Finding Mindfulness Amidst the Mayhem

We can control our focus during a pandemic. We can also talk endlessly about the problem, the fear, the sadness, the hardships and so on. The negative topics to discuss and text and post are endless. This is where mindfulness comes into play. We need to be personally responsible for our own mental health and wellness. Each day, we can wake up and check in simply for a minute and ask ourselves, “In this moment, am I OK?” While there is so much suffering around us, we can still be personally alright. In fact, if we take care of ourselves psychologically, then we can be of better service to others.

We can also take inventory of what we are doing in our day that is bringing a sense of joy and peace and what is letting in negative energy and fear. It can be helpful to make an effort to increase engagement in positive activities and decrease the negative. While there are obligations personally and professionally that may be mandatory and stressful, we can choose to offset them with lighter activities or engagement. Are the preventative measures that you are taking against COVID-19 excessive or mindless? Do you find yourself engaged in rituals or discussions that are counterproductive and stress-inducing? Are the preventative behaviors that you are engaged in upsetting those in your home? It is important to check in honestly with yourself about these questions and to increase your awareness of your behaviors and how they may be impacting others.

The following are some mindfulness in action suggestions:

• Take a moment in the morning, mid-day and in the evening to take a few deep breathes and check in with yourself about how you are feeling, without judgment.
• Stay focused on tasks such as showering, cooking, walking, and notice what each of your five senses is experiencing.
• When you notice that your mind is getting ahead of you and “future tripping,” simply bring your focus back onto your present task and on your breath.
• Take a phone and electronics break throughout the day in order to reset your mind and calm your nervous system.
• Be mindful of how much news and social media you are consuming daily and observe how you feel before and after usage. Make adjustments in exposure time and content to minimize fear-based information exposure and to increase hope and positive information and ideas.
• Notice how you are feeling when you are interacting with loved ones who increase your stress level. You may need to set some time limits and boundaries on these interactions for your own peace of mind.
• Be honest with loved ones about what you need to stay balanced and if what they are talking about or sharing is overwhelming you.
• Create a new daily routine that builds in mindfulness or integrate a few simple practices into your day.
• If you are living with someone who is experiencing extreme stress or anxiety symptoms, take some time to yourself, suggest that they receive outside mental health support, and continue to focus on how you can feed your mind in a healthy way.
• If your mental health symptoms are escalating, please consult with your therapist or contact your PCP for a therapist referral.
• Be sure to get outside daily and use all of your senses to clear your mind and to be in the moment of the experience.
• Mindfully change your focus from a negative topic to a positive topic.
• If you are spending most of your day helping other people personally or professionally, take some time to recharge your battery.
• Listen to a guided meditation app or live event (i.e., Insight Timer, Headspace).
• Bring humor into your day, watch a funny show or video, talk with a humorous friend, read a funny article.
• Live intentionally each day and take your mental health as seriously as your physical health.
• Do something fun and be present!