Stress Less: Remote School Edition
As we continue to see an increase in the return of remote learning, some of us might have started to feel déjà vu seeping in: poor internet connections, logins not working, flurries of interruptions, privacy disappearing fast. We start to feel that agitation tinged with annoyance creep itself back into our lives: I thought we had gone through this already!
We did but unlike last year or the year before that (how time flies when you’re dealing with a global pandemic!), this round of remote schooling feels different. Almost like the last inning of a baseball game where victory is in sight, but you can’t seem to strike out the opposing team. This time it feels even more difficult to get through than in years past, which is why taking time out of the day to perform concrete steps of relaxation is as vital as that extra cup of coffee we need again just to get through the morning routine.
Mapping out the day can be extremely helpful. Just like we set meeting schedules for the week, let’s try instituting set relaxation times. Kids have virtual gym class? Take that same time to do your own at-home gym routine. Lunchtime? Join them! Naps at 2pm? Who said you can’t take a nap yourself during the day?If you can, schedule your needs during the same hours kids are focused on thiers. Just keeping a schedule for yourself and your kids can help quickly deflate the stress levels: everyone knows what they should be doing at every given time. In that same spirit, make sure to schedule out your eating habits. Working from home or having the kids learning remotely can lead to stress eating. Keep the food healthy to avoid the afternoon crash and try to keep lunch and snack times consistent.
Schedules are nice but no technology is even nicer. Take the time to completely disconnect. Make sure the work notifications are shut off when you’re done for the day and shut the computer screen down. The same goes for our kids: when school is done, get back into the habit of what would normally happen if they were getting home from school: homework, playing, practice, or chores.
Trying getting up and getting dressed. It’s no surprise we call comfy clothes lounge-wear. We associate our clothes to a state of being. If work and school are in session, get dressed, but once they’re done, find those comfortable clothes and begin the process of unwinding.
But the real key to a successful, stress-free remote learning environment is discovering what makes you feel relaxed. You can schedule as many relaxation times into your calendar but if scrolling through Instagram is your only form of “relief”, you might just end up feeling even more stressed. We know the importance of exercise in staying off a whole range of psychological concerns such as anxiety, depression, and stress, and with our beautiful California weather, it’s easy to find outdoor spaces to get some fresh air and exercise. Meditation, yoga, baking, music, jogging, Facetime, tea, books, coloring, puzzles, games….the gambit of options of stress-less activities is as wide as it is long. Find your technique and incorporate it. Make relaxation just as much of a priority to your daily tasks as everything else, and you’ll begin to feel a shift in your mood. Yes, remote schooling is difficult for everyone, but the stress of it doesn’t need to take over our lives.
