How well are you managing yourself during this pandemic as the holiday festivities begin? Unless you begin preparing for Thanksgiving and Christmas during the summer, the flurry of emails, texts, and ads to buy have bombarded us since Halloween. Frankly, that can be stressful, especially with everything else you have on your plate.
Which one of these are you?
“I’m prepared for the holidays, but…”
Maybe you are attending one Zoom meeting after another and aren’t eating healthy or staying hydrated. Or perhaps you could benefit from an adequate morning routine of exercise, prayer, meditation, and breakfast. Could it be that you’re the last one in bed at night, because “chores won’t take care of themselves”; and you also get up (in the middle of the night) when the baby needs feeding, or your 3-year-old has nightmares.
Face it – you are taking care of everyone else: your family, your co-workers, your clients! But are you practicing a little compassionate self-care? Where is the balance that you need to be sane, healthy, and happy? According to hrzone.com, home and work-life balance refer to the level of prioritization between one’s personal and professional activities and the level to which activities related to their job are present in the home. COVID-19 isn’t helping because we are quarantined and asked to stay inside – to stay safe.
“I am constantly tired and slightly depressed…”
It’s quite possible that you are completely disenchanted with COVID-19 and have decided that you won’t catch the “virus”. So, you take unnecessary risks like not wearing your face mask.
If any of this is happening to you, you are not crazy.
There are two things happening here. One, you may be experiencing home and work-life imbalance. And two, you could be experiencing what Candace Hamell, LCSW calls “pandemic fatigue”. “Pandemic fatigue” can occur when people get tired of the pandemic measures and become less likely to follow public health practices or simply begin to drown out those messages. Pandemic fatigue can be experienced differently for everyone but often presents itself as:
You may even notice yourself withdrawing from socializing with others or physical symptoms such as changes in eating and sleep habits.
Ms. Hamell is working with the American Heart Association this holiday season, to provide wellness tips to combat holiday stress and make your soul happy. Here are her wellness tips:
-
Manage stress – incorporate meditation and mindfulness practices into your day to distance yourself from daily stress.
-
Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet – avoid overeating or using substances such as alcohol to cope.
-
Stay physically active – this is one of the best ways to keep your body and mind healthy during this season and improve your quality of life.
-
Practice gratitude – write down five things that you are grateful for each day. This is a powerful tool that can reduce levels of depression, anxiety, and improve sleep.
Make some boss moves and follow these tips to feel better and improve your quality of life!
Ms. Williams’ motto: Providing parenting solutions. Building solid foundations. Securing promising futures.
