Stress Tactic

No matter if you thrive in this environment, no matter if you’re scared…….you are experiencing new and varying levels of stress right now.

As you experience the shifts from adrenaline rush to fatigue to panic to loss of routine to anger (in any order), take note of these experiences and look for opportunities to engage in a way that is more meaningful and helpful to you.   This is a simple survival tactic that you must begin practicing today.

  • Consider which of your senses is on overload right now. 
  • Consider what would help you.  For example: if you are struggling to detach from a screen, and the noise is causing you to feel negative….take a sensory break from that stimulation.  Yes, it can be that simple. 
  • Don’t be fooled into thinking “I can’t”. 
  • Don’t be fooled into thinking, “I’m fine, I can handle it.” 
  • I challenge you to notice and begin spending 5 minutes decompressing. Increase those minutes as you notice the increase in disruption and increase the minutes before bed.

Information Fatigue

Information Fatigue

What is it? 

Do I have it? 

Short answer…YES

  • Feeling overwhelmed and exhausted by data from people and screens?
  • Having more extreme thoughts related to all of the information (ie: why is everyone worrying, what’s the big deal, I wish everyone would just stop…, what if….).
  • Maybe your level of sarcasm is beyond the norm for you.
  • Pay attention to what your body is telling you (irritability, tense, unfocused, etc).  You may be experiencing information (both info. that is true and false) fatigue.

DO: figure out how to separate yourself, at times throughout the day.  EVERY MINUTE IS IMPORTANT.  Yes, it is!  Take minutes if you are unable to take hours.

DO: consider keeping other parts of your daily routine.  When feeling stressed, we often feel distracted and unfocused.  This is a time when we feel like screens are a helpful distraction.  They are NOT.

DO: engage in activities or with people that do NOT include conversations related to your current stressors (for many right now it’s COVID-19).

DO: separate yourself from stressful information at least 30 minutes before bed…60 is preferred.

DO: check in with yourself throughout the day to see how much data you are taking in and how it’s affecting you.

~Rebecca DoughertyFroelke, MSW, LCSW