Pandemic

Pandemic

Did we ever think that this might happen?  I never thought for one minute that my business could change overnight. All scheduled talks and training courses cancelled for the foreseeable future. One-to-one appointments continue, but for the time-being, appointments are conducted online. It just goes to prove that we cannot plan for life and that life gets in the way of our plans! Strange times indeed. These are uncharted waters.

The government has issued guidelines to safeguard our health, to help prevent the spread of the virus and ultimately to “flatten the curve”.  As I write we are all restricting our movement, reducing social interaction and contact. For those of us who are not self-isolating and can venture outdoors, we are to maintain a physical distance of 2 meters from others.

We know what we are to do, being careful now is important in the long run. Respect your health and that of others. It is better to be vigilant in the short term rather than having regrets in the long term.

We do not know what the future holds but we have never known what the future holds. We like to think we that we are in control of our lives because it helps us manage our anxieties. Anxiety is an inevitable part of life and is to be expected right now. Life as we know it has changed, however, this current situation is not for ever.

For the time-being to help alleviate anxieties, it’s important to acknowledge your worries. What exactly is causing you stress – write down a list of the sources of your anxiety. Be solutions focused. Make a plan of action to help overcome and/or manage each worry because having a plan helps alleviate anxiety and a plan gives us a greater sense of control.

Sharing your concerns with a trusted friend or family member can help you gain perspective. If you have no one in your life that you would tell, please reach out and talk to a professional. Counsellors and psychotherapists are here to listen and here to help.

There is comfort in knowing someone is at the end of the phone who will listen 24 hours of the day, 7 days per week and the Samaritans can be contacted on 116123    

Take breaks from news reports and the constant barrage of pandemic updates.  Being online helps us feel connected, however, it is important to avoid misinformation and information saturation.

Only take advice from reputable sources such as Irish government     HSE Information     WHO Information

Having a hobby is vital – knit, crochet, bake, draw, garden, paint, walk, run, sing, play music, learn an instrument or a language. Send postcards to people – the post-offices are open. Use an online app such as Calm or Headspace or check online resources such as GROW mental health charity

Journal about your daily experiences and write about the positives in your day.  You can keep this journal as a record to look back on in years to come when this is over and is history.

Keep a routine. Get up, shower, get dressed. Look good, feel well. Tidy your living areas and keep them clean. Eat at regular times. What might be described as boring routines are familiar and there’s comfort in whatever is familiar!

Mind your body to mind your mind. The keys to minding your body as you know are diet, sleep, exercise, relaxation and connection.

Eat healthy foods and eat regularly. Hydrate with water. Be mindful of your alcohol and caffeine intake as both negatively interfere with the quality of our sleep. Go to bed and get up at the same time – keep a good sleep hygiene routine. Keep a notepad beside your bed and if there’s anything bothering you or keeping you from sleeping, write the worry into your notebook so you can empty your mind and sleep. You can devise a solution for your worries the following day. Little, if nothing, can be resolved at night-time.

Assign a designated worry time. Rather than constantly having worries in your mind (day or night) set aside a specific period say 20 minutes every day to deal with all worries. Write every issue into your notebook and at the designated time, take out the notebook and go through each issue, asking yourself whether the issue is inside your control or outside your control. If something is within your control, then write down what you are going to do about it. Cross off each issue as you deal with it.

Only ever tackle your problems and worries in day light. Start with a scheduled worry time every day then move towards every second day and eventually work towards deferring your worries to once per week.  This gets you into the habit of deferring or postponing worries to be dealt with at a designated and specific time only. This can help you deal with every worry which ultimately reduces anxiety.

Kindness has never been more important – please be kind to everyone. This is a trying and testing time and people are under pressure so please exercise patience with others. Show kindness whenever possible. We are all doing our best.

Read real paper books (limit your screen time).

When working from home or working remotely prepare for your workday as usual (as if you were leaving home to go to work). Look the part and feel the part. Plan your days and weeks. Schedule work, leisure, family and down time. Do not allow yourself to fall into the trap of always having access to emails and a laptop on your lap! Take breaks just as you would if you were in an office or in your usual place of work.

Rather than allow your brain to go into worry mode, do something positive that may help you feel less stressed like pick up the phone to a friend or file your nails or put on hand-cream. Use your time wisely, it’s better to be busy than bored.

Stay active. Move your body. When adverts come on the tv, use those minutes to stretch your body (stretch to feel tension not pain). Find opportunities to move – when washing up or brushing your teeth, stand on your tippy toes or balance on one leg. Dance at every opportunity. Use canned foods or bottles of water as weights.  Marching on the spot or doing jumping jacks is a great way to increase your heart rate and that’s always the goal, to get your blood pumping and keep your system active.

As well as exercise, slow breathing helps to calm us. It helps our brain and bodies slow down.  Lie on your bed, inhale slowly and feel your tummy rise as you fill your lungs with air, hold and exhale slowly while your tummy falls as the air leaves your lungs. Count as you inhale and count as you exhale. If you have never practiced slowing down your breath, please start slowly, count as you inhale, hold for a second then count as you exhale. Your goal is to reach inhaling to a slow count of five, holding for two and exhaling to a count of six. You might do this as you brush your hair or put on your shoes but try to incorporate slow breathing into your daily routine – a new positive habit. We all take bathroom breaks so take a couple of slow breaths every time you are washing your hands in the bathroom – it’s a healthy new habit.

Go outside and if not possible, sit near a window, look at and admire the sky. The world is still spinning on its axis. Life will continue. Day follows night. The lowest ebb is the turning of the tide.

We are still alive and have reasons to be grateful. Every day look for the light that sparks your day. We have so very many reasons to be grateful even in a pandemic.

Connect with others if not in person, connect online. Text, send emails or music playlists. Chat with others. Avoid being isolated. Hearing the sound of your own voice is important – please phone people, chat with neighbours over the fence, chat with your family about everyday things (and every conversation does not need to be about the virus).  Help a neighbour with their garden or fence that needs repairing.

Exercise self-care and self-compassion. Take it easy on yourself. This is a strange time and you can only do your best.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Do not struggle alone. Chat with someone whom you know is a logical, rational person.

Seeing our grey roots appear might be a reminder that the world is different. I’m not sure that I have any suggestion because all of us who dye our hair will have grey roots soon!  We are in all in this together. That’s important to keep in mind – we are all in the same boat.

Wash your hands with old fashioned soap!

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