5 Tips to Maintain Calm During Coronavirus

1. Practice self-compassion. Know that your feelings are normal and valid, and that it’s OK to feel whatever you’re feeling. Remind yourself that what’s going on is temporary and try to find comfort in knowing that we are all going through these tough times of uncertainty together.

2. Lovingly renegotiate your personal space. At this time, you may be spending your entire day in a home with your partner, children, or multiple roommates. This is a time to discuss boundaries and needs within the spaces we share. When we are proactive about re-negotiating our space, there’s an opportunity to get on the same page and mitigate conflict. 

3. Stay connected. In times of high stress, staying connected with our loved ones and our communities is crucial. Just because we are physically isolated, doesn’t mean we have to be socially isolated. Fortunately, we live in a time where there are many ways to stay connected via technology. Take advantage of them!

4. Maintain routine. Routines keep us steady. These actions seem small, but a little peace and comfort can go a long way. In times like these it can be easy to throw your routine out the window, but routine is what keeps us level-headed when things are shifting around us. As best you can, keep your same wake-up and bed times, brew your favorite drink in the morning, put on new clothes, do an at-home workout, and read a chapter in your favorite book at night.  The key is to find the balance of keeping a regular routine and over scheduling yourself. 

5. Limit your media exposure. While most of us want to stay informed, the constant talk about the virus in the news and on social media can be overwhelming and can feed into our fears and anxiety. Limit the amount of information you consume by intentionally setting boundaries around what you watch and read.