Monday Motivation: Managing Fear and Change in the Path of COVID-19
This article was originally published on March 16, 2020 at https://gritdaily.com/monday-motivation-finding-peace-covid-19/
Monday motivation, it’s on! Now, more than ever, we know that you need it. Together, the world is working through it all and we’re all working together. Chin up, we’re going to get through this.
If you’re a podcast person, listen to our Monday Matters and Monday motivation audio recordings on iHeart Radio or on our Spotify Grit Daily podcast channel. You could also choose to read on to get our Monday Motivation quick tips. Studies show that your morning mood affects your productivity all day. Grit Daily is here to get your work week off to a good start. Pump your fists – it’s time for Monday Motivation!
The novel coronavirus
Last month, the word “coronavirus” wasn’t even in our lexicon. Today, through non-stop media coverage, most of us have become self-professed experts on pandemics, the spiky virus and the escalating toll that it’s taking on the world. We’ve also added a new term to our vocabulary that’s currently defining everyday life, “social distancing.”
The world is shifting in an unprecedented way, but we are shifting together. Monday motivation emphasizes the keyword here, “unified,” with respect to the global effort underway to contain this thing. Governments, scientists and health organizations are collaborating like never before, coordinating efforts to bring some stability back to the world. Coronavirus is an equal opportunity pathogen. It doesn’t discriminate when it comes to race or socioeconomic status. Each of us is vulnerable to the potential risk for transmission and each of us has to manage our fear and anxiety through this challenging time.
The fear of not knowing
How you feel is valid. Full stop. Monday motivation recognizes the importance of this and it cannot be understated.
Most of us fear the unknown because we don’t know what we don’t know. And that’s scary for a lot of us. Being afraid heightens our anxiety; confusion compounds it. So how can we best manage our fear and anxiety during troubled times? First, take heart knowing that we are all in this together. Being kind to ourselves and one another is essential to our well being.
And we will find peace. This is Monday motivation – we can do anything!
Monday motivation tips to manage fear and anxiety during troubled times
#1 – get fresh air
Options for walking may be limited in your environment and it is essential that you abide by the regulations governing your neighborhood. So, open your window, step onto your balcony or go outside if you can. Allow the sunshine to warm your face and put a spring in your step.
#2 – reduce your screen time on social media and news platforms
Monday motivation is not advocating cutting yourself off from the world. Au contraire! In times like these, we need to lean on friends and family. In this era of social distancing, we just have to do it in a virtual way. Today’s video conferencing options bring your loved ones and connections into your environment.
However, the incessant news coverage and commentary on social media regarding this pandemic need to be consumed in limited doses. Although it will send tempers into high-gear, manage the screen time of your children so that their virtual exposure to the fears and concerns that others are vocalizing now is limited. Even Tiktok, which is considered to be skewed for a young audience, has millions of videos tagged with COVID-19. Limit how much of this content you, your children and your spouse consumes.
#3 – be kind
Understand that tensions are going to escalate with people confined to a limited space day after day. Financial pressures related to loss of income are going to be challenging to work through despite the increasing number of contingency plans that employers and governments are initiating. The stock markets are volatile. Healthcare workers are going to feel overwhelmed and exhausted by the unexpected burden that has been placed upon them. We are all in this together and it’s going to be bumpy, but, if we’re kind to each other, we’ll see that the world is more united than we thought.
Individually, we each need to work towards finding peace in our hearts and minds. We must find a way to come to terms with our situation and find peace with it. It is also essential that we find peace with each other; we are united by the challenges imposed by this global pandemic and together, we’ll get through it.
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay