It is just short of a year that the world has been living with the effects of the pandemic. Some have had coronavirus (Covid19) and survived. Others have not been as fortunate.
Our lives have been turned upside down. We have been forced to quarantine to prevent spreading the virus. We are urged to wear face coverings and maintain at least six feet away from others. We have been encouraged to wash your hands regularly and stop touching our faces so much. But this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Our children have been relegated to learning virtually since the schools have closed to in person learning. Parents have had to navigate working from home while their children are there with them. Companies have closed permanently and the economy is suffering as a result.
With all of this going on, do you think you are okay? Ask yourself the following questions: Are you suffering from loss of or difficulty sleeping? Are you irritable? Are you itching to go outside and go anywhere? Do you miss being able to see friends and family in person?
If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then you are more than likely suffering from Coronavirus burnout and Pandemic fatigue. What? What are you talking about? A Johns Hopkins article discusses this in detail.
Dr. Carisa Parrish points out that, “Trying to adhere to anything extra is always a challenge, … but sustained behavior change is hard.” While it seems like we are doing too much to stop the spread of the virus, in fact, we are not doing enough. Dr. Parrish adds, “But the fact is, the precautions work.”
So, how do we deal with all of this? The above mentioned article is a great resource for coping with the effects of the pandemic. In fact we are urged to:
Make a commitment
Stay flexible as recommendations change
Practice precautions until they are second nature
Keep necessary supplies handy
Use stories to understand risks and consequences
Give kids some choices
Involve children in keeping families consistent
These are great tips, but what else can we do? Well, I have a friend, Wanda Bagley who is a nurse and on the front lines of this battle. I thank her wholeheartedly for her work as she does this for a living. Yes, she works in a specialty clinic, but the danger is real on a daily basis. Purely Positive show interviewed her to get some coping mechanisms.
What she had to say was so enlightening. Simple things like taking a self-care day can make a huge difference. Then she blew my mind when she spoke about altered states and how relaxed it made her feel. While, in general, I’m skeptical, I may have to try that because I can feel the stress welling up inside me. Be sure to check out the interview and see what else she has to offer in the way of coping strategies.
Yes, I do things like meditation, I color (so much fun for me), watch cartoons (Looney Tones) and I listen to music. But sometimes this is not enough.
This is where a search of things to help you relax and de-stress is important. We want to avoid the negative psychological impacts so we stay healthy mentally. It will take some work, but we can do it!
LJ Thomas is the host of Purely Positive Show and the author of the children’s educational series Leo Learns About. She can be reached via email at purelypositiveshow@gmail.com and be sure to check out the website at www.purelypositiveshow.com
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