Life has been a bit crazy (OK, a lot crazy) lately and whether you suffer from anxiety on a regular basis or are experiencing newfound anxiety while we all try our best to navigate these uncertain times, you’re not alone. Moms all over the country are just doing their best to get through the day right now—and prioritizing our mental health while we do so is more important than ever.
While some moms are turning to helpful apps and at-home workouts to de-stress and keep their anxiety in check, others are finding simple actions like getting outside every day and talking out their feelings with others to be the best ways to cope. And to help give you a few more ideas, we polled our Instagram audience of Everymom readers to ask what they’re doing to personally deal with the intense anxiety and stress many of us are feeling during the COVID-19 pandemic and 2020 Election.
Keep reading to see 20 simple and helpful ways our readers are coping with anxiety. And remember, whatever you’re doing to stay sane, healthy, optimistic, and motivated right now, keep doing it, mamas—we’re all in this together.
All responses below were submitted anonymously from real Everymom readers. All responses are original from our audience, but some have been edited for grammar and/or clarity.
Question: How are YOU coping with anxiety right now?
1. Limiting media consumption to once a day from a trusted source
2. Belting out show tunes
3. Taking daily family walks
4. Journaling
5. Enjoying my favorite snacks
6. Writing down a list of things I’m grateful for
7. Taking an at-home yoga class (even if it’s with my toddler right next to me)
8. Meditating
9. Avoiding people who stress me out
10. Taking a hot shower
11. Talking my feelings out with my spouse
12. Silencing news alerts on my phone
13. Enjoying the happy little moments with my family
14. Using the Calm app
15. Coloring in coloring books
16. Group texting with friends and sharing good moments
17. Exercising in any way I can that makes me feel good
18. Reading my favorite book
19. Watching a TV show that makes me laugh
20. Knowing we don’t have to go nuts trying to entertain the kids—and screen time is OK
This article was originally published on March 26, 2020 and has been updated for timeliness.
Read More: How to Parent Through Your Election Day Anxiety