10 Ways to Relieve Stress During the Pandemic

There is no doubt we are in the midst of a stressful time. With the outbreak of COVID-19, many of us are worried about the health of ourselves and loved ones, and about finances. There is no magic wand to make it all go away. I wish there was. Over the last few weeks, I’ve had a multitude of feelings. At times I’ve felt anxious, and sometimes I’ve been bored. I’ve even been dealing with feelings of guilt, but at times I’ve felt happy too. I spent some time thinking about the things I was doing that were making me feel better; things that helped me handle the stress better. This top 10 list hones in on the things that have made a difference for me, and I hope there is even one thing that you find helpful.

10. Limit the news. This one has been shared so many times, but it helped me a lot. About a week into social distancing and isolating at home, I was going a bit bonkers. I was so worried for the people who were sick and for the people who could get sick, and I was pretty (correction - very) anxious about finances. I was waking up looking at news stories and it was making things worse. I think the nail in the coffin was a story about how dire the economy was looking and how many small businesses were closing down. Of course, since I had just started a business, I was looking at it personally and also, I was thoroughly annoyed because the same news was making us afraid of the virus (I know, par for the course). I shut it down then. I only look once a day right now, and it’s to look at the numbers. I immediately felt less stressed!

9. Look at social Media. We can get so wrapped up in social media, and sometimes that’s not in our best interest. But I’m taking time to look at more Tik Tok videos, which are hilarious. My neighborhood’s Facebook page has shared some great things, and I’ve found some new accounts to follow that were created because of the pandemic, like 2GoFW – a site where locals share the best places to get carry-out in Fort Wayne. It’s a great way to support your favorite local restaurants and find some new p