MY DAILY ISOLATION ROUTINE

MY ISOLATION ROUTINE

I want to share with you my daily routine and what is helping me in this strange isolated world we are all in! I have then shared in more detail strategies to deal with stress and anxiety at this difficult time.

TIP #1 GET DRESSED FOR THE DAY!

I find that when I stay in my pyjamas I am less productive and motivated than when I get dressed!

TIP #2 DO A WORK OUT FROM HOME

A lot of gyms, yoga, pilates and other fun studios have started classes online! If this seems like a bit of a stretch to sign up for a class, search online for some basic workouts to get you moving. I have been sitting so much since being isolated at home and my body is not feeling happy! Even going for an essential 10 minute walk can help clear your mind and help your body too!

TIP #3 CHECK OUT THE APP “HOUSE PARTY”

Houseparty is an app where you can log in with family or friends and play games and stay in touch! Just because we are social distancing doesn’t mean we have to socially isolate! It’s great to talk to your family and friends online at the moment!

TIP #4 LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE

I was hoping to travel to Italy this year (soooooo not going to happen, poor Italy) and I wanted to learn Italian. I could never seem to find the time but now I’ve set aside 30 minutes per day and it’s finally happening. Duo Lingo is a great app to start off using any language.

TIP #5 TAKE A BATH

This is the time for self care! I am usually so busy that it’s hard for me to schedule in time to pamper myself. I’ve scheduled self care into my routine taking an epsom salts and coconut oil bath with a pink clay mask a couple of times a week and I feel amazing!

HELPFUL STRATEGIES TO DEAL WITH STRESS & ANXIETY

If you’ve been noticing a spike in your stress as a result of COVID-19 you’re certainly not alone! Pandemics are not declared lightly, and an increase in your stress is actually a normal response. However, not only is stress unpleasant, it can also hinder your immunity. The World Health Organization emphasizes that preventative care plays a crucial role in fighting the Coronavirus, therefore, it’s helpful to boost your coping in an effort to improve your overall well-being. Here are four strategies to help you maintain your mental wellness during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Recognize your stress

Stress is a normal part of life. It is a natural response to an external pressure that disrupts your equilibrium. It often causes symptoms such as:

Sadness, confusion, irritability, anger, uneasiness, and suicidal thoughts

Reduced concentration, efficiency, and productivity

Social withdrawal and isolation

Interpersonal problems (e.g., lies, defensiveness, communication concerns)

Tension (e.g., headaches, jaw clenching, teeth grinding)

Body pain (e.g., headaches, muscle spasms)

Reduced energy (e.g., tiredness, weakness, fatigue)

Sleeping problems (e.g., insomnia, nightmares)

The first important step to managing these symptoms is to recognize that they are related to stress. According to the Four Branch Model of Emotional Intelligence, the ability to recognize your emotional state is essential in order to understand and manage your emotions. Therefore, if you skip the phase of acknowledging that you are stressed, you impede your ability to manage your stress.

This notion may seem simple, but it’s often easier said than done. It’s common to miss the signs of stress early on, preventing your ability to handle them before they grow. Even if you notice these symptoms, it’s also tempting to think that you can manage them by brushing them under the rug. The danger in this tactic is that it doesn’t allow you to tackle the problem head on, and the catalyst of time can cause you to miss the crucial moment to intervene before your stress becomes overwhelming.

If you have been noticing these symptoms since you learned about the Coronavirus, it is possible that you may be experiencing a normal stress response. Not only is it natural to be concerned about physical illness, but the uncertainty about a spreading virus can increase your stress level as well. The World Health Organization has declared COVID-19 a pandemic to highlight the level of concern and spark measures of precaution. In a parallel process, your stress is doing the same for you as it sets off a warning alarm that calls you to action.

Know your limits

When you pay attention to your stress management, you will begin to notice a pattern that will signal your threshold of tolerance. While this may change over time, it is helpful to pay attention to trends of what makes your stress better or worse. As we have explored, ignoring your signs, overextending yourself, and delving into fictional sources may make your stress worse, therefore, these may be helpful areas to start building boundaries to protect your well-being. For example, perhaps you can benefit from creating a habit of checking in with your emotions in order to avoid overlooking your stress.

Another example is to limit your consumption of news. You may do this by refining your information to reputable sources, setting a time for when you can check the news, and limiting the amount of updates you explore with the individuals in your life. Your limits may vary based on who you are, how you handle stress, and the level of stress you are experiencing. It may be a process to attune the boundaries you need, however, creating these limitations are certainly a helpful tactic to reduce the amount of stress you let into your life.

Practice self-care

Self-care is the active process of acknowledging and tending to your needs. Self-care includes practices that invest in your general wellness. This can include preventative measures such as eating nutritious foods, staying active, and getting adequate rest.

When you are stressed, you require a specific form of intervention self-care: coping. Your coping mechanisms are the methods that you use in an effort to moderate your stress. Therefore, if you pay attention to the symptoms that arise when you are stressed, you may find clues into the right coping mechanisms for you. Let’s say you are showing signs of confusion, body aches, and fatigue. From this acknowledgement, you may gather that you may need ample rest. Then, you may tailor your self-care to include a break, stretching, or sleep in order to meet this need.

Another way to deduce which coping skills work is by reflecting on your past. Think about another time that you were stressed, what helped to ground you at that time? Past coping practices that have been deemed successful may be helpful in the present as well.

When it comes to self-care, the more strategies you have in your toolkit, the better. The coping skills that work for you may vary per context, and having a plethora of options allows you to be better equipped to handle your stress. Say for example you have learned in the past that going to a yoga class helps you to reduce your level of stress. If you rely on this sole option and your area experiences a lockdown you may find your coping hindered.

If your go-to coping skills are difficult to use in the context of COVID-19 precautions, be creative. Take the opportunity to explore related skills. Using the example above, perhaps you can use a workout app, follow a guided meditation, or practice deep-breathing from your home.

Make the most of the reality that you are in. Instead of focusing on all the things you cannot do due to certain restrictions can you shift your focus to the coping mechanisms that you now have the opportunity to delve into?

Please take care everyone and stay safe!

We are all in this together.

Mental Health support sites:

AUSTRALIA: www.beyondblue.org.au

US: www.mhanational.org

UK: www.anxietyuk.org.uk

‎(If you live in another country and know of a mental health hotline, please email me on halo.is.the.new.black@gmail.com or leave a comment below and I will add it to my worldwide mental health listing).

References

The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (2020). Stress. Retrieved from World Health Organization. (2020). Coronavirus Mental Health Considerations. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/mental-health-considerations.pdf?sfvrsn=6d3578af_10

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012). Lesson One: Epidemiology. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/csels/dsepd/ss1978/lesson1/section11.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019). Coping with Stress. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/suicide/copingwith-stresstips.html

World Health Organization. (2020). Coronavirus Mental Health Considerations. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/mental-health-considerations.pdf?sfvrsn=6d3578af_10