The 3-minute exercise to manage anxiety while under quarantine

Anxiety has the capacity to be both incredibly helpful and harmful. In the event of finding yourself face to face with a cougar, down to the wire on a final project, or gearing up for a big race, anxiety gives us the "juice" to dig deep, focus, and function at a high level. There are consequences of course to these bouts with anxiety, including adrenaline and its counterpart cortisol - which, studies have shown, can be very harmful in high doses. Similarly prolonged states of anxiety can lead to fatigue, GI issues, heart problems, and memory problems. For brief periods of time, this anxiety can be functional and help us overcome challenges.

 Unfortunately, anxiety isn't always helpful. Often the evolutionary anxiety that would help us in the event of a battle against a wild animal is constantly "ON" as we fight internal fears surrounding things that haven't actually happened yet. In fact, I often find that when anxiety is over functioning it leads us to look to the future and build dozens of different possible outcomes, then mount problem solving against them all. This is overwhelming, often unhelpful, and multiplies distress by focusing on situations that do not yet exist!

 The beauty of practicing mindfulness as an anxiety management technique is that it helps us to stay focused on the present moment. Much of our psychological distress exists when we ruminate about the past or catastrophize the future - both are out of our control and are not happening in the present moment. You do not have to hold the distress of the past, present, and future simultaneously - it is too much!

 My favorite quick trick to bring anxiety down to a more manageable level is a grounding technique that engages your senses. This helps take you out of your mind and into the physical space around you. Here you can remind yourself of what is actually happening - relieving your mind of the burden of holding so many possible realities at once. This has been increasingly helpful to folks as they are stuck in self-isolation due to the growing impact of COVID-19 on our world (a veritable powder keg for anxiety and catastrophic thought).

 Before starting, I encourage you to take a few deep, full breaths - holding at the top of the inhale briefly and slowly exhaling. Then I invite you to turn to your senses and work through the following list. Repeat at least once (more if needed):

 *Name 5 things that you see

 *Name 4 things that you physically feel

 *Name 3 things that you hear

 *Name 2 things that you smell

 *Name 1 thing that you taste

 *REPEAT*

 Extra notes: it is normal to still feel your mind racing and to experience internal dialogue (even critiquing the exercise). Allow those thoughts to come and go and continue to focus in on the exercise - the anxious voice will start to subside as you draw more and more attention to the world around you. Also, I encourage you to try to slow down with each item you name, trying to avoid rattling things off as quickly as possible "PILLOW - COUCH - LAMP - CHAIR"; instead try to also include one detail or adjective along with the item "the faded chair" or the "patterned rug". 

If you are interested in more mindfulness activities, I highly recommend checking out meditation apps such as Calm, Simple Habit, and more. If you prefer a hands-on resource I encourage you to check out A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook by Stahl & Goldstein.

Tips to Survive Working from Home During a Quarantine

By: Kellie Calderon, LPC

(Pictured above: Jax, who just found out that his parents will be working from home)

March 18, 2020 

You finally receive the anticipated email from your boss, “we will all be working remotely until further notice.” You take off your dress clothes, get back into bed, and set up a “work station” consisting of a laptop, some freshly brewed coffee and an endless amount of snacks. Your dog looks at you and beams with joy. This is the day he has been waiting for his whole life. 

Sounds like a dream come true, am I right? In theory, and maybe for the first couple of days, sure. But what happens when you are on day 6 and you start arguments with your dog over who left the dishes in the sink? Some people work from home permanently, so they are prepared. But for those who typically work in an office setting the majority of the time, they may need a little extra help. Here are some tips that help with the adjustment and can possibly save your relationship with your dog, or anyone else you may be quarantined with.

Keep a Routine

It can be easy to sleep in, eat constantly throughout the day, and forget what time it is when you are working from home. In order to maintain your sanity, try to keep the same routine each work day like you normally would. Set an alarm each morning and resist from hitting the snooze button. Shower when you normally would - your dog will thank you. Personal hygiene and sleep hygiene are very important to maintain here. If you completely throw off your routine, when you eventually go back to working in the office it will be a lot harder to get back on track. Eat lunch when you normally would and resist from constant snacking, unless it is something rich in protein or nutrients, such as fruits and vegetables. The closer to your normal routine you are, the easier the transition will be when your days of working from home are over. 

Take Breaks

Working from home can give you more flexibility on getting up and walking around, but it can be easy to just plop down and not move for hours. Make sure you are getting up and walking around. Studies show for every half hour, you should sit for 20 minutes, stand for 8 minutes and walk around for 2 minutes. Or as Alan Hedge, professor of ergonomics at Cornell University, states, think of 20-8-2. Another good break should be for your eyes. I am sure you have heard from every eye doctor of the 20-20-20 rule. For every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds - this can prevent eye strain. If you are as bad as I am about staying disciplined for this rule, set an alarm for every 20 minutes and you can knock both of these out at once. Also, don’t forget to hydrate! Remember that water bottle your cousin gave you at Christmas that tracks your water intake? Break that baby out of its packaging and start working on your 8 - 8oz glasses of water a day. 

Create Space and Boundaries

It may be the case that you are not working from home alone. Ever hear of the idea that it may not be the best idea to work with your spouse? Well there’s a reason for that. Too much time with the person you live with can be damaging to the relationship if it is not properly managed. Create work spaces that are in different rooms or areas. Designate specific work times that are in silence and breaks where you can continue conversations. 

Keep your work day consistent with the hours you normally work. It can be very easy to work past your normal work day because you are already at home. It is important to create boundaries so you maintain a healthy work-life balance. 

Be Productive

Although it can be tempting to binge every episode of “Love is Blind” on Netflix because you’re at home and have “all the time in the world,” remember, you are technically at work. The first step is to create a productive work space. As tempting as that bed is, use every ounce of your self-control to stay away. Shut the door if you need to and don’t look at the comforter calling your name. Sit at a desk if you can, open the blinds and put noise cancelling headphones on or play the Soundscapes channel on your favorite music app. 

One of my favorite things to do that helps me to maintain productivity is the Pomodoro Technique. “When faced with any large task or series of tasks, break the work down into short, timed intervals (called “Pomodoros”) that are spaced out by short breaks. This trains your brain to focus for short periods and helps you stay on top of deadlines or constantly-refilling inboxes,” Alan Henry says regarding author Francesco Cirillo’s technique. A great app to use is  “Pomo Done.”  How it works is you pick a task, set the timer for 25 minutes, and take a short 5 minute break. After 4 “Pomodoros” you take a longer break. 

Take Care of Yourself

There is an abundance of uncertainty at this time and it is normal to feel some stress and anxiety. Companies have most likely not had to prepare for their employees to work from home for this amount of time, so be patient with them. It is important to recognize when you are feeling stressed and utilize coping skills to help. Deep breathing, exercise and remaining social with friends and family via video calls can decrease stress. If you are struggling with work, ask for help. Be kind to yourself and others, and remember we are truly in this together!

Resources:

Henry, A. (2019, July 12). Productivity 101: An Introduction to The Pomodoro Technique.        

          Retrieved March 17, 2020, from   

          https://lifehacker.com/productivity-101-a-primer-to-the-pomodoro-technique-1598992730

Storrs, C. (2015, August 7). Stand up, sit less, experts say; here's how to do it. Retrieved March    

          17, 2020, from https://www.cnn.com/2015/08/06/health/how-to-move-more/index.html

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