Many of us are badass individuals who are able to juggle work or school with other passions and responsibilities in life. Even menstruation can’t stop us from getting things done, thanks to menstrual cups.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic has struck. Now there’s a need to limit our movement and stay home. What a drastic change with our routines, right?
While staying at home is already a big contribution in preventing the spread of the virus, we cannot deny that it is taking a toll on the mental health of some of us. Suddenly, many of us can’t function as we normally do. Some tasks that are supposed to be quick and easy now seem too difficult to accomplish.
Many began working from home, which sounds manageable at first. But in reality, even if there’s no daily commute to deal with and no other rituals to perform before heading to the office, our energy levels still seem too easily depleted.
According to Lynn Bufka, Ph.D. in an episode of “Speaking of Psychology”, a bi-weekly podcast of the American Psychological Association (APA):
“Of course people are going to feel some degrees of stress right now. This is a new situation. It’s unprecedented… We don’t have a road-map. We don’t know where to go with this.”
Bufka emphasized that we’re faced with ambiguity and uncertainty, which can cause stress. Plus, certain people are actually more vulnerable in this situation.
So yes, it’s okay we can’t give our 100% right now. We are definitely not the only ones experiencing this. Our emotions are valid. Even the World Health Organization (WHO) also says that it is normal to feel sad, stressed, confused, scared, or angry right now.
However, despite experts validating the normalcy of unproductivity amid COVID-19 panic, we still feel guilty for our inability to complete tasks from time to time. That’s because productivity guilt has been so ingrained in many of us.
For the longest time, our feeds have been bombarded with messages that urge us to always be productive. Not doing anything has almost been synonymous with wasting time, so we feel guilty when we don’t accomplish anything at all–even on our supposed rest days.
Worse, we can’t help but have the same mindset even during difficult situations like the one we are currently in. Even if it has already been established by experts that it is normal to be unproductive these days, there are still moments when we are haunted by our guilt.
In fact, a motivational message has been circulating about how one should take this opportunity to learn new things. We’re sure you’ve already seen it being shared on different social media platforms.
If you don’t come out of this quarantine with either:
— Jeremy Haynes (@TheJeremyHaynes) April 2, 2020
1.) a new skill
2.) starting what you’ve been putting off like a new business
3.) more knowledge
You didn’t ever lack the time, you lacked the discipline
At first glance, it seems to make sense. With the community quarantine, we really have more time in our hands. But then again, time is not the only important factor here. The very reality is different, and we can’t deny its effects on us, whether directly or indirectly.
Plus, according to Alaa Hijazi, a trauma psychologist:
So if you think you need to take a break, go ahead. That’s a perfectly normal thing to do. Our team members have been taking things slow, too, as we continue to operate. Mental health has really been among our top priorities.
Now let us share with you some tips given by the WHO on how to deal with stress:
- Maintain a healthy lifestyle
- Avoid smoking, drinking, or taking drugs when dealing with emotions
- Get information only from reliable sources
- Limit hours of exposure to news about the pandemic
- Revisit old hobbies that can help deal with emotions
Taking a few moments a day to practice breathing exercises also helps. It is a great way to release stress and tension.
And, of course, we also take advantage of the technology to connect with loved ones, especially now where there are a wide array of apps to use in connecting with people.
Moreover, we engage with people from online communities you are part of, like the Sinaya Tribe. Interacting with like-minded individuals has been beneficial to us, so far.
If you’re not part of the Sinaya Tribe yet, we are encouraging you to join our Facebook group. Apart from discussions, we also have fun mini-activities. Last time, we even had a yoga session.
Take care!
