Tips for self-care during stressful times

Stress shows up different for different people each of us cope differently and it’s also important to recognize that everyone’s circumstances are unique. Some of you may be able to go home for spring break to visit loved ones and some of you may not due to travel restrictions or limited resources. During this time you wanna be mindful of what forms of self-care work for you. Some forms of self-care that you may practice may be focused on mental wellbeing, physical wellbeing, or social wellbeing. Examples of mental wellbeing, self-care, include limiting your social media exposure. You want to take time to unplug.

00:42 - Make sure to stay informed but don’t overload on social media. Other forms include, focusing on what’s within your control and avoid excessive worry. Some tips for managing worry include scheduling worry time. Write down your worries, cross off what’s not within your control and throw it away. That’ll help you feel more calm, less overwhelmed and more in control. Another way to practice self-care is focused on physical wellbeing. Moving your body, engaging in physical activity. You may wanna go for a walk and get some fresh air. When you do that you wanna focus on your surroundings. Use your five senses to be in the present moment.

01:28 - That’ll help you feel more grounded and calm. You may also wanna check in with yourself and your breathing. Make sure you’re taking deep, full breaths. Other ways to focus on physical wellbeing include sleep. Develop a sleep routine that’ll be relaxing and calming. For example, 30 minutes before bed, do not use any electronics. You may wanna take a warm bath. Write down five things you’re grateful for. Listen to a guided meditation relaxation practice. Drink some tea. Whatever it may be, find something that is relaxing and calming. That’ll allow you to get better sleep. Nutrition is important too. You wanna eat balanced meals. Make healthy food choices because that’ll boost your mood and make you feel more energized. You also wanna stay hydrated. Social wellbeing is important as well.

02:25 - While you may want to isolate and socially withdraw during this time given the circumstances, it is very important to stay connected. Find creative ways to stay connected to your loved ones. For example, you may send them a note or a message expressing your gratitude, your appreciation. Make a weekly phone call or FaceTime call to your loved ones. You may also engage in random acts of kindness. That also helps to boost our mood and lifts our spirits. During this time I really wanna emphasize the importance of practicing kindness. We want to be kind towards one another. We wanna check our assumptions and ways to do that are remaining curious and being compassionate towards others. What they may be going through and how we may be able to support them. .