It’s been more than six months since lockdown first started. And although restrictions have eased, we have to admit that the world has changed in ways we never could have imagined.
Change is stressful.
Here are eight tips for dealing with stress during a pandemic (or through moments in your life that feel heavy or burdensome). As always, take what works and discard the rest. These though have been helpful for me and are tools that I wish I knew when I was buried in the pressure of my former corporate jobs.
1. Ask yourself: What’s causing me the most stress?
And then ask: Can I do anything to change the situation?
If there’s something you can do, do it. Ask for help. Set a one-on-one meeting with your boss. Refresh your resume. Ask friends or former colleagues for job leads. Talk to your child’s teacher about creative solutions to make distance learning easier.
If there’s nothing you can do (aside from finding a cure to the pandemic), then it’s time to relax into the present moment and lean into acceptance. Say to yourself: This is my life as it is now. It isn’t perfect. It isn’t what I thought it would be but I accept it.*
*This takes practice in training your brain to accept your reality. But the more you do it, you will find yourself struggling less and feeling happier where you are. Hat tip: Meditation helps.
2. Honor your emotions. It’s okay to cry, to be angry. We’ve lost so much during this time (some more than others) and like any loss, it’s okay to give yourself permission to grieve.
I know that we usually shame ourselves for crying, that it’s somehow connected to being weak. I want to assure you that tears, anger, emotions should not be labeled as negative or positive. They just are. And if you numb grief, frustration or disappointment, you will also be unable to fully experience joy, excitement, pleasure, desire.
3. Adjust your mindset. The pandemic is completely unprecedented and everyone is figuring it out as things unfold. Because it’s so unfamiliar, you might be hanging on to things that no longer are or have been changed forever. Instead of adapting a judgmental mindset, see if you can approach this time with curiosity. One interesting thing I do to adapt a growth mindset is, instead of asking this question “Why is this happening to me?”, to ask instead “What is this moment trying to teach me?”
4. Celebrate small wins. Maybe homework was finished early. Or you were able to exchange a few memes with your family’s Viber group during a busy workday. Maybe you finally found a chocolate chip recipe that’s not too sweet. Or you woke up with birds chirping outside your window.
Shift your attention to what’s right instead of what’s wrong and start (or restart) your gratitude practice.
5. Give yourself a mental health break (even if it’s just for 15 minutes). Get off social media (especially if you’re getting triggered by pandemic productivity). Watch something funny. Do some research on a passion project (this is my new one!). Meditate. Take a nap. Eat the chocolate chip cookie you just made. Message a friend who’s having a harder day than you. Put on lipstick that’s been languishing in your drawer. Light a scented candle and be mesmerized by the flickering flame. Give yourself permission to just be.
6. Take things one day at a time. It’s okay if you can’t plan. It’s okay if things change in an instant. Just take things one day at a time. Sometimes that’s all you can do and it’s okay if your only achievement is to just show up for yourself, your loved ones and your work day after day.
7. Connect with the Divine. I’m currently reading a book called Change Me Prayers and this one really resonated with me: Change me Divine Beloved into one who wants what you want for me. Let me trust that my needs will always be met in the Highest Way when I allow you to guide me.
This has been the practice that has never let me down. Sometimes there is no other choice but to go down on your knees and ask for guidance and support.
8. And if all else fails, deep breaths.
Still feeling stressed? I recently launched a program with Urban Ashram Yoga called Sacred Space Sessions where I guide you through the challenges you’re facing during this pandemic—whether it’s dealing with stress, finding the boundaries between work and home, discovering a new direction for your career or using this time as an opportunity your mindset and life in this changed world. Find out more here.
