Six Ways to Take Care of the You That Matters

Within the past year, the United States alone has endured a global pandemic, extreme racism, a worsening political climate, and I think it is far to say, just an overall crappy year. Seriously, it’s almost been a full year; the world completely shut down in March of 2020. 

Life as we knew it has been thrown in the trash. Along with it went the methods that we learned to help us maintain our mental wellness. And I think that it is fair to argue that the United States has been in an ongoing mental health pandemic that has only been exasperated by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

One of the main tools that people use to maintain mental wellness, community, has been stripped away as most states have been under a safer at home order for most of the year. 

For children that normally attend school in person, they have likely not had normal socialization for a year (and don’t even get me started on only children). For children that depend on brick and mortar school buildings to be their safe space, it hasn’t been for a year. They have either had to be at home for a year trying to learn through a computer screen or going back and forth from virtual learning and in-person learning due to the rise and fall of COVID cases.  

Those in college have been going back and forth from home to school, online classes to in-person classes, or some variation of the two for a year. And, again, socialization that you would normally experience at the college level, has not been normal for close to a year.  

For working adults, some of us have lost our jobs, some of us have had to readjust to work from home, some have been going in to work as essential workers, and those of us that are parents have been having to do the work of at least a supporting teacher at home - if not more. 

Many times I have asked myself: “what can I even do?” And I am someone who was in therapy regularly, am studying to be a School Counselor and a Licensed Professional Counselor, and am an avid mental health advocate. And more days than not I am finding myself overwhelmed, and, as a result, just down. 

As I began to help others through this time, I found myself giving the same advice over, and over again; which can be summarized into six ways to begin to take care of yourself and your mental health during this time. 

1. Be Patient with Yourself. 


Listen, I think for the first time in a while we are all depressed and anxious in one way or another. Quite literally: you are not alone. Having to relearn coping mechanisms and self-care strategies is common right now. Things that once worked for you, may not work for you anymore, and that is okay. Go back to the drawing board, you will find something that works. I promise. 

2. Implement a Routine 

Much of the problem that we have experienced as a community is that our routines have been tossed out of the window. And even the most flexible person likes having a routine.

At the beginning of the pandemic I would wake up and log in to co-teach a few classes and the rest of the day was mine. But classes weren’t required for students to attend at the end of last school year, so logging in to teach wasn’t always necessary. This means I was on a bit of an early summer vacation, with no job. I had no routine. I would stay up until 3-4 in the morning (maybe later), take random naps throughout the day, binge-watch shows on Hulu and Netflix, maybe watch a sermon or two on YouTube - the days were just blending together. Sound familiar? I think a lot of us were on a wheel of ‘just living.’ 

Even now, with set times for work, I was finding that if work was all I had to do, I wasn’t filling the rest of my days with anything. So - routine it is. 

I have tried to set out a morning routine and a nighttime routine, and to-do lists throughout the day. The morning routine will allow me to start my day without feeling rushed, my nighttime routine will allow me to end my day and get ready for the next, and my to-do lists ensure that I am productive throughout my days.

My morning routine looks as simple as: 

Wake up 

Walk and Feed Georgie (my dog) 

PRWRP (Pray, Read, Write, Read, Pray) 


My nighttime routine is even simpler: 

My phone goes on Do Not Disturb automatically at 11:30 pm 

Make a to-do list for tomorrow 

3. Keep in Contact with your Community. 

We have had to relearn how to socialize using Zoom, FaceTime, Skype, and other video conferencing apps, not to mention that we have had to now rely on social media to keep us updated on those in our community. But, as most of us know, social media can also be detrimental to our mental health as we can get caught up in the art of comparison. However, since those are the only tools that we have right now, we have to use them. 

My mom has had the same group of best friends for as long as I have been alive, but as life happens, the time between when they talked became longer and longer, during this pandemic they set up weekly Zoom Happy Hours, and she said that they now look forward to their Friday calls, and talk throughout the week. 

So my suggestion is: set up a Zoom happy hour or game night with your friends. Use this time to be intentional about staying in contact with your community, they still want to hear from you. And community is one of the best things to surround yourself with in times of crisis.  

4. Be honest with yourself 

Something that I have found helpful and necessary is having honest conversations with myself about how I am feeling on that day, what I am thinking. In being honest with myself I know what I may need to open up and talk to someone else about. 

While some conversations I have in my head, I also utilize my voice memos app on my phone as well as my notes app. If I am having a particularly thoughtful day, I will make sure that the thoughts in my head get out in one way or another. 

5. Do one thing for yourself every day. 

This sticky note reminder came up on my Instagram feed one day and I am obsessed with it. 

In a world where we are constantly doing things for others, do just one thing for yourself; even if it means putting your phone on do not disturb for 30 minutes and reading a book. 

I, for example, have rediscovered the joy in naps. 90% of what I have on my plate involves me doing something for other people. So, once my first job is done, and before I switch modes into my “second” job, I will try to take a nap or at least lay down with no distractions. 

6. Stay active 

A few years ago when I started my fitness journey (the first time), my mom encouraged me to work out for 30 minutes a day - or 3 miles, whichever came first. Which meant that I could do an at-home workout for 30 minutes, or do a walk/run for 3 miles. 


Whatever staying active looks like for you during this time, do it. That may mean going on a walk during your lunch break, or downloading a fitness app and taking advantage of their workouts. If you need a few suggestions here are three that I always keep on my phone: Keep Trainer, FitOn, Nike Training App. 

So, there you have it. Six things that you can begin to implement in your daily life that may begin to help you cope with the craziness that is the world we live in.