2020 Apr 6
Now that we’ve been home for the past i-don’t-know-how-many-days, how many times has your amma left you a snarky comment when you’re sleeping in like “nagitinne nadda? ekolahai welawa!” Let’s be honest, most of us look forward to spring at every opportunity that allows us to move out of our parents’ house and live by ourselves, as soon as we step into adulthood. Admittedly, living alone does come with many benefits; you get more freedom, independence, you will be able to spend more time with your friends or partners and taking care of yourself and your well-being can give you a sense of purpose.
However, given the current COVID-19 crisis that the entire world is experiencing, being away from your family and loved ones during a time like this can be daunting, scary and agitating. Due to the uncertainty of the current situation, and due to the fact that we’ve been confined to our homes for weeks now, it is very common for us to feel lonely, overwhelmed and anxious about almost everything that we are undergoing. We spoke to Founder/Director of Angel Keepers Pvt Ltd Dr. Theonie Anthonisz Chandrasena who proposed some coping mechanisms and tips that might help calm your nerves, clear your mind and maintain a positive mindset amidst these trying times.
CREATE A ROUTINE FOR YOURSELF
Especially since we are now at home for a prolonged period of time, spending your day according to a routine is helpful in keeping yourself occupied and productive. Take this opportunity to use the training you got during your iskole kale to allocate a specific time to wake up in the morning, wash up, change out of your PJs and move out of the bedroom. Yes, as tempting as laying on your bed all day sounds, it can also promote laziness and might not be a healthy thing to do everyday. If you are working from home, you can allocate a specific time to get your office work done, a specific time to exercise and conduct a home workout, as exercising has proven to release endorphins, which helps in improving our overall mood. You can also allocate a certain time to engage in doing things you like to do, things that interest you, like your hobbies. Creating a routine for yourself might be easy, however, the challenge would be to stick to the routine consistently, especially if you’re someone who is not used to a strict routine. As challenging as it might be, it’s worth a try, as it gives you a sense of control over your day. Amidst a time where so many factors of our lives are out of our control, it is good to do things that we can control, in order to prevent anxiety and nervousness from building up.
DEDICATE A WORK SPACE IN YOUR HOME
If you are working from home, dedicate a specific corner or area in your house as your workspace, where you can come to in order to get your office work done. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a proper office room, but an area in your house that is comfortable and has sufficient light and ventilation. This will help you focus on completing your tasks for the day, according to the time that is allocated in your daily routine.
ALLOW YOURSELF SOME DOWNTIME
If we got a rupiyala for every time we overthought about a situation, we would all be millionaires by now. If you smiled after reading that sentence, we can definitely vibe with each other. All jokes aside, if you are struggling with anxious and overwhelming thought that are wearing you out, do allow yourself some downtime, where you can have a nap and hit the reset button on some of your thoughts. It is important that we give our mind enough rest amidst the current chaos that we are experiencing.
LIMIT SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE
Have you ever scrolled through your WhatsApp messages, Facebook and Instagram News Feeds and gotten absolutely fed up of seeing content related to the Coronavirus? I mean, all our problems would have already been solved if koththamalli or garlic can cure us from the virus. Living in the prime of a digital age comes with it’s own ups and downs. As much as social media helps to keep boredom from getting to us, it can also undoubtedly overwhelm us with all sorts of fake news and inaccurate content that is being passed around. Now, we are not saying that you should completely go off social media, but you can limit the time that you’re on your social media accounts. You can allocate a specific time, in the morning and in the evening to use social media and to keep in touch with your loved ones. However, if you are easily overwhelmed, you can try to not pay attention or read much news relating to the pandemic and if you are receiving messages regarding the pandemic that you don’t want to receive, you can politely ask your friends and colleagues to refrain from sending you such messages.
SCHEDULE TIME WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS
You can allocate a certain time to video call your family and friends in your daily routine, to check up on your loved ones and spend some time with them. If you are close and comfortable with your family members and friends and you are struggling with anxiety or depressing thoughts, you could confide in your loved ones and communicate your thoughts and feelings to them. Your amma and thaththa sometimes might know just the right thing to say, to make your fears and doubts seem like they are far away. That way, they are informed of what you are experiencing and it is a great way for you to express yourself as well, and release a little bit of the tension that you may be feeling, given the current situation.
MAINTAIN A JOURNAL
‘What you think, you become’ is a popular, and might I add, an accurate quote that gives insight into how our mind works. An overflow of negative, anxious and overwhelming thoughts tends to exaggerate situations in your mind, up to the point where your mind will start believing these exaggerated realities, over the actual reality of the situation that we are worrying about. Hence, writing down and expressing your thoughts, feelings and emotions is an exercise that is proven to help release a lot of built-up tension and it also helps us differentiate the actual reality of things and the realities that we have made up in our minds. Once written down, your thoughts become tangible and you will be able to break down your thoughts thoroughly, helping you calm your nerves. Hence, you could allocate a time in your daily routine to journal what you feel, to have better control over your thoughts.
REMINISCE ABOUT THINGS THAT YOU ARE GRATEFUL FOR
Often times, we tend to desire things that are currently inaccessible to us while overlooking everything we do possess. At the end of every day, before you go to bed, it is always helpful to reminisce about things that you are grateful for. Whether it be having a roof over your head, having food to eat and water to drink, Your pawle kattiya and yaaluwo set eka, having your job or having the opportunity to obtain education; it is always helpful to remind yourself of everything that you do have, as it will aid in maintaining a positive mindset.
ENGAGE IN GROUNDING TECHNIQUES
When you are experiencing an influx of anxious thoughts and you feel like it’s spiralling out of your control, here are some grounding techniques that you can try, in order to distract your erratic mind, and essentially, ground your thoughts.
The very moment that you feel like you’re not in control of your thoughts, stand up from where you are and go out to your garden or balcony and use your senses to distract your mind. First, focus on things that you can see. Buildings, clouds, trees, the magnificent Sri Lankan sunset, a dog that’s passing by; focus on different objects that you can see. Then place your attention towards sounds you can hear. Trees rustling, birds chirping, dog barking, the wind blowing; focus on different sounds you can hear. Afterwards, place your attention towards things you can smell. A smell of a flower, the smell of eha gedara akka cooking something, a smell of perfume or shampoo; focus solely on the different things you can smell. Finally, place your attention towards things you can feel. The texture of a leaf from a plant, the surface of the balcony railing, the softness of your pet’s fur, the wind hitting your skin; solely focus on different things that you can feel. By doing this, you will start to feel yourself calm down and your thoughts slowing down.
REACH OUT TO A PROFESSIONAL
If you are currently obtaining help from a professional, you could always call your therapist and schedule an online session for extra help and support in coping with these difficult times. If you’re not seeing a therapist as of yet, you could always reach out to organizations like Sumithrayo and the Psychology Life Centre, to obtain professional help in gaining better control over your thoughts. Always remind yourself that it’s okay to ask for help, in situations where you cannot help yourself.
Sri Lanka Sumithrayo – +94 11 2 682535
Psychology Life Centre – 071 489 0924
We really hope that these tips help you cope with the external pressures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, especially being away from your family and friends. Always remind yourself that you’re not alone and that we are all fighting against this virus, with you. Let us be your daily reminder, to stay indoors and stay safe!
Information derived from Founder/Director of Angel Keepers Pvt Ltd Dr. Theonie Anthonisz Chandrasena
