Social Distancing: The Best Self Care Tips For Anxious Parents

Parents are awash with anxiety. Social distancing has made it mandatory to work from home, homeschool their kids, keep the kids alive, the home clean, meals cooked and still have time for themselves and their hobbies. Anxious parents don’t know what to do with homework, parents, school routines, meals and playtime and have resigned to unlimited screen time. We can’t blame them.

As parents, we need to let that anxiety go so that we can freely enjoy our families, our kids and make time for the things we love and enjoy. Here are self-care tips to help anxious parents thrive.

1.  Practice Mindfulness

We feel anxious when we have 101 important things to do. There are so many issues that require our attention and we feel we have to do all of them right away. In these social distancing times, it’s possible for anxiety to go through the roof even though we’re safe in our homes. The mere fact that there’s nothing we can do to deal with the pandemic can leave us feeling helpless.

However, a mindfulness approach to our way of thinking and doing things can help us ease the burden on ourselves. Release the thoughts that don’t serve you and realise that time is on your side and you’re going to get through the list of priorities. One at a time.

   2. Have a Routine

Now that we’re self-distancing, we currently have more time than we ever had. It might be possible to not know what to do with it. Or to start the day late. For parents who are anxiety-prone, creating a routine establishes a sense of normalcy in your home, space and family. It reduces your tendency to procrastinate.

Our brains are naturally lazy and will follow the path of least resistance. Not only does having a daily routine help with anxiety, but it becomes your brain’s go-to process of doing things. This Ted talk on procrastination is a great resource to anyone failing in the area of routines or self-discipline.

 3. Have Video Calls With Your Loved Ones or Favourite Colleagues 

Working from home requires discipline. Sometimes, the obstacle is getting started and sitting at your desk to work on that project. If you can not for the life of you start, call your favourite colleague, catch up with them and how they’re coping with the social distancing norm. This might be all the motivation you need.

Have daily video calls with your friends and family to see how everyone is doing and share some of that love the world needs right now. Human beings are social animals. We don’t need to see each other to care or catch up. When you catch up with the people you care about, you bring ease, love and light in your world which helps you focus on other tasks.

4. Read a Book

Books are the cheapest way to travel. Through a book, you can escape into another world and live there for two hours. A book calms your brain and thought activity as it gives it a constant pace through which you can release some of that anxiety.

Anxious parents are not fun to be around, and we want to be fun to be around. Whether you go for fiction or non-fiction, now is the best time to escape into a book.

5. Accept That You Won’t Always Win Everyday

This is something you have to accept and live with. There are days you’ll achieve or you had planned to achieve. You’ll do everything at the right time, in perfect order, and have time to relax. Then there are days you’ll wake up at 10.00 am.

You’re doing great mum. Give yourself some elbow room for failure. By accepting this, you release yourself of any self-judgment you might mete upon yourself and learn to see the glass half full.

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