When you have little control over your life, you will likely feel helpless and unmotivated. Finding things that you can control during times of uncertainty can help.
Get Things Accomplished
Set realistic goals. If your goal is too big, break it down to smaller steps.
Start with the easiest task. Being able to cross one task of your list could give you a sense of accomplishment.
Get an accountability partner. Let your partner or friends know of the tasks you hope to complete for the day.
You may benefit from setting “office hours” such as 10:00 am to 5:00 pm for when you will be productive. At the end of each “work day”, you can create a new to do list for the next day.
Get moving! Take physical breaks throughout the work day.
Finding you do not have enough to do to feel accomplished? Set smaller goals, try organizing your closet, your pantry or even your workshop. Ask friends to recommend a podcast or an e-book. You can also try to learn a new skill, a new language or a new recipe. Have goals you can work on and activities you can look forward to.
Get enough sleep
Here are some ways to help with sleep hygiene:
Go to bed every night around the same time. You can set up a reminder on your phone to consistently get you started with your nighttime routine.
Wake up at the same time every day. Again a standing alarm could help.
No coffee, alcohol, or strenuous exercise four hours prior to bedtime.
Avoid technology two hours prior to bedtime (yes that is a tough one for many of us) but there is a lot of research that suggests that the blue lights from our computers and phones may suppress our production of melatonin, a hormone that helps us with sleep hygiene.
Use your bed for sleep and relaxation only. No eating or working in your bed. Train your brain to think of relaxing once in bed.
If you find yourself experiencing racing thoughts before bed, have a journal by your bedside. Write these thoughts down and remind yourself that they will be there the next morning and that there is no reason to hold onto them.
Create a relaxing bedtime routine. Reading in bed with a cup of herbal tea, doing some stretches, taking a warm shower and changing into your pajamas, or putting on some relaxing essential oils such as lavender in your diffuser could be parts of your routine.
Be Kind
Call family members or friends that live alone and check in on them.
Offer to do the grocery shopping for our loved ones or neighbours that are older.
Donate blood.
Donate to local food banks.
Shop online from local businesses.
Write positive google reviews for your favourite local businesses.
Buy gift cards from your local businesses that you or loved ones can use later.
Smile at strangers while keeping the recommended physical distancing.
Grab your pots and pans every evening at 7:00 pm and make some noise for the health care professionals who put themselves and their families at risk to serve us.
Don’t take things personally. There may be other explanations to people’s reactions or behaviours than to disrespect or dislike you.
Be kind to yourself! Treat yourself with compassion instead of judgement during this difficult time. Cut yourself and your loved ones some slack when you have not done as much as you wish you could.
Instead of judging yourself for being tired, find ways to rest and nurture yourself. Judging yourself will only take your energy away and likely will make you more tired.
Accept What You can’t Control
Accept the reality as is.
Journal about your thoughts and feelings about our current reality.
Talk to a friend about how you have been doing.
Limit the Negativity
While we want to face our grief, frustration and anxieties and process and unpack our emotions we do not want to live in that mindset forever. If you find yourself, constantly talking about covid, the economy, checking the news or engaging in negative thinking all day long, create limits to each of those activities.
Recognize the negative thoughts, journal about them for 10 minutes with a timer on. Once the time is up, put the journal down until the next time and engage in a different activity.
Limit the news exposure to the certain media outlets that you trust.
Limit the number of times you check the news and the amount of time you spend each time.
Limit screen time. Set a realistic limit as most of our homebound at the moment.
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