The pandemic has upended the lives of many people around the world. The situation has also caused a lot of stress as people faced challenges they never encountered before. Therefore, they have started losing their concentration, experienced sleeplessness, and had fluctuating appetites. It has also weakened their immune system, which is something people want to avoid in the middle of a health crisis.
If you’re one of these people, you would know that it has also affected your productivity even though you started to work from the comfort of your home. But you can work on the situation and achieve a stress-free life by following simple yet effective daily routines. Here are some things you can do every day to help you deal with stress in the middle of the pandemic.
Set Aside Time for Yourself
The work-from-home arrangement has given you a lot of free time since you do not need to travel to and from the office. But you may have ended up using this free time to work on household chores or take care of the children. The situation may have even taken away time for yourself since you feel that you have a lot of things to do in the house.
You should step back and take a deep breath. Then, set aside time for yourself where you can practice self-care for once. During this time, you should avoid doing chores and try to find a place where you can be alone.
You should also indulge in activities that allow you to relax and forget about everything for a day. You may even want to look for a routine that you can do every day. You can give yourself space to apply hair treatment, take a long bath, and more. Don’t skimp on yourself, either. Purchase those scented candles you’ve been eyeing for or look for the best vegan daily facial cleanser in the market. A cup of coffee or hot chocolate while reading a book on the porch is also a good idea. The main thing here is that you forget about everything and pamper yourself at least for a day.
Listen to Music
Listening to music can do wonders when it comes to stress. Music with a slow tempo relaxes your mind and releases the stress you’re feeling during the day. You can even load your favorite playlist and listen to the songs the whole day. If you want to increase productivity, you can play faster music. This type of music can also increase your concentration. To boost your optimism, you can play upbeat music.
Aside from reducing stress, music can also bring down blood pressure and enhance the quality of your sleep. You can play music while working, cooking, or doing chores at home. You can even sing to the music while in the shower—you do not need to mind if you’re off-key.
Exercise
Exercising is not only good for your physical health, but it is also good for your mental health. Physical activity can increase the production of feel-good neurotransmitters or endorphins in the brain. It also helps protect your body from the harmful effects of stress. Additionally, regular exercise improves your mood and lowers the risk of depression.
While you may not want to work out in the gym, it doesn’t mean you cannot have a regular exercise routine. You can work out at home instead. Performing pushups, sit-ups, and planks is one option. You can also use items you can find at home as weights.
Another option is to jog around the neighborhood. Just make sure to wear a mask if you have not yet received the full dose of the vaccine. When you go to the grocery, you can park at the far end of the parking lot and walk to the grocery. These are just some options you can consider to exercise regularly during the pandemic.
Perform a Random Act of Kindness
Performing a random act of kindness does not benefit the receiver of the act, but it also benefits the person performing the act. For instance, research has shown that helping other people can improve your mental health. It improves your mood, reduces stress, and increases your self-esteem.
These random acts of kindness can be as simple as complimenting your colleague during a virtual meeting. You can also check in with a friend and see how they are doing. Talking with them through video chat can be one thing that can lift their spirits. Knowing this can make you feel good since you were able to help somebody. You can also help your spouse with household tasks they normally do on their own. You can make it a point to do something good every day.
The pandemic has increased the stress level of people around the world. Nevertheless, you can deal with this stress through simple yet effective and smart activities that you can do every day.
