So, the ruins of 2020 remained behind. However, for many people, it seems, little has changed, except for the year in the calendar. If you are interested in how emotionally prepare for the upcoming months of Groundhog - and, perhaps, even get joy - here are some tips.
Plan a little pleasureIf you feel about the type of people who are accustomed to in January to make a large-scale plan for the coming year, slower. "Now you can plan the little things that are looking forward to," says Professor Psychology of the University of Virginia Bethany Tichman. Since the usual plans for her family - like many other people - went the shock, they came up with how to diversify their time. Each family member came up with an interesting occupation. For example, at the request of the eldest daughter, the fans of the show "The Best Baker Britain", the family decided to "dial a ton of ingredients for baking and do something really complicated." Plan "Everything that brings you a spark of joy," as much as possible in the coming months, Tichman advises.
Determine what is importantThere are still months of restrictions ahead, and the pandemic may seem endless punishment. Although sitting at home and refrain from travel - it is even closely like a real prison, there is one thing that can be learned from prisoners who are best adapted to long sentences: they determine (or override) what matters, says Mitch Abrams, psychological health care psychologist in New Jersey prisons.
Doctor Abrams often sets its patients a number of questions, for example, what and who is important for you? How would you like to see your heritage? And what are you ready to do to make your life as much as possible in existing circumstances? And one more thing: "We are social creatures. Circumstances sometimes make it difficult to build, strengthen and develop relations. How can you develop relationships with yourself to then do the same in relations with other people? "
Dr. Abrams says that the 21 years of experience in prisons taught him to two things. First, people are incredibly stable and are capable of adapting, secondly, happiness comes from the inside. "The more you appreciate what you have, the better you feel," he says. - I do not mean only material things. It may be your sincere equilibrium, it can be your health. "
Stay in MomentThe psychology of sports for endurance tells us that the body is capable of much greater than the brain thinks. (If someone told you in March, how long will the pandemic last, would you think that you can cope with this?) So focus on the current moment, and not in the overall picture.
Anxiety arises due to the fact that you are postponed to the future, but "if you save energy for the current moment and do not think how much miles ahead, sometimes it becomes easier," says a psychologist from the University of Bata Joe Daniels, the author of the study that causes Anxiety and depression under insulation conditions.
How to stay in the moment? There are all sorts of exercises for awareness, one of them is to list five things for which you are grateful, no matter how small they are - yes, a cup of hot coffee is important. When you feel depressed, think only about going through the next hour or the next day, and not about the next week or next month.
Dr. Daniels Pandemic Study has shown that negative survival strategies are such as repetitive overeating and excessive alcohol use - affect the level of anxiety and stress of people more than more positive ways, such as supporting support. "Try to do something good, but definitely do not do bad," she says. No one offers to refuse cocktail at the end of the day or afternoon cake. In her opinion, problems arise if you constantly use these things to change your mood, and then feel guilty for it.
Find what you can controlIf you feel the hostage of a pandemic, this is due to the fact that it has one common feature with real captivity. This is a fundamental uncertainty, considers the former police officer and a military psychologist from South Wales Emma Kavana, who taught the psychology of negotiating hostages. People who, being hostages psychologically feel better, often try to restore control over the environment. They say: "Today I will do 100 steps on the camera" or "I will make 50 pushups."
"Some of your own solutions help restore the sense of control," Kavan notes. Exercise is a good choice, because they increase the level of endorphins, but you do not have to be killed until the seventh sweat. It may be all that makes you feel control over your daily experience, whether it is some kind of routine or a small daily ritual.
Enjoy flexibility and toleranceIn a series of studies published in October in the journal Frontiers in Psychology, it was considered how uncertainty complicates the confrontation. In one study, the part of the participants said they would speak with a speech (which in itself should be alarming), the second part - that they will evaluate the speeches, and the third - what failed, and they will learn later that they have to do. Then all the groups solved complex anagrams, and the group that did not know what task them would have made the smallest number of attempts to solve the puzzles. (The following in the number were those who thought they need to speak with speech.)
One of theories explains that when there is uncertainty, "people retain all their energy to the appearance of what they do not know," a professor of psychology of the Texas University of Technology and a lead author of Jessica Alquist's research notes.
According to Tichman, who also studied uncertainty, the least exposed to the inhibition and best coped with the uncertainty of flexible people. If you stalled, ask yourself, whether you hurray with conclusions or intend the worst. Is there another way to look at the situation? You might think about someone who admire, and imagine how this person copes with stress, no matter how he responded to this situation. People for whom the glass is half empty, do not worry: it does not mean that you should always think that things will go well. "There is no only correct way to think about situations, because the context and requirements are constantly changing," says Tichman.
Tolerance to uncertainty can also be improved - even in conditions of insulation. Try something new, which you have not done before, it is desirable that you scares you a little. Dr. Tichman tried to jump with a parachute and on a tarzanque to shake himself, but you do not need to go so far. You can simply write a message to a person with whom you recently met and would like to make friends. The bottom line is to do something that you do not quite understand what everything is over, because it makes you put up with uncertainty.
"You can do it," says Tichman. "It's inconvenient, but not dangerous." (Well, if you do not choose a parachute sport.)