Hopefully you read part 1 of this article and came back for more tips! Managing stress is personal to all of us… what works for one may not work for another. The tips listed are general suggestions that people have reported helpful in the past. What helps you manage stress? Leave a comment below to let us know!
- Replace social distancing with distant socializing Whether you work from home or are still meeting people in person for work, you can still comply with recommendations by staying in touch with loved ones virtually!
- Physically distancing ourselves from others does not mean we have to give up socializing with others.
- If you have a front porch/back porch try setting up a time with your neighbors and stand outside to chat with one another
- If you have access, try setting up a virtual hangout with your friends/family
- Facetime on iPhone- you can now facetime multiple people
- Google Hangouts- schedule a time to all meet up on this platform that is free with any google account
- Google chrome has an extension called Scener – where you can watch Netflix with friends together. There’s a chat window and you can all see each other on the screen.
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- Use your cell phone to call someone and talk to them over the phone! I know it sounds odd but try it! It is why phones were invented, after all.
- Know your “shark” music and what it feels like
- What is “shark music”?
- Referring to the movie Jaws, everyone at some point has heard the background music for the movie jaws when the shark is approaching.
- Know what your triggers are and what it feels like in your body when the shark music turns on. These are your cues that you need to do something to self soothe or turn the tables the other way.
- Anxiety is normal right now. A small dose of anxiety/fear motivates us to prepare for and protect ourselves against potentially dangerous situations. We are all trying to navigate these unchartered waters the best we can with what we have.
- Practice what works to help you self soothe and think outside of the box. Try some strategies you normally wouldn’t try to self soothe and see if these are new things you can put into practice.
- Meditate
- Read/journal/color/draw
- Breathing exercises (Insight timer is a free app has thousands of guided meditations/breathing exercises)
- Physical exercise (look to the Internet. There are so many free options available)
- Engage in a hobby (paint, color, read a book make crafts)
- REMEMBER…We are all in this together!
- Now more than ever, we are coming together (well, 6 feet apart ?) to fight this pandemic.
“What we know matters, but who we are matters more”- Brene Brown. With that in mind, let’s continue to be kind to ourselves and to each other.
Diana Cortina, LMFT is a Therapist and Clinical Supervisor at CHRIS Counseling Center-Atlanta. To learn more about our counseling services, available for the whole family, email Counseling.Center@CHRIS180.org
