Anxiety + Boundaries in a Pandemic
A list of things to help you manage your anxiety with boundaries as you shelter in place.
1. saying “no” is important
reflect on the areas where you can afford to say no to like declining another Zoom meeting or even saying no to your expectations fo completing everything off of your “To-Do” List.2. self care
this is where you get to have fun even if that means doing nothing. set aside some time to play with your kids, watch a movie, eat your favorite snack. I like to do face masks while watching a Disney movie. I’ve also made it a point to spend time outside even if its just sitting for 30 minutes.3. pressing pause
for those of you who have found yourself at home more often lately, take a break. sometimes that means hitting the pause button on a task or conversation. I’ve told my roommate “can we talk about this later? I’ll be more attentive once I take a break.”4. routine
even though the routine we are familiar with has changed, we can create a new routine that will not drain us as much. I start my morning with my favorite coffee, essential oil diffuser and worship music. I’ll end my day by putting away ever item I use for work as a way to “clock out “ for the day.5. truth
anxiety increases when we feel out of control, which cause the need to control, which causes more anxiety. The best thing I can recommend for this is to fight it with truth. I write scripture on a dry erase board, and a go-to for me is Psalm 23:4 “even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I know you are with me. your rod + staff, they comfort me.”
I have reminded myself that I am allowed to be selfish during this time as long as I respect the safety of others and my own. You aren’t a bad person for having boundaries. They’re necessary for thriving relationships even the one who have with yourself. Be gracious. Be brave. You’re doing better than you believe.
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