How to Manage Mental Health During the COVID-19 Outbreak

As our normal day to day activities have changed due to the COVID-19 outbreak, stress levels are high and we all feel anxious about what may or may not happen. With that in mind, there has never been a more important time to prioritize your mental health, and that includes coping with uncertainty, adjusting to your “new normal” and knowing what you need to support yourself.

Are You Stressed?

We are all facing the uncertainty that is looming around the Coronavirus outbreak and internalizing it in different ways. Everyone experiences stress and it might look different for different people.  Symptoms of stress can include:

• Sadness and irritability
• Reduced productivity
• Headaches
• Fatigue
• Problems sleeping

An article from Psychology Today said that, “the World Health Organization has declared COVID-19 a pandemic to highlight the level of concern and spark measures of precaution. In a parallel process, your stress is doing the same for you as it sets off a warning alarm that calls you to action.”

Once You Acknowledge Your Stress, Here Are Some Ways to Reduce It:

• Manage what you can, and breathe out the rest
• Know your limits – this can be with work stress, family stress, and even knowing when to turn off the news if it is overbearing information
• Practice selfcare (keep reading for our tips!)

Here Are Some Things You Can Do To Help Cope With Stress and Support Yourself:

• Get enough sleep
• Eat a good breakfast
• Get ready in the morning
• Exercise regularly, even if it is just a walk around the block or a quick 5 minute stretch
• Talk to someone – we are utilizing video chats now more than ever, hop on the phone, FaceTime, or zoom and check in on your family and friends
• Reward yourself by baking some cookies or ordering in from your favorite restaurant
• Enjoy life outside of work and schedule movie nights with your friends over video chat, or arrange for a nice dinner with your partner!
• Start a new project! This can be a new recipe, a craft, or anything to get the creative juices flowing.

Looking for more ways to recharge? Keep reading below.

You Deserve A Break

Working from home can leave us sitting in one place for hours on end. While you may get up to use the restroom, refill your water (staying hydrated is equally as important!) or to go into another room, you deserve, and need, a break from work, even if it is only 15 minutes. Benefits of taking a break mid-day range from increased productivity to improved mental well-being.Need more of a reason to take a break? Read the full blog post here and find out how a quick walk around the block will impact your overall mood.

Be a Self-Care Master

Now that you know how to recharge and have a sense of how your mental health and career are linked, we created a quick checklist so you can check in on what your body needs, fill yourself up with love, and feel empowered to take on the rest of the month as your best self.

• Did you get enough sleep?
• Did you move today?
• Did you eat?
• Did you call a friend or family member?
• Do you surround yourself with things/people that spark joy?

Jot these down on a post-it and place it on your computer, fridge, or wherever you may need the extra reminder!

Additional Resources

Coping with Coronavirus stress? Being mindful of your mental health during the COVID-19 outbreak. Are you worried about worrying? What does work-life balance really mean? How your workplace can support mental health.