You’re stuck in a world of COVID coping, and you’re not doing so hot. You’ve been staring at the same room in the same house for a week now. You can’t sleep. Your mind is a whirlwind of thought, worry, and confusion. A few moments ago you heard your child sneeze in the room next door and your mind immediately rushed to the worst possible scenario…
It’s now time for your first conference call with your boss and your kids have decide to go into full blown Tasmanian Devil mode. To make matters worse, you realize that you forgot to edit a document you needed for your call!
… and it’s dawned on you, this is only week 1, how the heck are you going to deal with days and days of this?!
We are officially in uncharted waters. Most of us have never experienced a pandemic before, there is no instruction manual. There is no guideline to follow and many of us are dealing with problems we haven’t encountered prior.
Control what you can control—you are going to get thrown out of balance—but it’s time to right the ship!
While we can’t necessarily control everything that’s going on around us, we do have absolute autonomy over our emotional response and our behaviors.
Here are seven tips to help with your COVID coping so you can maintain some sanity during this difficult time:
1) DAMPEN YOUR NEWS CONSUMPTION
There is a metric sh*t ton of information circulating out there about the pandemic and after just a few minutes of searching, it’s easy to come to the conclusion that the world is going to end. I assure you this is not true, but if your like me you might actually feel more stressed and panicked after watching/listening/or reading the news. Just because information is available, doesn’t mean it’s necessarily accurate and it might actually work against you by creating fear. Moderation is the key here. Limit yourself in where you get your information and how much time you spend with it. Try not to get caught in the information rabbit hole, because you might find yourself so deep it’s hard to claw your way back…
2) MOVE!!!
Being confined to home can drive the most reserved person insane. Now, more than ever, it’s important to MOVE!
Get outside, go for a walk, and take advantage of the beauty that’s right outside your door! Nature has a sort of calming effect on our brains. Your body and mind will thank you…
[At Beyond Strength Performance NOVA, we’ve written personalized at home programs for ALL of our clients and are even offering Small Group ZOOM Training, live streamed Metabolic Classes, and have much more in the works!]
3) REMEMBER: THIS WILL PASS
While this is our reality now, just remember, it’s temporary. We do need to accept that this is where we are at, but it can be a relief to just know that at some point life will return to normal.
Your kids will be driving somebody else insane at daycare or school, you will be able to find cleaner and hand sanitizer at the grocery store and, most importantly, there will be toilet paper!
4) RECOGNIZE THE BRIGHT SPOTS
This is a time to focus on what we call “bright spots”. Find something in your day that was totally awesome—maybe you crushed your conference call, or made breakfast for your family without burning the kitchen down, or you didn’t put your pants on until noon because well, you don’t have to!
Search your day for the moments that made you smile… I promise you, they are there!
5) CONNECTION
We are social organisms. We thrive when we surround ourselves with people who make us feel good. Even the most introverted introvert needs some social interaction. Take the time to reach out to friends and family. Engage in a conversation. Join a Zoom happy hour.
The social circles we’ve cultivated cannot be underestimated during this time!
Now, go talk to another human!!
6) KEEP YOUR ROUTINE
We are creatures of habit. Habits are the invisible framework that shapes our existence, so we cannot let them go! Keeping some semblance of “routine” is going to be crucial during this time. While our circumstances have changed dramatically, we still need to fill our day with fulfilling activities.
Try not to deviate too much from what a normal day in the life of, “your name here” looks like.
Wake up at the same time, get dressed like you normally would, eat your meals at the same time, etc…
It might even be time to add in some new routines that are going to help provide structure and ultimately push you closer to the person you’re trying to become.
7) BE NICE TO YOURSELF
This is a tough time and we’re all just doing our best to take care of ourselves and our loved ones. Give yourself a break!
Don’t expect perfection from yourself. While it is a noble aspiration, it’s an unrealistic daily barometer. Forgive yourself. There’s no need to let negative emotions and self-destructive talking push you further down.
Your days don’t have to be so filled up with “things” that there’s no room to breathe. It’s okay to walk around the house naked with you arm elbow deep in a bag of Cheetos lol!
Remember, it’s okay to relax a little bit, don’t feel bad about it! But don’t let this landslide into a full-blown Spring of naked ice cream binges…
Alright, I hope I gave you a little laugh, some things to think about, and most importantly, some actions to get after.
Member or not, if we can be of any help whatsoever, don’t be afraid to reach out!
– Greg