Prioritize
Make a plan of action by listing your work and personal priorities and deciding what can be delegated or postponed, says Laura Boxley, PhD, of The Ohio State University. Be sure to add self-care to your schedule, she adds. “In stressful times, self-care can seem frivolous or selfish,” she says. “But committing to self-care will preserve your ability to rise to the challenge of this time.”
Pivot, if necessary
For researchers, university shut-downs don't have to mean that work grinds to a halt. “Lots of labs are nimble,” says Jeff Zacks, PhD, of Washington University in St. Louis. “If we can't collect data face to face, we can work on other things that are often pushed to the back burner, such as data analysis and writing.”
Stick to a routine
“I still pack my lunch every day and put on work clothes even if I'm not going into the office,” says Gebhardt. “Still doing those routines gives a sense of normalcy to the otherwise abnormal situation we're in.”
Create a separate workspace
“Working from home can blur the boundaries between work and your personal life so that you feel you're working all the time,” says Nathaly Shoua-Desmarais, PsyD, of Florida International University. “I could be on the computer 24/7 now.” Create a separate workspace if possible, even if that means setting up a desk in a corner of your living room with your back to the larger space, she suggests. Keep your sleeping area as personal space, she adds.
Exercise
If you can get outside, take a walk or run. But there's plenty you can do inside. “People are posting workouts on social media and hosting exercise classes on Zoom or FaceTime,” says Gebhardt. Ask your gym or yoga studio if they're offering virtual sessions or look for workouts on YouTube. Even dancing to your favorite music in your living room can help.
Stay connected
While psychologists often worry about excessive screen time, technology like Zoom, Skype and Google Hangouts is now helping people stay connected despite physical isolation. “It's such a breath of fresh air to be able to see people and laugh with them,” says Gebhardt, who recently enjoyed a “family Zoom date” with relatives around the world. “I've been blown away by how social distancing can make a community come together.”
Limit news consumption
Checking the news or social media constantly or having the news on in the background only causes unnecessary distress, says Shoua-Desmarais. Decide how much time you're going to devote to checking reliable sources and stick to that limit, even if you have to ask a friend to serve as an accountability partner and check up on whether you followed through with your commitment. For Shoua-Desmarais, that means spending 5 minutes scanning the news in the morning and another 5 minutes before doing pre-bedtime relaxation exercises.
Practice mindfulness and other relaxation techniques
“Mindfulness activities can be helpful for dealing with anxiety,” says Richelle Concepcion, PsyD, MPH, of Tripler Medical Center in Hawaii. “Meditation, yoga, even mindful breathing are ways to slow things down.” And there are plenty of free resources, including autogenic trainingopens in new window on YouTube, the apps Breathe2Relaxopens in new window and Tactical Breatheropens in new window, or the Mindfulness Coachopens in new window and other resources available on the VA's App Storeopens in new window. Headspaceopens in new window and the Ten Percent Happieropens in new window app are offering free access to health-care providers during the pandemic.
Learn something new
Now is a good time to burnish your professional skills, says Bethany A. Teachman, PhD, of the University of Virginia. “This is a good opportunity to build your skill set virtually,” she says, citing as one example an online statistics course. Use this time to earn some continuing education credit, suggests Concepcion. If you've had to go virtual, for instance, check out APA's Telepsychology Best Practices 101 webinar series, available for free. Or just engage in self-enrichment. Another free resource is Coursera's “The Science of Well-beingopens in new window,” a course touted as “Yale's most popular class ever,” created by psychologist Laurie Santos, PhD, of Yale. These online resources are a good way to distract yourself from the news and keep your self engaged in learning, says Concepcion.
Cut yourself some slack
“It's important to be kind to others — and to ourselves,” says Teachman. Keep in mind that in abnormal times like these, you're not going to be as productive as you were before and that's OK, she says.
Check in with colleagues
Keep an eye on colleagues who may be struggling, and let them know you're struggling, too, as a way of normalizing their reactions. And find meaning in helping others. “There's not enough yoga in the world to deal with the magnitude of what we're coping with right now,” says Boxley. “We have to think flexibly about self-care: It's not just about taking care of ourselves but about taking care of others.”
For more information, check out APA's self-care resources. Listen to a podcast on self-care for psychologists. Or watch a webinar on stress and copingopens in new window from APA's Div. 35 (Society for the Psychology of Women).
If you're an early-career practitioner, watch a short videoopens in new window about how two of your colleagues practice self-care and read these Practice Update articles on taking care of yourself and practicing self-care.
If you're a graduate student, try these tips for positive mental health and strategies for better work/life balance. Or watch APA's webinar for students on coping in the era of coronavirusopens in new window.
