Regain Some Mental Space
Feeling a little sick of hearing about, thinking about, talking about Covid? Tired of wading through the contradicting information and varying regional reports that make it hard to know what to think and how to feel? The confusion can add frustration and annoyance to the mix of anxiety and loss.
Here are some strategies to fight these extremes and gain back some mental and emotional space:
1 – Take a break from the news. Constantly listening to the news can hijack that part of our brain that needs to focus in on things that are dangerous. It can be overwhelming. Turn off the TV, and the podcasts, and the radio. We’re in this for the long haul. Let yourself have some time off from the stress and weight. It will still be there when you’re ready to pick it back up.
2 – Use the down time that this creates to engage some mental distance from the situation by imagining how you want to look back on this period. When it’s over will you remember all the friends that you reconnected with over virtual dinners? Will you have spent more time playing with your kids? Will you have finally gotten that daily exercise routine started? What about those things you’ve wanted to do to enhance your performance routine - mindfulness, breathing exercises, sleep routines, clean eating…? This perspective can help us to prioritize how we focus our mental energy and spend our time. It lines our actions up with our goals, and it highlights the fact that we will get through this.
And remember we are lucky. We have internet. We’re not completely cut off from our friends and family like other episodes in history. And, across we have effective distribution systems and plenty of resources. We will be fine and we may even take away some positive gains.
Deanna Beech, Ph.D.
Clinical Psychologist
Helpin build skills for a lifetime of happiness.
The Brier Patch, LLC
www.thebrierpatch.com
