5 Ways To Manage Pandemic Fatigue This Holiday Season

SANTA MONICA, CA — The holidays were often tough for people, even before the pandemic, but this year people are facing added stress and unprecedented challenges, Providence mental health experts told Patch.

"This may be a chance to reset a little bit about our expectations," Josh Cutler told Patch.

Cutler is part of a team of colleagues working to support health care workers and their families during the pandemic. He described several ways people can work through pandemic fatigue this holiday season.

1. Power down and rest up.

"Insomnia is a big issue and headaches are a problem," Cutler said. "People are looking at blue light a lot."

He recommends people practice good sleep hygiene, shut screens off at night, and relax.

Cutler's personal experience has shifted the dynamics in his home. And like many families, things are not the same as they were before the pandemic—both personally and culturally.

"We started early and ended late, and we were stretched to the max," Cutler said. "And now, looking at how our lifestyle has evolved, I wouldn't want to go back there."

2. Set goals and get moving.

He recommended coming up with activities with families or kids to keep people motivated and moving. He and his daughter do a Fitbit steps competition and work on getting their steps in together.

"If you're able to take advantage of that and have that be time for family connection or exercise," Cutler said.

There's also a push to step back.

3. Set boundaries and care for yourself.

"I think that as a working culture we tend to expect a lot from ourselves," Kathlyn Fraguela told Patch.

People tell her 'I'm noticing that I'm skipping lunch,' or 'I'm not doing breakfast.' Some environmental factors have shifted, work friends might not be prompting you to take a lunch break, she described. This is happening to people who are working at home, while teaching, or caregivers who are on the front lines.

"I think a lot of people are making it work, so they're just doing it out of a chair at a dining room table," Fraguela said. "Oftentimes we forget that in order to do our best work that we have to take care of ourselves."

4. Take breaks, walk and breathe.

"The emails will keep coming. so it's important to set boundaries, take breaks for 30 minutes and enjoy a lunch break," Fraguela said. "We feel so rushed through our days."

Walks, stepping back or taking a breath, can go a long way.

And with the holidays approaching, it might be the time to consider alternatives and look for new rituals.

5. Create a new spin on rituals and traditions this holiday season.

It's good to consider the traditions that your family does each year, Fraguela said.

Families can design something that looks similar, so you can join in together, but in a distant way. She suggested making a recipe together with family or hosting a cookie decorating event via Zoom.

"I think there's a lot of opportunity to do things that still feel like you're joining," Fraguela told Patch. "It's really about connection. That's what we're struggling with the most. Everybody is feeling so burdened by what's going on."