Carrie here and I’m not here to tell you more about Graphic Design, this time it is about coping…
2020 is a year in which we will always remember, some things are changing for the good and a lot of things are so very unknown.
For me, the past few months, I was homeschooling a preschooler, a second-grader and a fourth-grader. The fourth-grader can do most things on his own but likes to talk a lot about every single thing. The second-grader needs guidance every step of the way. Lastly, the preschooler, well she is 4… you get the picture.
Homeschooling that situation while working hard to not let my colleagues and clients down and trying to get things done on time. This is nothing compared to what is going on around the world and the news can be downright depressing these days. I wear a mask to protect others and have attended protests and vigils, but it is easy to still feel so useless in such a hurting world.
My mental health definitely needs to be kept in check, like every day! I’m not the only one, right?
Recommendations from the CDC in ways to cope with stress:
- Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including social media. Hearing about the pandemic repeatedly can be upsetting.
- Take care of your body.
- Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate.
- Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals.
- Exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep.
- Avoid alcohol and drugs.
- Make time to unwind. Try to do some other activities you enjoy.
- Connect with others. Talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling.
All good advice, it is the CDC after all, but I would like to add a fifth way to cope with stress:
- Take a Mental Health Day
When school got rough, I would say – forget it.
I’ve decided to ditch school (well, just put it off for a while) and take a break. We’ve done this a few times over the last couple of months and it has saved the sanity of my entire family. If technology isn’t working the right way or if someone is just too stressed with school, work, or anything else, we step away.
A long walk on the beach, a 4-hour long walk in the middle of the day, hiking, biking, picnicking – all while social-distancing, of course.
I encourage you to check yourself and if you need a break, TAKE A BREAK. Even if you can’t get away for an entire Mental Health Day, please take an hour or 2.
Your sanity will thank you.
xoxo
Carrie