How To Self-Care Post-Election
It’s been four long days of post-election news and my head feels just as dizzy today as it did the first day. As Jimmy Kimmel Tweeted earlier this week, “This is like being awake during your own surgery.”
Over the summer, I decided to stop watching the news because the non-stop reporting around the pandemic was giving me anxiety. As the election rolled around, I knew I wanted to watch history being made and allowed myself to watch a few hours on Wednesday. When it was clear that no winner would be announced on Wednesday, I prepared myself to watch for a few more hours on Thursday which turned into all day Friday.
While I feel so honored to be part of this historical moment in time, I realize that obsessing over the election has become very unhealthy for me and I needed to set some boundaries and practice self-care. These wellness tips originally come from a blog post I wrote for social media managers, but it can easily be applied to all of us today.
How To Self-Care Post-Election
Limit Screen Time
For me, going from not watching the news to watching nearly 72 hours straight of it was shocking to my system. Not only is the news just on the tv, but it’s also on our phones, emails, social media — basically everywhere we are. An easy way to limit your screen time is to set a timer or automatically set your phone on Do Not Disturb.
Wake Up Sans Screens
It’s hard to wake up without checking your phone first thing in the morning, but I promise with practice it gets easier. I like to use this time to give back to myself through journaling, stretching, making myself breakfast, or even just spending some time to get ready for the day.
Take a Break
It’s okay to take a break from the news post-election. It will all still be there when you decide to return.
Set Healthy Boundaries
This is sort of the same as limiting screen time, but this takes a lot more self-discipline. Schedule time for you to watch the news or be on social media and stick to turning it off when your time is up. I encourage you to do what you need to do to protect your peace. If that means hiding your phone in your purse or drawer overnight so you aren’t tempted to check it, by all means, do it.