Everybody keeps saying it, we are living in unprecedented and challenging times. This COVID-19 pandemic has completely up ended so many of our lives. Many of us now find ourselves navigating the logistics of how our day to day lives will work in social isolation, where our livelihoods will come from and then also contemplating the bigger existential questions that come with this.
For many women the mental load was large before COVID-19. Now our mental load is MASSIVE! Many of us are working mothers juggling the needs of our children, partners, other loved ones and the running of our households. Now we add this with the added complexity of NO child care.
FOCUS ON TODAY
So many of the women I know are finding the current situation intense, are feeling overwhelmed and out of control. And understandably so. There is no doubt that things are uncertain. We can’t really see past today. The situation is changing so rapidly that all we can do now is be focusing on today to stay sane and to keep burnout from creeping in. So being present is one good first step to maintaining your well being during this tricky time.
PRIORITISE GOOD FOOD
There is plenty of fresh food out there to be purchased and the stores that sell these remain open. Fortunately most of the panic buying has been for long life foods so vegetables are available for most of us. By ensuring you are eating a plant based diet with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, legumes and wholegrain you are nourishing your body when it needs it most. Aim for five to seven serves of vegetables and one to two pieces of fruit each day. Eat vitamin C rich citrus and kiwifruit as our adrenal glands which release cortisol use up large amounts of vitamin C in the process of doing so.
MOVE YOUR BODY
We are fortunate to be able to get outdoors and move our bodies. Fresh air, raising our heart rate and working up a sweat are fantastic for stress relief. We raise our body’s cortisol levels short term when we exercise but have a positive impact on lowering cortisol throughout the rest of the day.
BE ORGANISED
Spend some time each night before or on the morning of each day and work out what needs to happen. What do you need to get done that is essential, what do the kids need and have a plan. Being organised and planning ahead is a fantastic way to reduce the cognitive load that can leave us feeling depleted mentally with decision fatigue.
Most importantly, be kind. Kind to yourself and others. We are all in this together and compassion is key.