If you’ve been feeling stressed, sad, low or anything in between, know that you’re not alone and so many can relate. Sometimes we forget the seriousness of what we’ve been experiencing for the last year – a pandemic is a huge deal and there’s no right or wrong way to deal with how much our lives have changed as a result. Today, we’re sharing some tips on navigating stress, anxiety and low mood, in the hope that we can aid in brightening your days going forward.
Talk to someone
Grab your phone, call up a friend and have a chat about how you’re feeling. You’ll discover that there’s common ground and a lot of people can relate, as well as feeling like a weight has lifted from getting things off your chest. Alternatively, there’s also the opposite scenario: don’t talk. Things have been quiet and mundane for so long that there’s very little to chat about and catch up on. Know that everyone is sharing this struggle and don’t feel guilty if you’re taking longer to get back to calls and messages – it’s perfectly normal in the current scenario.
Take it easy
Don’t feel pressured to keep up to speed with what life was like prior to the pandemic. Now’s the time to embrace the slower pace of life – relax when you feel like you need to. Prioritise your mental health and allow yourself to slow down if that’s what you need. There’s a standard of pressure in place for all generations to achieve so much in so little time – it doesn’t need to apply if you don’t want it to. The only person you’re truly competing with in life is yourself, so do things your way and at a speed that you’re comfortable with.
Limit your screen time
During times like these, there’s nothing worse than doom scrolling. Who would’ve thought that an actual term like that existed? If you’re not familiar, doom scrolling involves scrolling online, consuming large quantities of negative news at once. It’s good to stay in the loop on what’s going on in the world, but not when it can have such a detrimental impact. It’s okay to put the phone/laptop away and read a book or watch Netflix instead. Despite the fact that we’re not getting up to much at the minute, we all still need a break – and that includes our minds too!
Increase your activity
Whether it’s rolling out your yoga mat in the sitting room or getting out into the great outdoors, move your body. Chase those endorphins that only exercise can achieve! Listen, we know that at times, you’d rather do anything else. The motivation just isn’t there, but we’re telling you this for your own good: push through and do it anyway. Your mind will thank you for it later, trust us.
Until next time,
The Front Row team x
