13 Ways To Tame Anxiety When You're In Self Isolation

13 Ways to Tame Anxiety When You’re In Self Isolation

Is staying at home driving our anxiety levels through the roof? With social distancing and the current restrictions placed on our movements, now more than ever we are finding ourselves isolated. The uncertainty around the immediate future and how it will affect us and our livelihoods means we are perhaps now more anxious than ever. So the question that comes to mind is how do we tame this beast?

Anxiety is a common affliction, and that’s not surprising. Way before this current pandemic, our day to day lives was much more demanding and complex than our brains were really accustomed to handling. Someone once said, “If pain is a symptom of a broken body then uncontrolled anxiety is a symptom of a broken mind”.

Consider for a moment all the expectations we place on ourselves. 

We want everyone to like us. 

• We don’t ever want to be embarrassed (at least publicly). 
• We secretly want everyone to like everything we say and do. 
• We don’t want anyone to hurt us in any way. 
• We don’t want anything to happen that we don’t like.

Now that’s a lot to ask for. Right?

No wonder we feel anxious!!!

Since we are not going to change how we live our lives every day, well at a basic level anyway, we need to find ways to tame the beast of anxiety.

Here are some helpful strategies to reduce our anxiety levels:

1. Go for a Walk or Run

Sure you have to be careful in the current environment. Perhaps, you will not be able to frequent your favourite beaches and or parks. You can still go for a quick walk. If you feel better wearing a mask then do so. Please adhere to the social distancing measures that are in place.

But here's the thing, regular exercise can be a really effective way to burn off that extra stress. Try going for a walk with a loved one. I love going for walks with my partner. It means there are no phones or digital devices competing for our attention. Just beautiful weather, beautiful company and wonderful conversations.

2. Declutter your Life. 

Clutter adds to the anxiety. Think of how you felt the last time you had to work in a messy and disorganised environment. Or maybe, when there was a lot of washing piled up in the corner and all the ironing and stuff lying around everywhere. Tidy up your environment and notice how much better you feel. Start with the rooms and areas in which you spend the most time. Include your personal space at work, too.

3. Declutter your Brain. 

Take care of the things that are on your mind. Procrastination creates mental clutter and stress. Trying to remember things is challenging for your brain too. Make lists and use a calendar and alarms to ease the load on your poor brain.

Another thing that may help is just "sitting quietly" for a moment. Close your eyes and try to visualise yourself sitting under a tree and looking out towards the green rolling meadows or imagine yourself sitting by the beach, just looking at the waves rolling in. Take yourself there. You know what I mean.

4. Spend time with your Pet. 

Perhaps one of the best things that have come about during the current “self-isolation” measures is that we get to spend more time with our pets. Guess what, they are probably loving having us home too. Have you noticed how your dog or cat seems happier?

And here is the payoff for you. Pets are great for reducing anxiety. Play on the floor with your cat. Take the dog for a walk. Sit and watch your fish and find yourself automatically more relaxed. Everyone wins.

5. Think about something Positive. 

I know this can seem really hard at the moment. There is so much doom and gloom in the air. All you have to do is turn on the TV, tune into the radio or read the news online and you’re bombarded with a whole bunch of negativity. 

Here’s one of the secret triggers to your anxiety levels. You’re only anxious because you’re thinking about something that makes you anxious. Give yourself a break and think about something else for a while. Get a good book, watch a funny movie. Spend some time in prayer and worship. You’ll suddenly notice a shift!

6. Change your Diet. 

Your diet can have a negative impact on your stress levels. Play around with your food choices and find out what works for you. Try limiting the amount of coffee or caffeinated drinks. Instead, try green tea or calming herbal teas. Cut back on excess sweets and chocolates and replace some with fresh fruits. Sure, fruits have sugar as well but it’s more natural and comes with beneficial fibre which reduces spikes and drops in sugar and in turn helps control anxiety levels by keeping your blood sugars steady.

7. Give yourself something to Look Forward to. 

It can be a great relief to have something positive to look forward to. No matter how stressed you are about work or the current pandemic, knowing that you’re heading out for a vacation or holiday once all these passes will certainly help take the edge off.

8. Distract Yourself. 

This is what bad habits are, distractions! However, not all distractions are bad habits. Read a good book. Re-watch your favourite movie. Try a board game or learn to play a new musical instrument. This helpful distraction will help you move the anxiety meter.

9. Find a Solution. 

We are better problem solvers than we give ourselves credit for. It’s just that we don’t give ourselves time to think. Maybe you can solve the issue that’s creating your anxiety. If there’s something you can do to resolve the situation, get busy and do it! Who knows, you’ll be able to help hundreds of others?

10. Take Slow, Deep Breaths. 

Your breathing naturally becomes shallow and faster when you’re stressed. You can counteract a lot of the physical symptoms of anxiety by just slowing down your breaths and increasing the depth. There are great apps on the AppStore for this too. Why not check them out.

11. Play the Name Five Things Game. 

Bring your mind back to the present. Look around your environment and name five things you see. Now, name five things you feel. 

For example, “I feel the pencil in my hand. It feels smooth and warm.”

• Try to name five things you hear
• Smell the air and describe what you smell.
• Smell nearby objects until you’ve described five smells.

12. Dance or Sing. 

    

Or jump around. Do something you don’t normally do. Anything out of the ordinary can break your pattern and relieve some of your anxiety. Just make sure the curtains are drawn so that you don’t give your neighbours “free entertainment”.

Look on a serious note, dancing and singing are great stress relievers. Singing helps you control your breathing and dancing becomes an exercise where ”feel good” endorphins are released and as a result, you feel more energised.

13. Get Help. If nothing seems to work, seek professional help.

Look, I understand these are tough times for most of us. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you just can't seem to make a change in how you feel. Give your mind and body a break by minimizing your anxiety. Avoid the belief that you just have to suffer from the discomfort of anxiety. Do everything you can to find relief without making your challenges worse. If you’re unable to find a suitable solution, get help from a professional or simply call someone. Please, don't do the journey alone.

In closing,

I wanted to share what's helped me in these tough times. We've had to hibernate our Seema with Love retail store at Westfield Chermside. We are still open online and have our customers reach out to us that way. But I must admit I miss the personal interactions, the friendly smiles and warm hugs.

I've had to dig deeper as well. I find that for myself, the thing that has helped me the most is spending quiet time with my maker.

I often light up one of my Seema with Love Candles (my favourite at the moment is Frankincense and Myrrh) and find try to find a comfortable and quiet place. Then I pull out my Bible.

I love how in the book of Philippians 4:6-7 it says. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”.

These two verses from the Bible are what I have been meditating on lately. They bring me much hope and an assurance that everything is going to be just fine, regardless of all that's going on.

So, there you go.

You're not alone. I know together, we'll make it through these tough times. I hope these strategies I shared with you today, help you too.

Remember, you are very much loved and everything is going to be alright.

I know so!

Seema