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How to Manage Stress During COVID-19 Pandemic

Although all of us are isolated, know that you are not alone

By Azra Shuib | March 10th, 2021

By now, it’s not difficult to understand why a huge number of people are overwhelmed with uncertainties and unknowns. A lot of people are working tirelessly around the clock to reduce the COVID-19 spread while some are fighting to just live calmly. To be caught in these unprecedented times can cause one to be in a lot of stress.

 

Those who might become more stressed include:


  • People at high-risk for developing a severe case of COVID-19 if contracted

  • Healthcare workers and other frontline workers

  • Children and teens

  • Patients with mental health conditions

  • Patients with chronic illnesses who need to regularly visit the hospital

  • People who are facing financial instability due to the pandemic

It's substantial to equip yourself by learning how to manage stress so that you could arrange your thoughts rationally and overcome it. Above all, it’s also important that you stay healthy as there is no worse timing for you to fall ill especially at times like this.

Coping with stress in a good way will make you, your loved ones and your community stronger. Here are some ways to manage stress during COVID-19 pandemic:

    1. Control your news and social media consumption

As a lot of us are spending most of our time by ourselves. And that means more time with our smartphones. It seems like the timeline is flooded with news reports and health statistics every hour, bringing undue stress. Undeniably, there are also positive messages spattered across to keep our spirits up. Hence it is important to choose the kind of content we would like to see. Follow only the reliable news sources and avoid accounts that serve unchecked information. It is good to stay informed, but it is equally pivotal that we control it the best way we can as a selfcare step.

     2. Have a new routine to keep you busy

Consider waking up at the same time each day and have a routine to avoid soaking up too much pandemic news or wasting time scrolling the screen. Get in healthy activities such as journaling, regular house cleaning, cooking healthy foods and exercising. Although the internet can induce stress, it’s also a getaway to learning new stuff everyday. Start learning new recipes, crafts or skills; or you can even get in a workout session with a lot of videos and online classes available on social media. Just because you’re at home more often now, it doesn’t mean that you can’t have fun. Take it as an opportunity to do something you love even longer. This may be gardening, painting, designing and others.

     3. Postpone major life decisions and resolve personal issues

You have probably looked forward to that important life event, that is until COVID-19 came about. If you are already so stressed about it, it’s best to delay it until time permits. Try to keep things in perspective and be hopeful that this difficult time shall pass if not ease, and normal life will resume. Resolve personal conflicts that may be amplified while everyone is asked to stay at home. Communicate with people with honesty and get in touch with those who can help. Try to list your issues and solve them gradually day by day to help ease the mental burden.

     4. Control your workload

If you are one of those people who are working from home, you might face a problem in balancing work and personal life. Avoid doing work for long hours and continuously, as this could lead to more stress and health issues. Take breaks when you need to relax your strained eyes and incorrect posture. Have a goal of what to accomplish in the day and try to avoid additional responsibilities that you know will consume too much of your energy. Learn to say ‘no’ so you could deliver a better output each day. Keep in mind that your tasks will continue everyday and won’t be finished, therefore look into the bigger picture and don’t stress too much about the small, meticulous stuff.

    5. Follow expert-recommended health guidelines

Practice the new norm as instructed by the World Health Organization. This includes frequent hand-washing, physical distancing, practicing respiratory etiquette and applying good hygiene measures. This can help you to stay safe and confident during this pandemic. 

Listed are the covid tests available at our affiliated clinics / hospitals. If you suspect that you might have contracted the virus, follow quarantine guidelines and get yourself tested at your nearby centres. Adhere to the instructions by the healthcare provider and monitor your symptoms.

COVID-19 Test @ Sunway Medical Centres   

COVID-19 Test @ Ramsay Sime Darby Health Centres   

COVID-19 Test @ Dr Liew Clinic    

COVID-19 Test @ BNH Hospital Bangkok   

COVID-19 Test @ Medconsult Clinic Bangkok   

COVID-19 Test @ Shinbashi Aoki Clinic Tokyo

 

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