Finding Structure in the Chaos

This is a challenging time for us especially for those suffering from mental health issues. Fear of the unknown can cause a great amount of anxiety and make us feel like we do not have any control. During this time, we can all practice focusing on what is within our control. The one thing within your control is YOU. You have the ability to control all things you, such as: your choices, behaviors, communication skills and your daily structure. There are many things changing right now and a lot of restrictions being put in place, however; we can control how we structure our day. If you look at what is within your control and focus on that, it will allow you to manage your fear and anxiety and make you feel like you have some sense of control. Below are some tips to help you keep your daily structure:

1. Try and mock your daily schedule closely to how it was before. Try and keep similar hours to dedicating time to your work or school work. This will keep you from feeling overwhelmed with the amount of work or assignments you may have but also gives you a sense of normalcy and avoids procrastination.

2. Try and continue your usual exercise and eating habits. Maintaining your daily eating schedule will also help you feel like things are going about normally. You may need to adjust when it comes to available foods and if you eat out on a regular basis. This will provide you with more of an opportunity to get creative and try out making new dishes! As far as exercise, there any many gyms and studios virtually streaming classes online. Again, get creative and try new things when it comes to working out in your own home.

3. Continue communicating with friends and family. FaceTime, Duo, etc., all make it very easy to continue to communicate with your family and friends. It also gives you the opportunity to reach out to family and friends that you may have not talked to in awhile. Try and have the goal to talk to someone each day, even if it is only for a few minutes.

Remember: Yes, being in your home for longer periods of time than you may be use to, and having events canceled that you were looking forward to can REALLY be challenging. However, we must look at what this opportunity presents us with right now, in this moment. It allows us to focus on smaller things, maybe certain things we have been putting off because we are always on the go. Use this opportunity to practice self-care and enjoy the little things in your life. And remember, this is only temporary.