Covid-19: 19 Tips for Self Care
I gotta be honest here — I have some mixed feelings about writing this article…
I definitely don’t want to participate in spreading unhealthy degrees of fear surrounding Coronavirus. However I do believe that every single one of us has a key role in mitigating the spread of this virus, as well as the responsibility to attend to our own mental wellness in this time.
*DISCLAIMER: I am NOT a physician, so I will not be speaking to any general health advice. For health information and resources, go to the CDC Regulations website.
However, I AM a psychotherapist and mental health professional, and will approach this subject from that vantage point.
Quarantine, National Emergency, Pandemic, virus, travel restrictions — are ALL very scary phrases. Individuals, families, and businesses have been impacted in ways unprecedented. High school seniors’ games are canceled and could impact potential scholarships to college. Elderly family members in managed care facilities aren’t able to receive visitors, denying them potential goodbyes if their health takes a sudden turn. Schools are closed. Weddings and family reunions are canceled. People are getting stuck in other countries. Grocery stores are bare. People are forced to work from home—and anyone who can’t is left without a pay check for who knows how long.
Practical Tips and Considerations for Coronavirus Covid-19
Focus on what you can control. It is easy to slip into the what ifs that then snowball in to predictions of an apocalyptic future. Our power is in the now, and what we choose to focus on. We don’t know what will happen, and it doesn’t do us any good to overly stress ourselves about what might happen. It might not happen at all, and the stress only lowers our immune system. We can’t control how others behave, how stocked the stores will be, or how long this will last. We can control how we follow the CDC guidelines, our attitudes, our creativity, our behavior towards ourselves and others, and what news/media we intake.
Limit news intake. It is a delicate balance between staying informed, and not obsessively watching the news. Trust that your family, friends, and colleagues will alert you of major updates that you will need to know. You don’t need to try to seek-out information constantly, often it is forced upon us anyway.
Remember that the goal of the news is to first-and-foremost to get ratings. News channels get viewers by playing off the fear of the general population, and making it seem like we have to constantly watch in order to keep ourselves and our families safe. Be mindful of your sources of information.
Sing! Neurologically speaking, singing promotes a sense of hope, and can relieve stress. Continuing on this physiological path, singing also forces you to take deep breaths. From a psychological and emotional standpoint, singing is the opportunity to manipulate the pitch and tone of your voice, which provides a small sense of control which can be soothing in such uncertain times.
Have compassion for yourself. In uncertain times where we only know so much, and aren’t 100% sure that what we know is accurate, we are all doing our best. It is easy to feel like we are missing something, we are powerless, and we are out of control. To a certain extent, this is true. There are external factors impacting our lives that we have to adjust to. However, focusing on this thought keeps us in a state of reaction, rather than response. Instead, focus your thoughts on how you trust that you are an intelligent and resourceful human being; you will figure out how to roll with the punches. Wash your hands, mind your thoughts, and behave as normally as possible.
Have compassion for others. Some people are more prone to panic than others. Whether this is due to their preexisting health concerns, a history of trauma, ongoing mental illness, financial stress, or it’s a part of their general personality. We are all impacted by this, and some people are struggling more than others to keep it together. Don’t be too judgmental; we are all doing the best we can with where we are. When people are panicking, they aren’t able to access the logical side of their brains. Yes, some people are overreacting; but let’s not overgeneralize and assume that everyone is.
Maintain your regular grooming. In times like this, it is easy to forget the simple daily things that we do to prepare for the day. Often we remember to do things like showering, brushing our teeth, brushing our hair, and changing out of pajamas because we have a commitment or appointment to get ready for. Not getting up for work or going to the gym makes it easy to fall out of our grooming routine. Don’t forget to make sure you are still getting prepared for the day by showing your body and sense of self some respect.
Hack your senses. Anxiety and fear can overtake our attention and make us feel untethered. Overwhelm yourself with positive stimulation. Listen to music that makes you feel optimistic/powerful/relaxed/etc. Light incense or candles that are pleasing to smell. Give yourself a calming massage or wear clothes that feels great on your skin. Watch or look at things that give you a sense of peace or make you feel happy or hopeful. Eat food that makes you feel nostalgic and connected to others.
Be creative in how you stay connected with friends and loved ones. It can be hard to maintain connection when everyone is scared of infection. Make sure you are calling, texting, sending memes, emailing, FaceTiming, Skyping, Zooming, etc with the people in your life. Not to panic together, but to check-in on each other, to share laughter, and offer support where you can.
Keep up with your mental health. Mind your thoughts — you aren’t stuck at home, you are safe at home. Exercise in creative ways, and ask your therapist if they offer tele-health or online therapy services. Here at Roots Relational Therapy, it’s all tele-health! You never have to miss an appointment because you’re feeling a little ill, you don’t have transportation, your mental or emotional state is making you hesitate to get help, or if there is a call to self-quarantine! Click my “Services” and “FAQ” tabs to learn more about tele-heath therapy. Then, click my “Contact” tab to schedule a free 15 min consultation with me in order to begin your online therapy journey.
Entertain yourself. Yes, I’m encouraging you to binge-watch TV and pet videos! Your brain has more activity when you sleep vs when you watch TV. Lean into the leisure; five yourself permission to relax a little, de-stress, and focus on something that doesn’t freak you out.
Appreciate the opportunity to reflect. There aren’t many things that bring society to a collective pause. Consider this as a time to reflect on yourself, your life, and your family/friends. Has my work-life balance been good? Have I been maintaining my relationships with loved ones? Am I working in a job/career that allows me to be flexible in times of crisis? How is this event impacting my thoughts and feelings? What’s coming up for me? What is important to me now, that I didn’t pay enough attention to before? And so on… Maybe this time means reading that book you meant to read for a long time, or maybe you’re looking for a new book that could help you reconnect with yourself, your relationships, and get a sense as to why people are panicking right now. Click my “Book Publication” tab to learn more about my book, The Root of Relationships: How to Know Yourself, Understand Others, and Create the Relationships You Want, and download the free workbook that comes with it.
Get out in nature, look out the window, or look at images of nature. There is plenty of beauty on this planet, and we don’t have to go far to be reminded of it.
Gratitude. Expressing gratitude lowers anxiety and stress. While there is mass uncertainty at the moment, there are still plenty blessings that we are surrounded by, and many people who are struggling more than us. Put your focus there as often as you can. This includes expressing gratitude to essential service providers who are working hard to keep civilized life moving!
Create a new routine/schedule/rituals. I don’t know about you, but I’m having a hard time remembering what day it is! Now that our usual routines have been thrown out the window, we all feel a little disoriented. Deliberately sprinkle your day with positive and productive things to do. Like calling friends, spending more time petting and playing with your pets, exercising, cleaning and organizing your living space, get some fresh air, read, write, dance, etc — whatever works for you! Utilize technology to support you in this. Set alarms to remind you; if you have a smart speaker, Alexa or Google can help create auto alarms that go off every day!
Take the opportunity to learn something new. There are tons of free or affordable at-home courses, programs, and Youtube videos where you can learn almost anything! Maybe it’s an instrument, or a new language, or how to take better care of your skin, life hacks, etc. Do research on that thing you’ve been interested in. Even if we feel stuck at home, we can take small steps to continue to feel productive.
It’s okay to grieve. Our lives have been pulled out from beneath us. Our normal was taken away all of the sudden, and our plans for the future have been cancelled until further notice. We can’t see our friends and family as freely as before, and we didn’t have much time to prepare. We are all grieving, but our grief doesn’t always look the same: disoriented, surprisingly calm, anger, frustration, a vague or general sense of dread, easily brought to tears, etc. They are all valid, and they all make sense given the situation. Try your best to soothe yourself enough to the point where you can sit with those emotions. This is part of the experience of going through a pandemic.
What if I’m essential? If you are an essential worker — thank you you amazing human being! Some essential workers are willing to step into a hero-like role and keep the world turning for the rest of us. Some feel pressured to help because they can, and feel conflicted about protecting themselves and helping others. Others feel are a slave to a capitalistic society—if they could quit, they would, but they can’t. That’s no joke. I know you are already doing your best to protect your health and minimize exposure to your loved ones. You don’t get to stay home, you don’t get to binge watch TV and snack all day. More likely than not, you were already busting your ass before this pandemic broke out! Trying out most of the things on this list won’t be accessible to you. I don’t know what is accessible to you, but cherry-pick from the above list, as well as the next option below…
Create meaning. For yourself, as well as for the world and society in general. Viktor Frankl, author of Man’s Search for Meaning, was a survivor of the Holocaust. In his experience, he noticed that the people who survived and did relatively well in the camps did something different. They created and held onto a positive purpose and meaning to their life. In the midst of tragedy and uncertainty, we can ask ourselves, What does this mean in my life? What does this mean for the world? What positive could come from this? What impact do I hope to contribute to? What do I hope people know about my experience? What change does my experience emphasize is needed? When I think back on this once this is all over, what would I have learned about myself?
This too shall pass, we’ll make it through together!
The more you know, the more you grow!
