For many parents, working from home with kids in the house is yet another new and stressful experience brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. Between balancing work responsibilities, helping kids with school work, and the everyday tasks of running a household, things like ‘free time’ and ‘self-care’ can start to seem like a fantasy. That’s why we’re sharing some coping strategies and survival skills for parents from our recent workshop on cultivating self-care during the pandemic.
Hosted by Sarah Scott Dooling, a licensed clinical social worker and registered play therapist, this recent workshop is the first in a new series by AllWays Health Partners focused on helping members of our community get through the pandemic. You can watch the full recording of the workshop, “Surviving and Thriving During a Pandemic: Cultivating Self-Care for Parents in the Trenches” by clicking the button below.
Throughout the 30-minute seminar, Sarah shares techniques for adding joy into each day and reducing feelings of pressure brought on by the pandemic. These stress-busting strategies include:
- Daydreaming to get yourself back to neutral during stressful situations
- Gathering a support team of "debriefing partners" you can reach out to when you need to talk through your feelings
- Teaching the people in your life about your personal needs and how they can take care of you
- Cultivating a compassionate, loving inner voice
- Creating a radical self-care plan with fun activities you can incorporate into your routine
- Focusing on what ‘lights you up’ or gives you a burst of energy and happiness
Watch the recording, then download the worksheet to help you personalize and solidify these techniques.
Related: Looking for more ways to reduce stress while working at home?
Next up: Combating Stress with Good Nutrition
If you enjoyed this webinar or want to participate in future virtual workshops, you can sign up for our next session, “How to Combat Stress with Good Nutrition.” This workshop will be led by AllWays Health Partners’ Manager of Wellness Programs, Lisa-Beth Doyle, and Your Care Circle Nutritionist Kara Maloney MS, RD, CDE. Together, they will discuss how a healthy diet can help counter the impact of stress on your mind and body.
Register to attend here, and check out go.allwayshealthpartners.org/webinar-series to see our full Community Support series.
