How To Stay Sane During Insane Times

My life is one big discombobulated series of events on repeat. The workdays and weekend days are blended and any attempt to add structure and boundaries around work life balance seems to constantly collapse. Despite the ongoing chaos of two working parents with demanding jobs and responsibilities, endless household chores, two kids in virtual school (Kindergarten and Grade Four) and a geriatrics dog that needs a lot of attention, I am grateful for our health and time together as a family of four, plus an old loving dog.

The reality of our new reality is that some days are truly better than others. Some days I feel sane, but other days I feel like I am going to have an anxiety attack every hour on the hour. I do my best to give myself grace and try not to spiral into a thought pattern that feeds into the negative news cycles. There are deliberate decisions I’ve made over the last couple of months to protect my sanity and I thought it might be helpful to share some of my strategies on LinkedIn to help others in similar situations to this working mom juggling “all the things.”

Here goes:

But first, coffee

I love coffee! I cannot be my best, sane self without coffee! Since I need a good cup of coffee to get me going in the mornings, I decided to stop using a Keurig and to invest in a coffee machine that grinds whole beans and brews a much more flavorful and enjoyable cup of coffee. The Keurig was more for convenience and since I am home all the time, I wanted to enjoy my coffee experience. My husband also added a coffee delivery of whole beans from our local coffee shop which feels so good to support local business. If you love coffee, consider removing an “instant” experience so that you can truly start your day off enjoying your brew!

Remove email from your phone

Early in the lock down I got a new phone. When the new phone arrived, I made the deliberate decision to not put my email accounts (personal or professional) back on my phone. My logic for this decision was since I was already home all the time, I needed to be able to step away from my never ending exploding inbox as well as not check my email when I was with my family. As the months clicked by, I have not felt the need to add my email back on my phone. I have found this liberating and recommend no emails on your phone if you are not traveling or never too far away from your computer.

Meditation

Over the years I have engaged in sporadic meditation practices. Over the last couple of months, I have made this part of my morning ritual in a meaningful and consistent way. I attribute my new consistent practice to my ability to handle stressful situations. When I don’t meditate, I feel triggered and stay in a negative state for longer. When I do meditate, I can talk myself off the proverbial ledge of jumping in to “anxiety land.” I currently use a meditation assigned to me by a personal development coach I am working with and I also recommend the following apps: Calm and Insight Timer. I am also a big fan of any Abraham-Hicks meditations (financial and well-being are my favorite) on YouTube.

Hire a coach

In my last paragraph I mentioned I hired a coach. During these turbulent and stressful times, it is important to seek help and support. Recently, I hired a coach to help me deal with my growing anxiety. My coach shares strategies so that I can heal and work through situations that I have experienced which have negatively impacted my professional growth. I tend to hold on to negative stories and thought patterns that just keep me stuck. My coach is helping me to see the mind body connection between my stress while giving me tremendous insight for my personal development journey.

Get up before your family

I have always been an early riser so my 5am wake up calls are not so difficult for me. I rise early so I can meditate, go for a walk, deal with important work tasks (emails or projects) before my family gets up and starts asking me for “all the things.” Getting a head start in the morning sets the pace for me to control my day on my terms vs everyone dictating how my day is going to flow.

Grocery pick up or delivery

My only regret with grocery delivery or pick up is that I did not start this sooner! This has made a huge difference in my sanity and not only does this save me time, this one change to my routine saves me money! We currently use Walmart grocery pick up and we are so happy with this service.

Drink more water

Dehydration is real! I recently purchased a water container that is exactly how much water I am meant to be drinking every day per my weight. It is so easy to forget to drink your water so this massive jug stares me in the face all day reminding me to drink more water. The bathroom breaks are annoying, but at least I am in my bathroom and not running to a public stall every 20-30 minutes! Water is so important to stay clear and focused and plays a huge role in our overall healthy and well-being.

I hope you found my strategies for staying sane during insane times helpful. I would love to hear your ideas and rituals as well! Drop me a comment below and lets inspire one another to stay sane and curb the anxiety that undoubtedly sneaks up on us quickly!