I typically have a high “emotional baseline” but, with the arrival of Covid-19, my mental health took a serious hit–an experience I’m sure many people share.
Loneliness, canceled plans, and uncertainty have taken a toll on all of us. In my case, add the stress of remotely starting a new job and it’s hardly a surprise I found myself unmotivated and anxious.
I implemented some interventions and I now feel much better. I’m sharing what worked for me with the hope that you might find it helpful.
Journaling and Mindset Anchoring
As I mentioned in the intro, the uncertainty created by Covid-19 and the challenge of remotely starting a new job increased my anxiety and stress levels. Of the interventions I’ve implemented, nightly journaling and mindset anchoring have been the most consequential in returning my anxiety and stress to their pre-Covid level. Together, they are a powerful combination, helping me re-frame my day while simultaneously calming my thoughts.
Journaling
Each evening, I journal for one page, writing whatever comes to mind while reflecting on my day. Some days, I write disjoint, incoherent thoughts while, on other days, I compose detailed lists of my activities and plans. In my experience, what I write is unimportant, simply writing down my thoughts provides the benefit.
That’s it. I intentionally keep this process short–if it’s quick, I’ll do it every day. If it’s time-consuming, I’ll quit and lose the benefits.
The imperfect activity you do consistently is superior to the perfect activity you don’t.
I love the benefits journaling provides. When I journal:
- I discover how productive I’ve been. On any given day, I’m always surprised to discover how productive I was. I’ve always forgotten a few things I worked on and writing everything down serves as an excellent reminder. As a goal-oriented person, this knowledge soothes the part of my mind that is constantly driven to achieve more.
- I stop worrying about what I need to do the next day–it’s written down so I know I won’t forget. That lets me relax and go to bed with a calm, empty mind.
- I worry less about forgetting long term plans and ideas. Everything is in my journal and I can return to it at any time.
- I re-live the best parts of my day which always boosts my mood as I get to appreciate everything for a second time.
- I solve problems and have good ideas. I don’t know why, but the act of writing often shines problems in a new light which reveals previously hidden solutions.
Mindset Anchoring Statements
I’ve discovered that my mindset is the biggest factor in my day to day happiness. The events in my day matter far less than my reaction to and interpretation of those events. Furthermore, by default, my reactions and interpretations are flawed. That’s where mindset anchoring comes in.
At the end of each journaling session, I review 4 mindset anchors. These anchors help me shift my mindset from its default state into a healthier, more positive space. As a result, I re-interpret my day more positively and react better to challenges as I encounter them.
My mindset anchors are:
Pause, reflect, prioritize.
I’m a very action-oriented person, sometimes to my detriment. This anchor reminds me that, in all situations, I should think about the big picture before diving in and getting lost in the minutia–a reminder that helps me work more effectively and prioritize what’s important in my daily life.
Strive for excellence, accept imperfection.
I hold myself to high standards and, by default, am hard on myself when I don’t meet them. This anchor reminds me to forgive myself when I fall short without sacrificing my desire to be exceptional–an important mindset to have on challenging days at work, when I fail to show grace, and at any moment where I don’t live up to perfection.
Be selfless, humble, and confident.
In many situations, my default reactions can be selfish, arrogant, and insecure. This anchor reminds me to be a better person and guides how I act each day–a reminder I needed when Covid related stress and anxiety dampened my ability to react well in the moment.
Live in the present.
I’m exceptional at delayed gratification. If I’d been given the marshmallow test as a child, I’d have passed with flying colors (no really, my parents used to find multiple open but mostly full M&M boxes stashed in the cupboard because I was “saving them for later”). Delayed gratification is great for getting hard things done but it means I occasionally forget to live. This anchor reminds me to enjoy being alive–something I was forgot to do in my preoccupation with Covid-19.
These anchors have completely changed my mindset. Every time I review them, my ability to embody these ideals improves. My character is changing for the better and my mental health is improving–what’s not to like!
Pairing mindset anchors with journaling has been an excellent combination. As I review my anchors, I positively reframe the day I just journaled about. Furthermore, with my day fresh in my mind, I reflect on how well I embodied these mindsets.
If you want to try out mindset anchors, I have a few recommendations:
- Use concise statements.
- Keep the list of anchors short.
- Review your anchors daily.
- Reflect deeply on your anchors. Don’t skim them–actually evaluate how you did that day.
- Consider journaling at the same time.
Limiting the News
In normal times, I try to limit my consumption of the news. When covid struck, however, I found myself reading the news nightly. This misguided attempt to quench uncertainty with a deluge of information only served to increase, not decrease, my anxiety.
At the end of March, I made a commitment to limit my news consumption to 2 days per week, allotting 1 hour of reading and 1.5 hours of listening (podcasts) on each day.
I couldn’t be happier with the results. I’ve recovered hours of time each week, feel calmer, worry less, and have more energy–all while staying informed about the world’s most important events.
If you’re voraciously consuming the news, I strongly recommend taking a news break–it’s easy, harmless, and can alleviate anxiety.
Making New Plans
Before the pandemic started, my wife and I were really excited to restart our lives. After months of traveling, we were excited to be back in Boston. We had so many plans: lots of gymnastics, hanging out with friends, visiting with family, and returning to our favorite restaurants.
We returned to the U.S. in January, moved into an apartment in February, I started work in early March and, just as we were about to execute all of our plans, everything changed.
Instead of training for gymnastics meets, we found ourselves scraping together a home gym. Instead of partying with friends or visiting family, we found ourselves attempting to stay connected via video calls. Instead of going to our favorite restaurants, we found ourselves ordering takeout.
The loss of so many plans left me feeling adrift. To combat that feeling, I made an intentional effort to create projects I would be motivated to work on. For example, I developed an at-home gymnastics training program, tried fasting, committed to a regular blogging schedule, and started learning both TypeScript and React.
Having goals has increased my sense of purpose and provided a perception of progress, despite the loss of all the plans I would otherwise be accomplishing.
Socializing via Video
The thing I missed most while traveling was social time with friends and family. I can’t describe how excited I was to socialize with everyone when we got back.
Obviously, social distancing hasn’t allowed that reunion to happen as planned and it has occasionally left me feeling lonely. To counter the physical distance, I’ve been socializing via video as frequently as possible. My gymnastics team has regular video calls, I chat 1/1 with a friend or two every week, I make time for calling my family, and I play DND nearly every week (the only good thing about the entire pandemic).
If like me, you forget to set up video calls, I recommend creating recurring 1/1 meetings in a calendar or todo app. I’ve found that, if I don’t have an external reminder, I will put off scheduling calls. Then, suddenly I’ll realize I haven’t talked to any friends in weeks. If you have the same issue, try out recurring meetings.
Stay Healthy
That’s every intervention I’m using at the moment. If you’re struggling, know that you’re not alone. I hope these help. If they do, or you want to suggest something I should try, I’d love to hear about it.
