by Julia S. Yarrington, UCLA
In the midst of the COVID-19 global pandemic, our world and lives have changed drastically and rapidly. News sources are constantly updating the public on pandemic-related food shortages, statistics on the spread of the virus, the latest mortality rates, and changes in legislature mandating states or counties to remain home. In light of new legislation, many people have found themselves working from home and leaving the house only to purchase essential items. For most people, this novel way of life has been a dramatic shift from normalcy and has been accompanied by difficulties adjusting to this change. This article will offer some brief methods for self-care during the pandemic, managing occupational shifts to the home, and finding ways to connect with others from a distance.
Self-Care
Historically, pandemics have been associated with higher levels of anxiety and stress (e.g., Wheaton, Abramowitz, Berman, Fabricant, & Olatunji, 2012). While some anxiety is likely adaptive in encouraging healthy behaviors (e.g., an increase in hand washing), too much anxiety can be detrimental to health. As such, devoting extra attention to stress management and maintaining healthy habits is especially important during this time. Some suggestions for self-care are as follows:
1. Take breaks from reading, watching, or listening to the news. This includes breaks from social media. Consuming a large quantity of information related to COVID-19 may increase stress or anxiety (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention., 2020). Scheduling 10- to 15-minute periods to catch up on the news one to two times per day, for example, can reduce the likelihood of feeling overwhelmed by this information.
2. Move your body for 30 minutes per day (Hansen, Stevens, & Coast, 2001). It can be easy to slip into an increasingly sedentary lifestyle, especially working from home. Taking time to exercise can break up the day and is associated with improved mood and physical health (Sexton, Søgaard, & Olstad, 2001; Penedo & Dahn, 2005).
3. Go outdoors. There is evidence to suggest that exposure to natural environments can be restorative and may improve mental health (Pearson & Craig, 2014). Walking outside and keeping a safe distance between yourself and others could be particularly helpful.
4. In addition to typical healthy habits, like eating a balanced diet and getting 7-9 hours of sleep, consider supplementing your wellness routine with some stress-management techniques. For example, practicing deep breathing exercises can help to reduce anxiety (Jerath, Crawford, Barnes, & Harden, 2015).
5. Be kind to yourself. Everyone is struggling to cope with the pandemic, and you are not alone in the reactions you are having to this peculiar time. Recognizing and accepting that stress and anxiety may be higher than is typical, and labelling emotions as they come up, may help to regulate some distress.
Managing Occupational Shifts
A total shift to working from home for most brings with it a host of challenges, whether it is finding a workspace, staying focused, or managing the many distractions likely to arise in your home. Suggestions for optimizing your transition to remote work are as follows:
1. To the best of your ability, maintain a “normal” routine and schedule. That is, wake up at the time that is typical for your workday, bathe, dress in work-appropriate clothes, and attempt to work during the hours that you generally would.
2. It is best to designate a particular area to be a workspace. Be mindful of the area you choose as your workspace. Ideally, this area would be separate from other areas of the house that might be disrupting or noisy. Selecting a space that minimizes distractions is likely to help you maintain focus at home (Greenbaum, 2020)
3. Relatedly, as much as possible, try to only work when in the designated workspace. If needed, take a break elsewhere in your home.
4. Set goals and boundaries for the workday (Greenbaum, 2020). Consider creating a to-do list for the day to keep yourself accountable and on track. As far as boundaries, try to keep a clear separation of work and home. It might be helpful to begin practicing and end-of-workday ritual (e.g., a walk around the block, watching the news for 10 minutes).
5. Acknowledge that focus may be challenging from home (or wherever you are in the midst of this pandemic). The fact that you are now home for a longer period of time does not mean that you should expect yourself to accomplish all of your goals, finally clean out your closet, or publish many more papers than usual. Life looks different now, work looks different now, and focus may look a little different too.
Seeking Social Connectedness
Social distancing has been regarded as an effective method by which to reduce exposure to and spread of COVID-19 (Anderson, Heesterbeek, Klinkenberg, & Hollingsworth, 2020; Wu & McGoogan, 2020). While social distancing may be effective in managing the COVID-19 outbreak, prolonged periods of social isolation can certainly be associated with negative physical (e.g., physical inactivity; Chua, Lee, Sulaiman, & Tan, 2020) and mental health (e.g., depression, anxiety; Cacioppo & Cacioppo, 2014; Holt-Lunstad, Smith, Baker, Harris, & Stephenson, 2015; Schultz Jr. & Moore, 1984) outcomes for individuals. Humans are innately social creatures (Seppala, Rossomando, & Doty, 2013). Therefore, it is essential that despite social distancing and staying at home, people continue to maintain social ties. Suggestions for fostering social connectedness (from a distance) are below:
1. Cultivate a support network with colleagues (Crosbie & Moore, 2004). It can be especially validating and helpful to connect with people familiar with the unique challenges of teaching, conducting research, and/or adjusting to teletherapy from home.
2. Schedule audio or video calls with family and friends (Crosbie & Moore, 2004). Even brief daily conversations can help to foster social connectedness and reduce feelings of isolation.
3. Get creative with social connection online. Many companies and organizations have begun to provide novel online services, whether it is watching movies or shows remotely with friends or posting free workout classes. Consider reaching out to a friend and scheduling a time for online activities together.
4. If you live with others, add in some technology-free time to connect at home. With the switch to mostly virtual interaction, taking a break from screens can be refreshing and healthy.
5. Make space for your emotional reactions to a more isolative lifestyle. It is okay to feel lonely or sad at times. If you have a pre-existing mental health condition, keep track of your symptoms and reach out for support if you notice symptoms worsening significantly. Many organizations continue to offer remote support (e.g., Crisis Text Line, National Suicide Hotline, SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline, NAMI HelpLine).
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Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS).