Self-Care & Coping During COVID-19
This is neither a health nor a news site, and I am not a healthcare professional, but it’s kind of impossible to not touch on or acknowledge what’s going on in the world and affecting so many people right now. With that said, I humbly present a few of my recommendations – things that I’m currently doing or have done – to cope during this ongoing crisis.
I have no affiliation with any of the apps or companies mentioned below and do not receive any compensation or other benefits for including them.
AFFIRMATIONS
These can be especially effective during stressful times as these. One of my favorites to use is actually a song lyric! “I have no fear, only love” from Fleetwood Mac’s song Gypsy. Whenever you feel anxious, scared or overwhelmed, say it repeatedly aloud or in your head, as often as needed. If this one isn’t right for you, you can also create your own affirmations or search online for others that may be more applicable.
TIME OUTS
I’ll be honest. I’m not too big on meditation. While I recognize the many benefits it provides and would like to have a regular practice at some point in the future, it’s just “not in the cards” (tarot pun alert!) at the moment. Instead from time to time I do what I’ll call here “time outs” -- brief, sporadic mindful pauses or micro-meditations, if you will.
Get yourself in a comfortable position and close your eyes. Focus on your breath, inhaling deeply and counting to four. Then exhale slowly, also counting to four. Repeat. It may help to use a phrase or affirmation as well. I find “breathe in, breathe out” particularly helpful (which I got from none other than Joe Rogan :-)).
I like to do this with nature sounds playing in the background – ocean waves, breezes, rain, etc. Spotify or YouTube has a good selection of these. The duration is usually 5-10 minutes because after that I tend to get wildly antsy and fidgety.
You can set your phone alarm to 5 or 10 minutes, but it can be a rather jarring experience. Two iOS apps (sorry, my friends with Androids) I recommend are Meditation Time and Will Williams’ Meditation Timer. They’re both free and offer a much more pleasant way to signal the end of your meditations.
AUDIOBOOKS
I’m a recent convert to audiobooks. If you’ve yet to give them a try, there’s no better time than now. Your local library is most likely a great resource for them. Currently I’m listening to Zodiac by Robert Graysmith, which clearly won’t be for everyone due to its subject matter, but with so many audiobooks out there, you should have no problem finding something that interests you. My favorite way to listen to them is while cleaning or cooking. It really helps pass the time!
GAMES
Games can obviously be a fun way to unwind, providing a much needed distraction. I highly recommend Best Fiends, a match 3 puzzle game, which is probably the least scammy game app I’ve ever experienced. My nightly routine usually involves mindlessly playing this while listening to Coast to Coast AM or old Art Bell shows before falling asleep. I also really enjoyed The Birdcage, a mystery puzzle game. As of this writing only the first ten levels are free to play, however, with the remaining 15 needing to be purchased.
ROBERT STACK
Psst, did you know that ALL of Unsolved Mysteries is available for free LEGALLY (this may vary by region) on YouTube? Well, now you do! Hopefully this doesn’t change anytime soon, but until it does, sit back and enjoy the blast from the past with the old episodes and marvel at all the blue eyeshadow.
- Crystalline