These are stressful times in the world and it’s easy to get consumed with the never-ending stream of information as everyone in the world is suffering through the same thing. Parents are facing the additional stress of taking on homeschooling as their kids are stuck at home. Employees are having to navigate the task of working from home, if they’re lucky, while others are having to face fears daily just to get to work or bring in income. Social media is crawling with stories about the economy failing, unemployment rates going up, people dying, and so many more stories that add to our stress. It doesn’t help that with all this additional time cooped up at home, our screen time is rising, and we are constantly surrounded by the negative. That is why it is so crucial to distance ourselves from social media for the sake of our mental health.

Listed below are a few ways to help yourself and your anxiety:

Spend time without your phone!

This is crucial and I understand that in today’s world it is increasingly difficult to leave your phone at home, but you can leave it for a few hours. Just put it down, volume off, and walk away to do something fun.

Go outside!

Plant some flowers, put out a chair and sunbathe, go for a walk around the neighborhood (but stay away from neighbors), read a book or do anything else that gets you outside and breathing some fresh air.

Cook or bake something delicious!

Take the time at home to cook that Pinterest recipe you’ve had saved for a year but never thought you’d have the time to try out. Learn how to bake some cookies or brownies. I made peanut butter cookies to decompress and not only do I feel less stressed, but I have yummy treats to snack on. I know there are influencers around the globe encouraging us to use this time to lose weight, but it’s also a time unlike any other in history and sometimes taking the time to focus on following a recipe and creating something new can be a game-changer for the way you’re feeling.

Exercise!

While some people find peace in the process of cooking, others find it in exercise. Many gyms and studios around the country have moved to online classes and are offering various promotions or free classes to help you get through this time. Maybe try an exercise class you’ve never tried before. You can’t be embarrassed when there’s no one watching you, right?

Meditate!

Take the time to sit and close your eyes and think about your place in the world. Practice those breathing techniques and mindfulness; be here now. If you’re new to meditation, there is an abundance of resources online or videos on YouTube to help guide you through a meditation practice.

Get creative!

Break out those Crayolas and draw it out! You don’t have to be a good drawer to use this practice to help you process your feelings. Draw how you’re feeling or what’s around you; the cute dog you’ve been spending tons of time with, a flower, or whatever else your super creative mind can ponder up.

Of course, there are many, many more things you can do during this time, but the most important to consider is distancing yourself from the constant intake of negativity on social media. This is a trying time for all of us and while everything feels as if it is out of our control, we can control what we let stress us out and add to the anxiety. By distancing ourselves from the negative we can take back a little of what we can control and can make it just a little bit easier to get through these hard times.