We are now a full year into the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is taking its toll on every aspect of life. The more people I talk to, the more I hear the same things: "I can't take all of these restrictions anymore." "There is nothing to look forward to." "When will I be able to visit friends and family in person without stressing myself out?" "Will I ever get a decent night sleep?"

The mental exhaustion created by living with the stress of lockdown measures and the uncertainty of safety in everyday situations and with others has caused a phenomenon that has become known as "pandemic fatigue." Pandemic fatigue is resulting in less vigilance in following safety measures, as well as an increasing number of people who have higher levels of anxiety and stress, depression, sleep troubles, and a lack of joy. There is also the danger that if pandemic fatigue is left unchecked, it will result in pandemic burnout.

What can you do to counter the effects of pandemic fatigue in your life? If you are experiencing specific symptoms like anxiety and sleep troubles, try some of the tips in our previous blog posts. If you would like some ideas to energise your overall wellbeing in order to counter the effects of pandemic fatigue, then it's time to focus on resilience.

Resilience is a capacity which gives you the ability to effectively handle challenges which might otherwise lead to negative stress results. Resilience is is something that can be developed and supported by practical skills which you can learn. The more resilience building skills you know and put into practice, the higher your resilience capacity becomes. Resilience is embodied and involves our nervous system, ways of thinking, beliefs and behaviours. This is why building resilience is best supported with a holistic approach which includes strategies that engage the mind, as well as body-based strategies. Together they will help you navigate stressful situations with resilience.

Because the pandemic has lasted so long, there is no doubt your resilience capacity has been tested. In fact, you may have already discovered that our resilience capacity has its limits unless you are intentional about continuing to cultivate resilience through developing more resilience skills in your life.

Here are three strategies that you can use to help strengthen your resilience.

Practice rest in the middle of the day. When we get in the habit of practicing rest, and not only in the evening, we allow ourselves the opportunity to recharge which increases our ability to handle stressful situations with resilience. Using Yoga Nidra in the afternoon can provide a powerful way to rest in a short period of time. You can listen to one of ours for free on Insight Timer.
Do something familiar in a new way. Another way to build our capacity for resilience is to shake up our routines because then we snap ourselves out of our "automatic pilot" mode. Turn on some music and dance around the kitchen as you prepare a meal. Take a different route on an errand. Read a book or magazine upside down. Call a friend and watch Netflix together.
Start a gratitude journal. Gratitude is a fertile soil for many things to grow. If you want to increase your resilience, it is important to notice and appreciate the things around you. If you want to get your family or housemates involved, you can create a gratitude poster on a wall where everyone can contribute their experiences of gratitude.

These are just a sampling of practices that you can integrate into your life to help build your resilience skills. If you are interested in more tips to help build your resilience skills, make sure to download our free pdf with resilience boosting strategies including a gratitude journal template.

In addition to our pdf, Collaborative Motion has created a 4 week, highly experiential course which will teach you strategies to increase your embodied resilience with a holistic approach. We will be diving into body-based strategies as well as working with your values to help you to live with more meaning and intentionality. Add your name to the Resilience Booster waitlist and you will be the first to receive the dates for the next course.

For further reading about pandemic fatigue:

How to Not Let Pandemic Fatigue Turn into Pandemic Burnout by: Elizabeth Millard

WHO - Pandemic Fatigue PDF - Policy framework for supporting pandemic prevention and management