How To Handle Election-induced Stress
It’s no secret that people have strong feelings around this election. It’s almost impossible to get away from the stress of it and that is taking a toll on people. According to the American Psychological Association’s Stress In America survey from 2019, over 50% of Americans reported suffering from election-induced stress and that number is on the rise as we moved closer to the election.
Emotions are high. Opinions are loud. And your stress may be rising because of it. Lisa Mitchell, Communications Expert & Founder of Power Body Language, shares a few tips to help you manage through election stress.
- Consume Less Media
Luckily, we are in the home stretch of negative political advertisements hitting us on every channel and social media app as people head to the polls but that speculation, analysis, and outrage will only continue as votes are counted and winners and losers are declared. Emotions will continue to run high and conflict is almost certain so insulate yourself from consuming as much-stress inducing material as you can.
Turn the TV off. Stay off of Facebook and other social media apps. It’s OK to take a break from all of the emotional input coming at you from every direction, especially if it’s negatively impacting your well-being. - By Picky About Who You Talk To & Engage With
You are under no obligation to engage in conflict or heated conversations with anyone about the election. Some people are just looking to get you upset or to see if they can get you angry or worked up. Don’t take the bait. This is a time when it’s OK to not answer your phone or reply to that text or post on social media if the person that is engaging you is not sensitive to your point of view or your level of stress.
Be selfish if you need to in protecting your space, your time, and your emotional energy. Have one or two “safe” friends or family members that you can reach out to if you need to talk through things or share your feelings but don’t feel the need to be open to engage with any and everyone. - Put Your Attention On Something You Enjoy
Instead of fixating on the election and allowing the stress to take up extra real estate in your head, be intentional about putting your focus on something that you enjoy or helps you relax. Put on your favorite music, play a game with your family, read a book just for enjoyment, listen to a podcast that helps you learn a new skill or engages you in an interesting story…the options are endless! You have more control over where your mind and emotions are directed than you might realize.
Fill your day(s) with intentional, positive activities to engage your mind towards something you enjoy instead of overwhelming it with the stress of the election and things around it that you can’t control.
Visit www.powerbodylanguage.com or connect on Instagram at @lisamitchellindy.