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