We are more than a year now into the COVID-19 pandemic and some of us are starting to really feel the weight, the heaviness of, well, everything. Some of us are finding ourselves feeling stressed and anxious about not being able to be with our family and friends, of continuing to have to work from home or of having to go to the office and be with other people. Some of us are finding ourselves not sure how to manage the feelings that come along with stress and anxiety.

When we are feeling stressed and anxious, we sometimes find that do not know how to make ourselves feel better in ways that are healthy and adaptable. Sometimes we are inclined to turn to alcohol or other substances. For some, this can become problematic and make stress and anxiety exponentially worse. There are other alternatives. There are healthy ways to manage stress and anxiety.

One of the best ways to cope with stress and anxiety is to get some exercise. We know that 30 minutes of exercise three to five days a week can help us regulate anxiety. This can be anything that gets your body moving: a walk, a run, a bike ride, take a boxing class, participate in an online or in-person exercise class depending on your comfort level. Do something that feels good to you and gets your heart rate up. Not only will this help manage stress and anxiety, but exercising regularly often can lead to better sleep, which will, in turn, help you manage your stress and anxiety.

Practice mindfulness and/or meditation. I recently started practicing meditation and admit this can be a challenge for those of us whose minds frequently wander. Feel free to start with a short meditation of 30 seconds or one minute. There are several apps you can try to do this, including Calm and Headspace. Some Fitbit apps offer meditations, as well. You can practice meditation during stressful periods of your work day or whenever you feel you need a short break. Mindfulness can be practiced throughout your day by simply noticing what you are doing without judgement. You can practice mindfulness while washing your hands by noticing the soap becoming bubbly and by noticing how it feels as you work it over your fingers and hand. Notice the water becoming warmer and warmer as you massage the soap over your hands. Mindfulness can be practiced while you are walking or running by simply noticing your foot falls, notice what your feet feel like in your shoes. Mindfulness and meditation can help relieve stress and anxiety by helping you be more present in the moment.

Reach out to a trusted other. This could a be a friend, a family member or a mental health professional. I started working with someone yesterday who was beginning to feel lonely not being able to meet with her friends in person because of the pandemic. She told me that she often feels as though she is always the one reaching out to check on her people and rarely felt as though people were checking in on her. I understand that feeling. It is okay to reach out for extra help during those times when you are feeling particularly lonely. It takes more courage to ask for help than it does to suffer in silence. Share with someone you trust what you are feeling. Tell someone why you are feeling stressed and anxious. It is possible the person with whom you are sharing may be feeling similarly.

Practice good self-care. When we think of self-care we sometimes think this has to be something big but in reality it could be something little. Anything you enjoy doing that is just for you counts as self-care. Maybe that means getting a massage if you feel safe doing so and can afford it. Maybe that means listening to your favorite podcast or listening to some music. Maybe that means binge watching your favorite program. Maybe that means watching your favorite movie for the umpteenth time. Do something that makes you feel good.

Take a break. With so many people working from home while trying to manage children who are remote learning, it can feel as though there is no line between work and home. I encourage folks to make sure that if they are working from home and have the space to do so to make sure their work space is completely separate from their home space. If you can, keep your home office out of your bedroom. Make sure that when your work day is over, you take a few moments to transition into the rest of your day. Try to maintain a clear work schedule that begins and ends at a specific time. It is okay to set that boundary.

Remember that stress and anxiety are normal. We all feel these things from time to time but there are healthy ways to manage these feelings. Turning to alcohol could likely just exacerbate your feelings and for some people, anxiety is heightened if using marijuana. Try using your adaptive, healthy coping skills instead. And if need be, reach out to a professional. There are people who can help you develop healthy coping skills. There are people who care.