By Samantha Vitone

Times are tough right now and it is hard to ignore with what is going on in the world, especially in the United States of the year 2020. When I sign in to any social media platform or put the news on, what I usually see is fear. I love being informed and educated with current events but lately, it has played a negative toll on me. I have been feeling sad, upset and concerned. I bet you that I am not the only person who has hit that point during this craziness.

I recently realized that I needed to make some active changes in my life to help keep my spirits uplifted and to have a sane mind. Below are a few tips and tricks that help me feel relax when I am upset and I want to share them with my readers. This is a time where we should help each other out and I hope my tips will help you too.

• 1)      Healthy Activities: Step away from your smart phone and yes, you will be okay. “The vast majority of Americans who have access to the internet rely on social media to keep up with friends and current events.” Most of us can agree that social media is a fun and a colossal time-suck and addictive. It has become so easy to access anywhere and anytime and we feel compelled to pay attention 24/7 to what is taking place on our newsfeeds. According to Dr. David Greenfield, he said, ”staying away from social media makes you less prone to such high level of cortisol, leaving you more relaxed and focus. Choose more mentally engaging activity to banish your boredom instead of scrolling through your feeds such as reading a book or building something,” (I love reading books so if you need any book recommendations, let me know!). Once you stop scrolling through other people’s opinions or news, “you will likely find out more about what motivates you, activities you enjoy and it will help lead to the discovery of one’s self.” There are applications that can help keep you off your social media accounts such as Offtime, Moment, Forest and more.
• 2)       Emotions – It is okay to open up and to seek help. Talk to your family or friends with your issues or even just vent to get some feelings off your chest. If you do not want to talk to anyone who is close to you at first, that is okay. There are several services that can help you such as therapy, find a support group and other helpful services. Or, writing your feelings and thought, can help you understand your feelings more clearly which can improve your mood. “Journaling can help you manage anxiety, reduce stress and cope with depression.”
• 3)      Staying Active – When I finish a work out, I feel happier and better from either doing a high-intensity work out, a run or the spin bike. Why is that? According to healthdirect.gov.au, regular exercise releases chemicals like endorphins and serotonin which makes you feel good. A recent study done by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that, “running for 15 minutes a day or walking for an hour reduces the risk of major depression by 26%.” In addition to relieving depression symptoms, research also shows that maintaining an exercise schedule can prevent you from relapsing. Even a little bit of activity is better than nothing, take a few minutes out of your day and do a physical activity such as walking in your neighborhood, yoga, stretching and more.
• 4)      Take A Deep Breath In And Now, Let It Out – What helps me sleep every night is doing deep breathing exercises. The way you breathe affects your whole body and breathing exercises are a great way to reduce tension, relax and relieve stress. Improper breathing can cause anxiety, panic attacks and fatigue. According to psychologist and breathing expert Alison McConnell, “taking 6-10 minutes each day using this breathing technique can help reduce your heart rate and blood pressure.” There are several different breathing exercises that can help you relax. Do your research to find deep breathing techniques that works best for you.

Difficult times can feel incredibly overwhelming and there are many things we can do to soften the blow. The tips above are ways that can help you be mentally strong during tough times. What helps you de-stress? To help others, let others know what healthy and safe ways that help you relax.

Samantha is an Associate Member to the Paralegal Association of New Jersey, Inc. She is also the Social Media Coordinator for the New York City Paralegal Association Inc. She enjoys being active and involved in the legal industry, especially the paralegal world.

Works Cited

https://www.healthline.com/health/my-65-week-digital-detox

https://www.thehealthy.com/mental-health/quit-social-media/

http://www.psyweb.com/articles/mental-health/journaling-to-cope-with-depression-anxiety-and-stress/

https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/exercise-and-mental-health-recovery

https://greatist.com/happiness/breathing-exercises-relax