Managing The Mental Chaos While Working From Home

To say the last few months have been stressful is an understatement. Wondering how to keep yourself sane with a few months of quarantine already under your belt? Our resident wellness expert*, Kristle, has offered up some tips and tricks to manage stress without the therapy copay.

BRING YOURSELF BACK.

Anxiety sometimes comes from not just thinking about the future, but from a need to control it. The pandemic effectively destroyed any sense of “control” in our lives. If you’re the type to catastrophize your life when you’re feeling stressed, try to remember to bring yourself back to the present moment. It’s dangerously easy to slip into a game of “what ifs” and worrying about the worst possible outcome of a situation when you’re stressed out so reel it in, stop overthinking. Do what you can now to change that negative outcome you created in your mind and take life one day at a time. If that means just getting through the work day, celebrate the small victory at the end of the day.

MEDITATE, MEDITATE, MEDITATE.

Meditation is an art and it takes practice. Take a few minutes everyday to quiet your mind and breathe. It doesn’t need to result in a spiritual awakening. By simply focusing on your breath, you allow your mind to relax for a few minutes after being on top of emails, video calls, and meetings all day. Too much clutter in your mind can lead to mental burnout which leads to a less quality work and a less productive day. If you need help getting started on meditating, I highly suggest the Calm app (disclaimer they are a Praytell client BUT I would use the app even if they weren’t). There’s an entire playlist specifically for meditation that I find to be not only calming but therapeutic. Some people find that a mini-meditation session makes that to-do mountain more of a molehill. It’s like pressing the reset button on your body and mind. So...take a breather. Literally!

TAKE A WALK.

Slouching at your desk or staring at the laptop for most of the day is bad for your posture and causes eye strain, not to mention the mental toll. If the weather allows, I like to take a quick walk around the block or to a coffee shop to allow myself to breathe. Breathing in fresh air (with a mask on, let’s remember that the pandemic has not ended) is another great way to untangle yourself from the nuances of work. Daily outdoor walks also increase endorphin and dopamine production in the brain which can noticeably improve your mood.

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Most of all, it’s important to remember that you’re human. You’re trying your best, stop aiming for perfection.

As Praytell’s wise CFO one said, “It’s not a mistake if it can be fixed.” (Thanks Itana!) But also, it’s okay to make mistakes. This year has tested everyone’s resilience and being quarantined for a few months made it clear that taking care of yourself is a responsibility equally as important as our jobs.

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*A disclaimer that Kristle is not certified to give advice and is not an expert in this field in any way shape or form. The ideas and practices suggested in this article are purely from her own personal experiences and should not be considered a “cure” for any serious mental health issues.