The COVID pandemic has been one heck of a ride. As a society, we were asked to make some significant changes to our lifestyle and daily routines: stay home, wear a mask, don’t socialize in person, become a homeschool teacher, change how we work—if we were even allowed to work—and use so much hand sanitizer the smell alone evokes some serious emotions.
Even just one of these changes could cause alterations in our mental and emotional health, yet we were struck with all of them at the same time. Unfortunately, the pandemic was also compounded by financial collapse, political turmoil, and racial disparity. A hurricane of adjustments and stressors that have left us reeling in a mental health crisis.
As we move forward, what have we learned about ourselves as we struggle to find our way out? How can we progress toward managing our overall well-being?
Creating Structure And Routine Is Difficult, But Essential
As we move beyond the pandemic, we are taking risks we perhaps would not have considered in the summer of 2020. We debate on going out or staying in, expanding our ‘pandemic pods’, keeping kids home or sending them to school or camp, continuing grocery delivery or just going ourselves, eating indoor or out – there is risk analysis at every turn, and it beats us down.
Decision fatigue is the theory that when we continue to make decision after decision, our ability to make more decisions begins to falter. We become mentally fatigued. Without rest and replenishment, it may be more difficult make a decision that is best for us or those around us in that moment.1 In fact after a while, we may begin avoiding decision-making all together.
So what can we do to help reduce our decision fatigue? Create structure and routine within your day. Planning ahead reduces how many decisions you have to make during your day – leaving more energy and focus for the bigger decisions that pop up.
What to do: Create a general daily schedule to riff off; meal plan, even if just for one or two meals; reduce distractions such as social media; simplify your wardrobe; and most of all – give your body and mind breaks throughout the day.
Moving Our Bodies Is For Physical As Well As Mental Health
We were told: Stay inside, no indoor gatherings. What we heard: be sedentary, no more gym. Not only was our world upside down, but it felt like one of our means of stress-reduction—being physically active—was also now off the table. Being sedentary has links with negative mental health outcomes, such as anxiety and depression.3, 4 Additionally, moderate and low-intensity aerobic exercise as well as resistance exercises may actually increase our feelings of energy and help reduce fatigue.5, 6
What to do: Schedule in a 30-to-60-minute workout a few times per week; fit in a 10-minute walk each day, even a few times per day if you’re able; get into some resistance exercise, using your own body weight, resistance bands or actual weights if you have access to them.
Oh The Glorious Outdoors
What else can we find outside? The sun; our primary source of vitamin D. But also: fresh air and green space. All of these have been linked with potential improvements in mental health.
Often during the pandemic we’d work all day, looking up as the sun was setting just to realize “I haven’t been outside all day.” It is so important to set time for yourself to get outside and get fresh air—especially after being cooped up at the start of the COVID crisis. A growing body of research is showing us that being outside surrounded by greenery may help improve emotional wellbeing and levels of stress.7, 8, 9 Even just a short break outside can help recharge your mental batteries, help improve mood, and even improve self-esteem.
And with that outdoor sun comes vitamin D. Studies have found that vitamin D may have an inverse relationship with mental health—That those who are most depressed also had the lowest levels of vitamin D.11 Being out in the sun is how most of us get enough vitamin D, but the amount we get is dependent on the season, sun screen use, skin melanin levels, time of day, where we live, and even smog or cloud cover. So before you sun screen-up, be sure to get at least a few minutes of sun so your body can work it’s vitamin D-producing magic.12
What to do: The general recommendation is sun exposure at least twice per week for 5-to-30 minutes, depending on the above factors, to get enough vitamin D.12 Then be sure to slap on some sunscreen if you’ll be outdoors for longer! Weather permitting, try to get outside for a walk or simply to take a few rejuvenating breathes and bask in the outdoors for at least 15-minutes per day.
Reclaiming Your Personal Time Has Immense Value
For many, the pandemic required us to work from home. While this may have seemed like a boon at first, it also made working too many hours much easier. Talk about the road to burn out. As the pandemic continued, we began to realize that it’s incredibly important to shut it down and make room again for life.
Studies that have been done on work-life balance indicate lower energy, negative emotion and depression, and sleep disorders in those who do not have this critical balance.13, 14 Personal enjoyment and relaxation is necessary to help decompress and recharge and prevent us from spiraling into a negative place.
As offices begin to re-open, it’s critical to remember this lesson learned. To know there has ultimately been a shift in thinking about work as productivity and not necessarily hours spent at the office. We have to shut it down and head back home to help restore ourselves mentally and physically.
And what if home is packed with kids, extended family… and just more stress? We’ve learned that letting go is perfectly okay. Acknowledging our feelings, whether of contentment, failure, happiness, or anger, is essential but practicing self-compassion must come after.
What to do: Find what self-care activities help bring you joy and relaxation; delegate tasks or simplify your to-do lists. Lower your expectations, perfection is unattainable and that’s okay! Stay connected to those who support you most and make you happiest.
