What is pandemic fatigue?
It’s been over a year now, and what once seemed like a short break in our lives has become a present with every chance of being the future. We’ve gone from “when this is over” and singing Resistiré to landing headfirst in the “new normal.” And maybe @vecinarubia’s wild nights out won’t be back as soon as we thought. What’s happening in our lives and in our heads as a result of COVID—when it includes rebellion, sadness and overwhelming exhaustion—actually has an official name: pandemic fatigue. Keep reading to discover 5 easy tips to help you get through it successfully.
Experts explain that pandemic fatigue is the result of so many months of uncertainty and changes to our daily routines. Fear of illness, isolation, boredom, anger and constant complaining have led to millions of people suffering from it right now. The outcome is a psychological state filled with anxiety, sadness, low mood, apathy and a sense of hopelessness about the future.
And although data shows it affects teenagers and young people more—since they struggle the most with rules about not going out and other pandemic restrictions—I’m not quite sure what kind of young people these studies are talking about. Because almost all the thirty-something women I know are feeling emotionally drained. Some of my friends have even asked me what they can do to fix it—without ending up on a wild night out breaking all the rules.
So here are the 5 tips I always give them, and I hope they’re helpful for you too… Let’s start with the basics.
First tip
Now more than ever, you need to take care of your eating and sleeping habits. You know they’re linked, so stick to a schedule. Don’t fall into the trap of junk food and late-night Netflix binges. Set clear times to go to bed, get up, eat and exercise. Don’t make excuses like “I’ll join a gym and start a diet once this is over,” because you’ve seen by now that this situation isn’t going away any time soon.
Second tip
Stop waiting for things to go back to how they were before the pandemic. What if, instead of that, you look for new hobbies? There are so many things beyond Instagram that you might enjoy—you just don’t know it yet. Let’s think together: at home, I could read, decorate, do all sorts of crafts, puzzles, sewing, knitting, listen to music, sing, dance, study something new like a language, a software programme, learn lettering, colouring, painting, make jewellery, write blog posts, poems or novels, film videos, organise video calls, even grow a mini garden on my balcony… And nowadays, doing sport at home is easier than ever thanks to so many online tutorials.
If we choose to go out (and are allowed to), we could get into walking, cycling, rollerblading, photography, exploring new routes, charming places or even chasing sunrises.
Third tip
This one is so useful that I truly hope you’ll make it a part of your daily routine long-term: create daily rituals involving practices like meditation, relaxation, breathing techniques or mindfulness. These help reduce physiological overstimulation and improve how we manage our thoughts and emotions.
I’m not talking about spending hours sitting still or getting into complicated poses, just small moments of silence (even 3 minutes is enough) where you focus on your breathing. Another way to practise this is by doing one thing at a time and focusing on all the sensations it brings, like when you’re eating or taking a shower.
Fourth tip
A new word for today is infoxication. It refers to being overloaded with repetitive information about the same topic (for example, the virus). As a result, this can do more harm than good, causing us to focus solely on the negative.
Of course, I understand that you want to stay informed. However, try setting yourself a time limit — for example, no more than one hour per day. After that, vary your TV or digital content. Even better, switch everything off and go for a walk. In the end, you’ll sleep better and feel much less overwhelmed.
Fifth tip
My fifth tip is useful not only for pandemic fatigue, but also for stress and self-esteem in general: feed your emotions and your thoughts with positive things.
Look for friendships that uplift you, read books that make you feel good, choose series that put you in a good mood (I suggest the @Bridgerton series), do joyful things, have fun, speak to yourself kindly, laugh at yourself, forgive yourself, and stay connected to the people you love. Don’t isolate yourself. Find people you trust to share not just your struggles, but your happy moments too.
Have these tips helped you? Share this article with someone else who might also need a boost of energy, or tell us about your own experience in the comments. We’re stronger together.
Written by: Belén Pezzi
Website: https://www.belenpezzicoach.com
Twitter: @belenpezzicoach
