Everyone knows change is hard.
Since March 2020 most can say that they have experienced more change over the last 5 months than most of us experience over several years. School continues to change for kids. Work from home—if one is still employed—has been a major change for adults. Daily routines and interactions with family, friends and colleagues have changed—and feelings of grief and loss are real.
In the face of multiple changes humans can quickly become overwhelmed. This creates change fatigue, a state of being resulting in exhaustion, loss of creativity, decreased productivity and motivation, increased errors, and a lack of focus.
We humans can manage change for a defined period. When we can see the “light at the end of the tunnel” change can feel more tolerable. The challenge with COVID pandemic stress is that there is no “end” readily in sight. Pressures that are too intense or last too long can cause people to feel stress overload. Fatigue is an expected effect of both sustained stress overload and can also accompany grief
How can one manage the symptoms of change fatigue?
There is no pill or formula that will work for everyone to manage change fatigue. Try these strategies to keep your mind and body strong, healthy and together even if it feels like the world is falling apart.
Acknowledge it.
The first step to overcoming fatigue of change is to recognize it exists. We cannot change what we don’t acknowledge. Being honest with yourself is the first step to change and management of fatigue.
Start with the outside.
Sometimes the best tiny things to start with are the most basic. Take a shower. Put in your contacts. Shave. Put something on besides the stretch pants and t-shirt you slept in. Do your makeup. Looking the part can nudge you toward feeling the part.
Tackle some tiny things first to build momentum.
If you have an overwhelming task ahead of you, sometimes getting a running start can help. When you have some small victories—clear the breakfast dishes, pay one bill, make one phone call—these tiny tasks build momentum.t. Checking your email may seem like a task to get out of the way, but often it sucks you into a vortex of distraction.
Put action before motivation.
One of the biggest myths of human motivation is that we have to “feel” like doing something before we do it. This is simply untrue. There is always a long list of all the things you do even though you don’t “feel” like it. Instead, “fake it till you make it” and go through the motions: put on your gym shoes, crack the textbook, unload the dishwasher. Getting started gathers momentum. This momentum changes your mood. Bottom line: rather than waiting until you feel like getting started, just get started. Your mood (and motivation) will catch up.
Give yourself grace.
There are many times we try to bully ourselves into getting motivated. “What is wrong with me?” “This is so easy—why can’t I just DO this?” But imagine if someone else talked to you the same way. Would it motivate you? Or just make you hurt and resentful as well as unmotivated? Try a little self-compassion instead. Talk to yourself as if you’d talk to a good friend.
Go outside and get active.
Human beings are animals. We need to move around. Get active. There is a lot of research to suggest that physical activity (yes, exercise) makes us happier. Body and the mind are not two separate entities–what we do to one we do to the other. An active body is an active mind.
Moderate addictions.
We all have addictive behaviors, whether that might be video games, substance use, food or gambling. Avoid overusing alcohol or other substances to cope with pandemic (and other) induced stress. Addictions may provide short-term relief to fatigue and uncertainty but may undermine your efforts in managing stress and your sleep. Big picture: addictions are coping strategies that eventually became liabilities.
Set success goals.
Make a mixture of goals, some of them small and easy and others big and difficult. If you have too many big, giant goals, your list will come to seem unattainable. But if you have too many easy goals, you won’t be stretching and growing as a person. Setting yourself up for success means setting goals that are attainable. When you’re writing out that to-do list only write in things that you think you can accomplish in your day or your time frame. Look at how you structure your day and what your daily schedule looks like. If you value yourself by putting your goals first you’ll start to better yourself. In this shift you’ll start making better decisions for you and your family and will see that your choices align with your goals and values.
Clean your house.
In my experience I have found that one’s “outside” environment (home, work desk, etc) is usually an indicator of their “inside” environment (thoughts, mind health) .
It’s pretty hard to feel good if you are sitting in a garbage heap. Living in a clean space makes you feel more together, more effective and fulfilled. That opens the door to accomplishments in other areas of your life. If you can afford it, get someone to help you.
Connect with people.
Connecting with people in our age of social distancing is still possible, and it is an amazing way to get your groove back. Pick up the phone and call someone. Ask them how they are doing. Listen to their stories and share some of your own. Interacting with others can be a quick way to elevate mood, establish a new relationship or bond, or even make a life-changing connection that can jump-starts your groove.
Limit news and social media
We were inundated with distractions before the COVID-19 coronavirus threat. Now that many of us are home, the distractions are coming at us non-stop. Between Facebook, cable news, talk radio and more – there is an endless stream of opinions and news. Being bombarded with news and information can be distressing and take a toll on your well-being. As a result, it may benefit you to take a break from watching, listening, and/or reading pandemic updates. Reducing social media consumption may help, too.
The problem with all these distractions is that they drain our energy and take us away from doing what we need to do. So, have a block of several hours where all distractions are removed. Energy restoration can most readily occur without distraction.
Read a book or watch an emotionally powerful movie.
Read an engrossing book or see an emotionally powerful movie. Both have the power to transport us, to provide a perspective far removed from our own, and in doing so, unlock emotions we want to feel: joy, hope, warmth—even sadness. When in a funk, what we feel doesn’t seem to be as important as finding a way to feel something.
In uncertain times it can be difficult to maintain your mind health. . If you can’t control it, worrying about it can lead to unnecessary stress. Finding peace requires focusing on what you can actually control, not the things you can’t.
