Millions of people around the world are facing hardship after hardship, including losing their jobs, coming up short for monthly rent, and choosing between affording food for the family or paying bills. COVID effectively destroyed everybody’s sense of normalcy, leading to many people unable to manage their stress. But you are not alone.
We are committed to helping you manage your stress. We have devised multiple ways to manage your mental health and alleviate concerns about money. If you need more help managing money, click here.
Effects of Stress
The ongoing pandemic contributes to significant increases of stress in our daily lives through the loss of our jobs, less physical interactions with family and friends, and lack of financial security. As a result, stress impacts our lives in the following ways:
- Fearful of our loved ones’ health and safety during an uncertain time
- Changes in sleep patterns, such as getting too much sleep or too little rest
- A reliance on drugs, alcohol, or other addictive behaviors
While we cannot dictate the direction the world is going in, we can control our reactions to stressful situations. We can take control by learning how to take care of ourselves in response to stressful events.
Take Care of Yourself
In learning how to take care of ourselves, there are a number of important tips to keep in mind. In reading these tips, understand who you are as a person. BetterHelp’s website history is built on the foundations of helping others, so we hope that you find these tips invaluable for your life.
Connect with Others
Despite the pandemic, you are not alone. Try to connect with others, such as your family or friends. If you live with family, then share your concerns with them. Try to be open and honest with your family since they will respond in kind by providing emotional support.
Pay Attention to your Health
While connecting with others is a significant sign of improvement, one more way to take care of yourself is by paying attention to your health. This means focusing on healthy diets, such as eating more fruit and vegetables as part of your daily nutritional intake.
Alongside healthy eating habits, commit to daily exercise, such as walks. When you are paying more attention to each of these tasks, make sure to stay positive. For instance, if you miss a day of exercise or you stray from healthy eating habits, do not beat yourself up. Instead, forgive yourself and steel your resolve for the next day. Be consistent and stubborn with your ideals.
Take Breaks
It is exhausting to take care of yourself while also dealing with the problems that a pandemic brings to every household. Do not feel like you have to force yourself to connect with others every day or religiously subscribe to daily exercise. Sometimes it is important to unwind and take a break from the world.
Take breaks such as unplugging from social media. By disconnecting from the internet, you are pushing yourself away from the constant negativity online. If it is possible, schedule personal vacations. Plan out a hike by yourself and enjoy the scenery. By enjoying the moment, you can appreciate the smaller details of life. These smaller moments can help in reducing your stress greatly.
Managing Time & Money
By managing the factors in your life that cause stress, you will prepare yourself in handling physical matters such as time and money.
Prioritise Important Expenses
In much the same way that you prioritise important tasks when managing time, focusing on the expenses that matter will help in managing your money stress. First, list every expense that you need to keep a roof over your head. Then, add each expense and get the total amount. Once you have done this, calculate the amount of money you need for basic needs, such as food and transportation costs including gas.
Once you have the total amount, then you are looking at what you need every month. If you find that you do not have enough funds, then find ways to cut spending on expenses you do not need at the moment. Consider a healthier eating diet as that may cut down on food costs as well.
Ask for Help
This could be the hardest step to follow. But it is an invaluable one in finding ways to cope with money stress. Reach out to family members and close friends. Explain to them your situation. If they cannot financially help you, then listen to their advice. No matter what, do not think that you are alone. Know that your family and friends want to ensure that you are as healthy and financially secure as possible.
Focus on Important Values
In spending money for yourself, understand who you are as a person and what your core values are. If you are living with your family, and you have limited income, then ask yourself how your money can best benefit yourself and everybody in the household.
Of course, do not forget yourself in asking these questions. If you believe that you earn a reward for doing an excellent job at work or if you want to unwind, then by all means, purchase your desired item. But be mindful of how much money you have and question if you really need the purchase or if you can bypass it.
Remember that having more money will not equate to happiness. For more information on this topic, refer to BetterHelp’s article concerning this subject.
Conclusion
Ultimately, it will be up to you in managing your mental health and money stress. The tips provided in the article are stepping stones in improving your health, but they are not simple solutions to an intricate problem. If you want to know more about BetterHelp’s success, then refer to each patient’s review here: https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.betterhelp.com?page=21
The only way you can overcome your struggles is by recognising factors in your life causing stress and finding ways to minimise those factors as much as possible. Even during a pandemic, there is hope in turning even the gloomiest situation around.
