It's Okay If You Just Survived Today

By: Kelly Graham, MSW, RSW

You’ve probably been bombarded with articles about how you should use your time in self-isolation to better yourself (learn a language, play an instrument, etc.). However, this can be hard for a lot of people. We are feeling stressed and anxious about what is happening in the world, and for some people that isn't easy to overcome. 

It is okay if you just survived the day.
 
Sometimes if we get caught up in thinking how productive we should be with this time; it makes us feel even more stressed when we are having trouble doing anything besides normal daily tasks. Getting out of bed can be hard enough for people, let alone during a pandemic.
 
If you can make it from your bed to the couch, then that’s a win.
 
If you can feed yourself, that’s a win.
 
If you can even shower and get dressed, that’s a win.

​Don’t pay attention to what other people are doing with their time. Being busy may help people stay distracted and ease their anxiety, which doesn’t always work for other people. We are quicker to share on social media what we have done, compared to what we haven’t. So even if somebody looks like they’ve been productive and done so much, that may not be the case, but just what they present to the world.
 
The threat that we are currently facing with COVID-19, is triggering the fight, flight, or freeze reaction in most of us. However, this is not something that we can easily control. You can’t run from it, you can’t actively fight it (besides doing your part with social distancing and isolation), and even if you freeze, the threat will not go away. So, not only are we stressed from the threat itself, but we also struggle with feeling out of control and helpless. This leads to us being exhausted, anxious, and just drained mentally, physically, and emotionally. With all of these mental and physical symptoms, it is hard to function normally, let alone flourish most times. 

So, it is okay if all you did was survive today.

​By surviving each day, you are winning against the stress and anxiety (even if it may not feel like it). It is okay to just do what helps you feel better and not be productive. It is also okay to do nothing at all if that is what you need. Take this isolation day by day, and just do what you can to help yourself feel better.