8 Simple Thoughts for Managing Anxiety and Stress

A public health crisis the magnitude of COVID 19 pandemic is not something any of us have experienced before, which makes 2020 a truly unparalleled year. With most countries around the globe going into full lockdown, with restrictions of movement, panic buying, and food hoarding, more people are being advised to stay home and/or work from home wherever possible.

This, along with the rising case numbers in many countries, second waves, self-isolating, and working from home can come at a cost to our mental health and wellbeing.

During times of panic, change, and uncertainty, it’s more important than ever to take good care of our mental health.

Stress and Anxiety cannot be completely avoided, and in short doses can help us achieve great things. But when it overwhelms us for long stretches of time, corrective action is necessary. Here are eight simple ideas we can all adopt to help us think and act more clearly during periods of doubt, stress, or uncertainty.

Be Willing To Adapt To The “New Normal”

While it’s completely normal to feel worried and anxious about the uncertainty of COVID 19, it’s important to remember that you are not alone in feeling this way. These feelings are felt across the world by many people, and we are all in this together.

Life has changed, at least for the time being, and adjusting to the new way of living, at least temporarily, accepting the fact that social distancing, face masks, and temperature checks, etc. are there to protect you and others, will go along way in making the best of your situation.

Bring Structure To Your Day

One thing I have seen as a side effect of spending all day at home is how people’s workday is bleeding into their family and personal time. Working from a physical office means that when we close the office door and go home, we start a ritual that signifies the start of the next phase of our day. For some this phase might mean getting to see partners or children, or hitting the gym for their daily exercise, anything but more work. Under work-from-home conditions, people’s laptops often accompany them to the kitchen, and they keep one eye on it whilst they try to cook dinner, connect with loved ones or find time to just relax. This creates a shallower quality of these important home cetric activities, and prevents us from properly switching off from work.

So be protective of these boundaries. It might be worth having a non-negatiable time where you are offline from work. If you can, have a dedicated work space within the house, and when you reach your traditional knocking -off for the day time, close your computer, and leave that work space until the next morning.

Take a Break From The News

It’s important to stay informed, but the constant intake of social media and news can quickly turn addictive and counterproductive, giving way to anxiety rather than easing it. If you find yourself overwhelmed by everything you’re hearing, limit how often you check for updates, so you don’t overload yourself with information that may be upsetting.

Stay Connected With Friends and Family

Maintaining healthy relationships with friends and family in times of crisis is crucial for your mental wellbeing. If face-to-face meetings are not possible, or you are more comfortable being at home, modern technology is now easily available to allow you to stay in touch via phone, video calls, or social media. Being connected with those who you know and trust also gives you a sense of belonging and self-worth, which can help you through the tough times.

Eat a Balanced Diet

A diet high in carbs, sugar, and caffeine can bring greater reactivity toward stress. Emotional eating can also provide a temporary sense of relief, but it will add to your long-term distress. It’s important to realise and observe your mood when you eat, and what you eat.

Eating a healthy diet can help you better manage stress over the long term. Endeavour to eat balanced meals with fresh foods and plenty of water. It’s not about perfection, it’s about doing what you can to nourish your body the right way.

Exercise Regularly

Not only does stress affect the brain, but it also has an impact on the rest of the body. Likewise, when the body is healthier, so is the mind. Keeping active releases hormones like endorphins that can have a direct positive effect on anxiety and mood. Some day-to-day stress and anxiety are normal and manageable in many cases. Exercise helps us build the capacity to be able to manage stress and anxiety better and prevent more negative manifestations of it in our lives.

Limit Screen Time In The Evenings

Most people know not to drink energy drinks just before going to bed as it is likely to lead to overstimulation and restless nights sleep. That’s what the screens from our electronic devices effectively do us. Put away any screens at least 45 minutes before your normal bedtime. Before the 45 minute cut-off but after the sun has gone down, consider using apps like f.lux to help negate the harmful impact on our sleep that the blue light from screens has on our eyes during the evening.

Get Enough Sleep

If you only did one of the things on this list to address feelings of stress and anxiety in your life, getting enough sleep might be that one thing that we stand to benefit from the most. Most people tell me they need 7 to 8 hours sleep, but when they tell me the time they aim to get to bed each night, and the time they need to wake up, if they don’t fall asleep within seconds of turning off the lights, they won’t achieve this desired number. This realisation then makes them feel pressured to fall asleep right away, and when they don’t, worry sets in as they anticipate being tired the next day. Allow for some leeway time between going to bed and falling asleep (at least 30 min).

Simply put, the difference between our functioning after a good night’s sleep and when we are sleep deprived, is literally night and day. There may be nothing else more valuable to us than this, as a weapon against the overwhelming effects of stress and anxiety on humans.

When To Seek Additional Help

If you are persistently experiencing high levels of stress or anxiety, or you feel depressed, it is important that you talk to a counsellor or psychologist who specialises in this area, who will help you understand your thoughts and feelings and express them correctly.

I’m a Counselling Psychologist situated in Blairgowrie, near the northern suburbs of Johannesburg, such as Rosebank and Sandton.

I work with individuals, couples, families, and small groups to address current challenges with a solution-focused approach. These challenges may include some more common complaints such as depression, and anxiety, or those trying to come to terms with trauma or bereavement.