Whether you are coping with a loved one’s illness or encountering unexpected financial stress, these mental burdens can have a powerful impact on our overall well-being.

It probably hasn’t helped that we have all been encouraged to remain socially isolated which, for a lot of us, means that we can’t handle stress the way we normally would. Some of us may have gone to the gym or to a friend’s house after a difficult day, but without those options available these days, a little more creativity needs to go into finding sources of peace and comfort.

Meditate

Meditation is increasingly becoming a way for people to deal with anxiety in their lives. With so many news articles, social media updates, and television broadcasts flooding our lives with current events, it often seems impossible to experience a few moments of solitude.

Leave your phone, TV, and computer in another room and go find a quiet corner in your home. Spend five minutes in silence, breathing deeply and trying to clear your mind of thoughts. With more practice, you will find it becomes easier with each try.

Do More of the Things You Love

Now is not the time to be worried about dust on a bookshelf or whether your windows are streak-free. Spend your time inside reading, writing, or listening to music. Chances are that during a normal week you wish you had more time to enjoy these sorts of things. Make the most of your time at home and revisit the music that made you happy when you were younger, or a nostalgic series on Netflix.

Grow Something

Whether you have space for a backyard garden or just one small plant on a windowpane, you can benefit from filling your life with greenery. Find a pretty glass container (even an old spaghetti jar can work), and fill it with a little dirt and some seeds. Keep the soil moist until the plant begins to sprout, and then water as needed.

Indoor plants help purify the air, so surround yourself with many. Digging in dirt may be the project you need to keep your mind occupied.

Foster a Pet

Shelters around the nation do not have enough room for all the animals that are being sent there. If you are working from home and are an animal-lover, now is the perfect time to foster a dog or cat. You will have plenty of time to spend with the animal, and studies show that playing with animals is therapeutic. Also, walking a dog is great exercise and gives you an excuse to go into the outside world for a while.

If your stress levels have really skyrocketed these past few weeks, you may want to use telehealth counseling services. Many providers are offering this video option for their patients. Whatever your strategy is for dealing with stress, remember that this situation is temporary.