Some countries are now slowly emerging, blinking and uncertain, from lockdown. Others, like the UK and USA, struggle on. As the dailies are keen to keep reminding us, these are unprecedented times. How are you dealing with it?
A survey last week suggested that we fall into three distinct groups, accepters, sufferers and resisters.
The accepters make up the largest group: typically a bit older, pragmatic and fully behind the measures.
The next group, the sufferers, are in a different place from the accepters. They feel more anxious and depressed, and six in 10 are losing sleep, according to the Policy Institute at King's College.
The resisters, the smallest group, is formed mostly from young people with around 64% being male.
Around 58% of the resisting group think "too much fuss is being made about the risk of coronavirus" compared with only 14% of the nation as a whole. You can put the wealthy and foolish Elon Musk into this category. Interestingly, men are twice as likely to die from coronavirus than women.
Why It's So Stressful
I shared some guidelines for working from home back in the early days of the pandemic, and they already seem out of date. Senior leaders at the company where I work have sharing their own experiences with videos, urging us to work at our own pace, and to take time out for exercise, errands and shopping.
We're not just "working from home." We're trying to work from home during a global pandemic, with all the problems that brings: financial for some, challenging for others with babies, small children or school-age children needing to be educated by their parents. In the background there's great anxiety about the economy, with 1 in 7 people already out=of-work in the G7 countries, caused by the pandemic; and a large increase in domestic violence.
What's so stressful about the pandemic is that we have no control over our immediate future. We can't plan; we can't book holidays or organize weddings or other celebrations. Some of us, with small families or families who are not close, find ourselves suffering "FOMO" because everyone else seems to be doing Zoom or Houseparty calls all day. Meanwhile, on Instagram, there's a new wave of people boasting about everything they're learning and tackling during all this "free" time: cleaning, learning languages, decorating, baking, crafting, knitting.
Taking Time for Yourself: My Tips
No rules or guidelines - we have enough of those! But just a few ideas to help us relax and breathe.- Don't feel bad if you're suddenly become tired or depleted in energy, and are finding it hard to cope. Sleep. Relax. Don't bow to pressure to constantly be filling your time with trifles.
- Remind yourself what you like to do. to switch off. A long bath with candles and a book? Some chocolate an an old film? Snuggling up with a book or e-reader? Fresh flowers?
- Daily exercise does help and anything counts - a short walk if you can fit it in. If you're working, get off at an earlier bus or tube stop
- Improve your "sleep hygiene" to get a good night's rest: no tech in the bedroom (charge your phone elsewhere, unless you use it as an alarm clock); a spritz of This Works Pillow Spray; a warm bath before bed time, to bring about the temperature change that helps us fall asleep. Try not to eat a heavy meal just before going to bed. Allow at least 3 hours
- I find it helpful to keep to a regular routine and not sleeping in. Dressing for the day, putting make-up on, all help to focus us and give us purpose
- Take a look at aromatherapy to help you achieve calm. Create your own powerful well being ritual.
Scentered: Balms, Candles, Hair Care and Body Care
I was thrilled to be gifted with Scentered's Be Happy therapy balm as a taster of their mindfulness products. The balm is in a push-up stick, easily applied to pulse points on wrists or neck, thanks to the moringa and shea butter base which allow it to glide on easily. You then inhale deeply. The Be Happy blend has grapefruit, lemon myrtle and spearmint. This simple "Stop, Inhale, Reset" ritual can help you to switch off from today's challenges and find inner peace.
The products are not fragrances - the delicious smell of the Happy balm soon dissipates but the feeling of calm remains. This is good news to my mind because too many fragrances become competitive, and you might like to waft around in your own perfume, or enjoy a faint whisper from your shower gel and matching body lotion.
Scentered intends to create a shared sensory experience designed to produce a specific mind state on demand. For example, you could use the Happy balm as a signature scent whilst doing activities you enjoy, and then later light a Happy Candle when friends and family are visiting (post lock down!) to create an ambience.
Scentered intends to create a shared sensory experience designed to produce a specific mind state on demand. For example, you could use the Happy balm as a signature scent whilst doing activities you enjoy, and then later light a Happy Candle when friends and family are visiting (post lock down!) to create an ambience.
The products are 100% natural and essential oil-based. You'll find aromatherapy balms, candles, hair care and body care products, all very easy to carry around, and with a low packaging carbon footprint.
You'll find Scentered at their website, where they also list stockists for the US and UK, based on your location.
I'm sure you have lots of tips yourselves for well being and achieving calm during the pandemic - do share in the comments below.
I was gifted with a therapy balm from Scentered. I have written an honest and objective post and was not asked for copy approval.
I was gifted with a therapy balm from Scentered. I have written an honest and objective post and was not asked for copy approval.
Now it's time for #WowOnWednesday, a chance for bloggers to find new readers. Some of the big linkies are currently not operating so I'm opening #WowOnWednesday for longer. It'll be open from 6.30am UK time on Wednesday 6 May until Monday 11 May. I'll be promoting some of the posts on Twitter and Facebook to help people to find new reading.
Last week's most clicked was Di from Di-Alog and her post "Pleats on Repeat." We don't know much about Di except that she's in Maryland, US, and has impeccable style: an innate elegance and great taste in accessories.
I love posts where bloggers talk about their favourite TV, book and beauty recommendations so I enjoyed the post Things I Loved in April by Jill from Doused in Pink, below. Isn't Jill's tee perfect for these times!
Gail, very interesting information about the 3 groups. My husband and I are definitely acceptors - older and pragmatic. My mother is a sufferer. While it doesn’t help that she lives alone, she is most rankled about not being able to go and do as she pleases. (She turns 75 this year and as a rule has more energy than I do.)
ReplyDeleteSome states here in the US are reopening despite the data that says it’s too early. They are concerned about the economy, and because our furloughed workers have received little help from our government, things are getting tight for many. But, I’m rather sure the economy will also be hurt by all the dead and ill that is sure to show up in about 2 weeks.
I have a friend in New York City who ended up going to ER for what she thought was a heart attack (thankfully it was a panic attack instead). She said it was really unnerving to see 2 portable morgues parked near the ER.
We are still on shelter in place orders here in NV.
So true not to compare. Its easy to get down over lack of using the time wisely. Lets not compare to perfect IG clearouts.
ReplyDelete