Top Tips to Deal with Post-Lockdown Anxiety

Following the COVID-19 lockdown, everyone is anxious about returning to work and what the new “normal” may be. We would like to provide some top tips on how to manage your anxiety to help you successfully return to a daily routine.

Acknowledge how you’re feeling

Take some time to work out what specifically is worrying you and what’s triggering your anxiety. Are you worried about your health? Returning to an unpleasant working environment? Once you know exactly what it is that’s troubling you, you can either adjust or adapt to change the reality or adapt your thinking around it.

Use this time as an opportunity for change

If lockdown has helped you realise you’re desperately unhappy with some part of your pre-pandemic life, it’s time to change it. That might mean ending a relationship, quitting a job or changing how you spend your free time.

Try not to let your mind run on a negative thought loop

If you find yourself thinking of the worst possible scenarios it’s vital to press pause and refuse to let your thoughts spiral.

Keep a gratitude journal

Just write down one good thing that happens a day. Any way you can record the positive and actually write it down is a wonderful habit to get into.

Don’t feel pressured to rush

A pandemic is a completely reasonable reason to feel overwhelmed and going from lockdown back into ‘normal’ life is quite an adjustment. Take things slow and take the time to look after yourself rather than feeling like you have to jump straight back into exactly how things were before.

Set yourself up for success

We all worry about the future. The anticipation and mounting what-ifs can be one of the toughest things to get past. Instead of focusing on the tasks or meetings you have ahead, try instead thinking about the here and now.

Take care of your body

It can be easy to overlook how well we look after our bodies and what we eat can have a significant impact on our stress and anxiety levels. The more stressed and anxious we are feeling, the more our digestive systems can be under strain. Small changes to your diet can have a surprising impact on how you are feeling physically and emotionally. Try reducing your caffeine and alcohol intake, as well eating fewer foods high in fat and sugar. While alcohol may have an instant calming effect in the moment, it can increase the amount of long-term stress through further impacts on your overall health and wellbeing over time.

Switch off and relax

We’ve each got our own unique self-care routines, but how many of us spend our downtime moving from one screen at work, to another at home? If you find yourself putting your brain in neutral and sitting down with Netflix or scrolling through social media, you may not be giving yourself the time to actively relax, unwind, reconnect with your body, and recognise any signs of stress or strain you may be experiencing. Listening to music or podcasts can be a relaxing way to unwind without staying glued to your screens. Providing a soothing background noise during meditation, music can help us to calm ourselves, reduce the effects of anxiety, and provide a boost of comfort and positivity