Listen to Divya dialogue with Priyamvada Aggarwal, a counselling psychologist on how to practice self-care during COVID-19.
“Keep checking in with yourself to see what feelings come up. Is it stress, is it anger or am I grieving the loss of normal life?”
Q1. How to navigate through the content that constantly tells us to be productive during COVID-19 distress?
There is a lot of noise out there telling us to be productive by learning a new hobby or a language, picking up a new skill, and learning how to be disciplined. This discounts that we are amidst a global pandemic. During this time, it’s essential to keep checking with yourself about your needs.
Q2. With no end in sight, how do we cope with this pandemic?
We don’t know when things will go back to normal or what the new normal will even be. Due to this, a lot of uncertainty has prevailed. Looking for definite answers might cause stress. Therefore, it’s time to get a little comfortable with uncertainty.
Q3. How to feel connected during the lockdown?
Connection before the lockdown used to happen more organically. Currently, staying connected is a more conscious effort. With technology at our disposal, we should utilise by staying in touch with our friends and family. Zoom, Whatsapp and House Party are great mediums to keep in touch. It’s important to keep checking-in with others.
Q4. Can you break down self-care to fit today’s scenario?
Shrink down larger activities into baby steps.
- Mindfulness
Instead of an hour-long meditation, start with 5 minutes. Meditation has some phenomenal effects by making our day more calm and relaxed. - Sensory Grounding
To ground yourself in the present moment try the exercise of listing 5 things you can see, 4 things you can feel, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste.
Q5. How to set up boundaries when working from home?
Setting up boundaries can be an extremely passionate activity for yourself. Healthy communication is key. If you are going to set boundaries with your friends and family, maybe offer an alternate time to spend with them? Respond to their requests and don’t react.
Check out the article by Priyamvada Aggarwal, a Counselling Psychologist on ‘Micro Self-Care in Daily Life’ here.