How to Calm your Coronavirus Anxiety and Focus on Productivity
With the number of coronavirus cases increasing rapidly on a global scale, it is easy to get sucked into the fear and anxiety associated with it. What is worse, there seems to be no end to the catastrophic effect of the disease. Is it the major hit on the global economy, the restlessness that comes with a mandatory stay at home or panic due to uncertainties?
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 19% of Americans are likely to experience mental health issues during a year. With this Covid19, there is a likelihood of an increase in mental health conditions like OCD, depression, generalized anxiety disorder, agoraphobia, social anxiety disorder, and acute stress disorder.
While the effects of the pandemic cannot be denied, focusing on the negative will not help your productivity level while working from home. When you find yourself staring at your computer all day, your mind completely blank of any creative idea and falling behind on your deadline, the stress has already gotten to you. How then do you calm your anxiety? What do you need to do to remain productive during this Covid19 pandemic?
Accept That You Are Anxious
The rapid-fire effect of covid19 can get to just about anyone. Accepting that you are anxious, scared or depressed is the first step to calming yourself. Denial is not just a river in Egypt and you cannot deal with the problem if you continuously run from it. Knowing you are anxious is not enough; try to find what is causing it. Is it the fear of losing your job, the loneliness of staying at home or the stress that results from long hours of inactivity? Welcome your anxiety with an open mind. It will not help if you continue to block yourself from feeling.
Get a Second Opinion
You are mandated to stay 6 meters away from the next person, forced to work from home and subjected to contacting your loved ones virtually. Don’t you think adding isolation to the pile will be a little too much for your mental health? If you are constantly worrying, your productivity might spiral downward and then you will feel even worse. You are not in this pandemic-ridden world alone. Talk to someone about how you feel and seek advice from someone you trust and/or respect. You do not necessarily have to follow their advice but talking about it alone helps.
Focus on the Positive
It is okay to be scared and anxious especially when you look at the statistics on the number of cases, the death toll all over the world, and the number of people who are unemployed due to Covid19. When everything seems all gloom and doom and the future is uncertain; you have to look for that tiny silver lining. Do not compare yourself to others that seem to have no hitch at all. People react to situations differently. Look inward. It might be the simple fact that you are still in your home instead of a hospital but whatever it is, let it propel and energize you.
Relax, Relax and Relax
Practice breathing exercises to stay calm when everything seems overwhelming. Eat healthy, let your hair down and sleep. It is time to get that body you want. It might be tempting to want to replace the usual hustle and bustle of your life with self-pity and long time on social media but don’t. Limit the number of hours you spend on the internet and simply unplug. Routinely rest and remember it is mind over matter. It is important to schedule pauses in-between activity and just relax.
Don’t Forget to Exercise
While it is important to sleep and rest, do not turn yourself to a hermit. Oversleeping might be a sign of depression and stress. Stay active even when you don’t feel motivated to do so. Have an exercise plan that suits your needs and stay true to it. Build your muscles, meditate and practice yoga. Dedicate a certain part of your day to keeping fit and training your mind. Ensure you do not stay in one place for too long. Anxiety from the coronavirus disease might affect your wellbeing but a good dose of exercise can clear your head and make you stay sharp.
Final Thoughts
It is perfectly alright to be scared during this period but letting your fear get the best of you is not acceptable. Take time off to relax, stay positive and healthy. What you have in abundance during this coronavirus period is time. So, make it count by keeping anxiety at bay and staying productive.
Originally published at https://nextplane.net on May 1, 2020.
