managing anxiety during a pandemic

another thing on the internet about coronavirus? i know, i know. trust me - i’m sick of talking about it too. but i think it’s safe to say that everyone is struggling right now, whether they want to admit it or not. i don’t understand what’s going on in the world but what i do know is that it is depressing.

sure, some have it a lot worse than others right now. but it’s not a competition, right? it’s about looking out for one another and focusing on your health - mentally and physically. so i thought it would be helpful if i were to share a few things that help my anxiety while staying home.

routine. so i don’t feel lost every morning when i wake up, i try to stick to a routine. everyone’s routine will look different - some have children to care for, some still go to into the office, some are working from home. whatever it may be, try to find some small things during the day that help you adjust. for example - every morning i wake up and shower, make breakfast and a large cup of coffee and put on some music before i sit down at my desk.

move. i have trouble doing this but when i do i feel a lot better, mentally and physically. my favorite movement lately is yoga. it’s so easy to find a couple minutes throughout the day to sit on your mat and flow a lil. something else that has been helping me is walking outside. it’s nice to step outside, unplug, and enjoy the fresh air for a bit.

communicate. this is a hard time for everyone, check on your friends. i’ve been loving to facetime and call some friends and family that i haven’t talked to as much recently. it’s nice to just catch up - you’ll find that you aren’t the only one feeling anxious. and if you live with people, spend time with them! watch movies, play board games, make food - just be present and appreciate that you’re not alone.

clean. yes you should be cleaning to stay healthy anyways right now. but something that helps me is making sure i keep a clean space. my room is always tidy, my bed is always made, my clothes are always hung up. it just makes me feel better. boredom has even led me to rearrange and reorganize some things which helped me take my mind off things.

meditate. i know not everyone meditates or really knows how but it’s worth trying. there are so many apps out there to help, my favorite is headspace. all you need is 5-10 minutes during the day to just unplug and regroup. with everything going on, it’s easy to just be in your head and worry. i promise a quick meditation will help.

stay busy. this quarantine will not go by any faster if you just sit there and talk about it. it’s time to accept that this is our temporary normal and that we have the opportunity to make the most of it. take time to learn something new, read a new book, find some new podcasts, play some old board games - anything to make you forget that you’re stuck in the house.

self care. i talk a lot about this on my instagram but self care is important. just because we have to stay home doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take care of ourselves! i try to do things for myself daily like meditating, reading, writing, doing face masks, listening to a podcast - anything that makes me feel better mentally. and if you can, try to unplug.

so there are a few quick things that have been helping me. (don’t take this the wrong way but) maybe the world needed this. maybe we all needed to reset and realize how much we truly take for granted. i know this has been eye opening for me to say the least. but with that being said, i want to thank everyone who is making the world a better place right now - nurses, doctors, scientists, truck drivers, grocery store workers and so so many more. let’s all help to make the world a better place too by spreading positivity and light anywhere we can.