Locations:
Search IconSearch

How to Cut Yourself Some Slack During the Pandemic

Life during the coronavirus outbreak is hard. Give yourself a break.

Mowing lawn during covid-19

You haven’t learned a new language, reorganized your closet or baked a single loaf of bread. If you believe your social media feed, you are the world’s biggest coronavirus slacker.

Advertisement

Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy

Pro tip: Your social media feed is a liar. Yes, you may have some overachieving friends perfecting their sourdough recipes during self-isolation. But there are plenty of good reasons to go easy on yourself, says psychologist Scott Bea, PsyD.

“We’ve been forced into this novel situation, and it’s draining,” he says. “Few of us are living up to our ideals right now, and it’s important to cut yourself some slack.”

Why you’re feeling lazy

In general, most of us aren’t great at giving ourselves a break. “We’ve internalized a lot of perfectionism in our culture,” Dr. Bea says. “We worry that if we cut ourselves some slack, we’re lazy, or terrible things will befall us.”

But a lot of the standards we set for ourselves are ridiculously high and not very helpful, especially during a global pandemic. “Humans rely on habits to make our lives easier and reduce tension. We’ve had to adapt our habits to this new situation, and our brains have to figure out a lot of things we’ve never rehearsed before,” Dr. Bea says.

Maybe you’re figuring out how to work from home for the first time or how to deal with unemployment. You might be working out how to manage homeschooling or how to get along with your roommates in cramped quarters, 24/7. No wonder you feel like you could sleep for a week. “That exhausted feeling is legitimate because your brain is working harder than it’s used to,” Dr. Bea adds.

Advertisement

Four ways to go easier on yourself

You know what’s worse than feeling exhausted? Feeling exhausted and also guilty about not being more productive. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

With practice, you can learn to give yourself a break. These ideas from Dr. Bea will help you get started.

1. Skip social media

What you see on social media isn’t real life. Still, your news feed might fool you into thinking that other people are thriving in social isolation. “It can produce a lot of feelings of ‘poor me,’ even though we know people are posting sanitized realities,” Dr. Bea says. “Now, especially, it can be useful to limit social comparisons.

2. Practice self-compassion

We’re often harder on ourselves than we are on other people. Start treating yourself like you would your best friend. “It’s an acknowledgment that we’re human. We are all flawed, and it’s helpful to adjust your expectations to accept that,” he says.

3. Focus on the positives

Make a daily list of things you’re grateful for to help you learn to appreciate what went right, instead of judging what you did wrong. You can put a spin on the gratitude journal by noting your accomplishments, no matter how small.

You’re grateful you managed to get dressed today. Or you called a friend who’s been struggling. Or you didn’t lose your temper when your dear child started arguing for more screen time yet again. You’re accomplishing more than you realize. “We can train our brains to notice the good,” Dr. Bea says.

4. Make small efforts

A lot of us are stressed and sad right now. We don’t need more pressure to meet unrealistic goals. But it can be a boost to accomplish smaller goals.

Instead of telling yourself you should be working on a novel, set aside a few minutes a week to write in your journal. Rather than tell yourself you should be planting a vegetable garden, spend some time mowing the lawn or pulling weeds. “Being a little active toward things we feel are worthwhile can produce good feelings,” he says.

The pandemic won’t last forever, but learning to go easy on yourself is a skill that will keep on giving. “We often face a bevy of self-criticism, but we can become more practiced at cutting ourselves some slack,” Dr. Bea says.

Advertisement

Learn more about our editorial process.

Related Articles

Healthcare provider examining marijuana leaf with a magnifying glass, with oversized brain in background
September 10, 2024/Brain & Nervous System
Can Marijuana Help Your Anxiety and Depression or Make It Worse?

Because of a lack of research and possible side effects, cannabis isn’t recommended to treat mental health disorders

Person sitting at home desk writing in a journal
September 3, 2024/Living Healthy
How To Recognize and Cope With Emotional Stress

Try mindfulness, healthy lifestyle changes and making time to relax to help combat emotional stress

Three males sitting on couch chatting, eating pizza
August 27, 2024/Men's Health
Are Men Less Likely To Have Friends?

Men tend to have fewer deep friendships than women, but building close friendships can benefit mental health

Oversized germs and a giant eye with red in the sclera
August 26, 2024/Eye Care
COVID-19 and Pink Eye Are Possibly Connected

Studies have shown an increase in ophthalmic complications as a symptom of COVID-19

Older woman in bathrobe, holding coffee cup, looking window into the neighborhood
August 13, 2024/Infectious Disease
What Are the COVID-19 Guidelines These Days?

Most people can return to work and regular life when they’re symptom-free for 24 hours

Hand spraying disinfectant cleaner and another hand using disinfectant wipe among germs
August 8, 2024/Infectious Disease
Do Lysol Disinfecting Wipes Kill COVID-19?

Lysol Disinfecting Wipes are just one of more than 500 products approved by the EPA for protection against the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19

People in line at coffee shop, with person on phone looking at dating app, with person holding up fish in picture on the app
August 5, 2024/Sex & Relationships
Here’s How To Handle the Ick When You’re Dating

An ‘ick’ is a form of projection based on cognitive bias and shouldn’t be confused as a dealbreaker

Tarot cards on table with tarot reader's embellished hands pointing to cards
August 2, 2024/Mental Health
Don’t Get Tricked by the Barnum Effect

Horoscopes, fortunetellers and personality tests all feed into our cognitive biases and reinforce our own feelings as true

Trending Topics

Female and friend jogging outside
How To Increase Your Metabolism for Weight Loss

Focus on your body’s metabolic set point by eating healthy foods, making exercise a part of your routine and reducing stress

stovetop with stainless steel cookware and glassware
5 Ways Forever Chemicals (PFAS) May Affect Your Health

PFAS chemicals may make life easier — but they aren’t always so easy on the human body

jar of rice water and brush, with rice scattered around table
Could Rice Water Be the Secret To Healthier Hair?

While there’s little risk in trying this hair care treatment, there isn’t much science to back up the claims

Ad