Everyone is stressed out with the uncertainty of how long this pandemic will prevail and how long we will be in a state of emergency. Most of you are probably anxious and wondering when things will return to normal. You miss your friends and family. Perhaps, you miss going out to restaurants and other social gatherings. We are all in the same boat!
If you miss your family and friends, give them a call or connect on social media. You can even use a few apps to video chat with them for free, such as Skype, WhatsApp and Zoom. We can still keep in touch and stay connected.
Please take comfort in knowing that you are not alone, we are all waiting for this state of emergency to pass and it will pass. Other countries, like China are recovering and we will too. It is just a matter of time.
The best thing you can do right now is try to keep busy and focus on other things. One way to help manage your stress, is to disconnect from media for a certain period of time each day. Nowadays we are bombarded by information from social media, news agencies and other information sources; this can lead to information overload, which is when there is so much information thrown at us, that we become overwhelmed by it. To treat this condition, we need to take a break from our devices and focus on something else. What can you do instead? You can go for a walk, paint, read a book for pleasure, draw, play board games/cards/video games or go bird watching. Perhaps, you can take this as an opportunity to return to hobbies that you once enjoyed. You can also take some time to meditate. Close your eyes, clear your mind and take deep breaths, focusing on your breathing. If you need some help meditating, the Markham Public Library has a list of e-resources including ebooks and downloadable audiobooks that you can take a look at here:
This is a list of yoga, meditation and stress management e-resources including ebooks and downloadable audiobooks.
If you need someone to talk to during this difficult time, please visit one of the following sites to speak with someone who can help:
For updates on the current situation in Markham you can check the city’s website: https://www.markham.ca/wps/portal/home/about/COVID-19-Information
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