To help you, the community, in managing your stress, we at Zephyr surveyed our employees for their top stress management strategies as they specifically apply to this COVID-19 situation. This is a continuation of our ongoing series. (You can read part 1 here and part 2 here.)
If you have specific questions about any of these (or want to contribute your own), please shoot us an email and we will reply the best that we can. Also, search our media and articles page for the topic that most interests you and perhaps you will find a podcast or video about it. And, of course, you can always make an appointment with us.
We understand that this list is neither comprehensive nor applicable to everyone, so please take what you can or, if you have more to offer, please do so and we will add them in! Also please share this list with your friends, neighbors, and family because it sure doesn’t do any good locked up here on this page by itself. We all deserve peace and healing right now and Zephyr is honored to be a small part of that.
Grouped by staff member and in no particular order, here is our gift to you, humor included:
Trying to create a fluid routine, be open to the changes of it, but get ready (take a shower, get changed, kids included) as if I am leaving for work.
Learning something new — one thing related to work and one thing just for interest. This goes for my kids too. One thing education-related and one thing that is an interest of them. Also, letting my kids teach me something has been great and fun.
Taking out card games, board games, puzzles and any activities the kids and I can do together TikTok's have even been a part of this - lol
Going on walks and exploring in the backyard (I'm in an apartment complex so my backyard is a huge hill). We look and see what different things we can find, like animal tracks, plants or whatever we come across.
I love photography and have been taking pictures on our walks, of my kids, and us being goofy. I have even started to teach my daughter more about my interest as she said she wants to learn.
Reading related to work and reading for fun. I haven't read anything non-psychology related in awhile.
Watching Tiger King
Doing video chat with friends and family that I haven't seen or talked to in a while from all over the country (many have been happy hours lol)
Trying to accomplish at least one productive activity in the house in regards to cleaning or organizing a day.
I avoid reading too much about the virus and have turned off the news.
Daily check-ins with myself and as needed with my children to see where we are at mentally and what we can do to not only make the best out of the situation, but to also take this time to learn about it, discover where we create new boundaries and apply them so we still get what we need when the world starts to speed up again.
Attempting to keep a focus on opportunities rather than challenges in the situation... and these opportunities include:
More time to reach out to friends I don't talk to enough
Time with my dog (I think he likes this quarantine thing a lot)
Embracing hobbies... making art, music, reading, etc.
Time for cooking and ordering different foods
Allowing myself some mindless TV I would usually feel guilty about
Watching Netflix
Craft art with my daughter
Cooking
Texting with friends
Crocheting
Enjoying how my baby boy is learning how to walk