The pandemic has been emotionally and mentally draining for many people. And, due to physical and financial constraints, we may not be as cautious when making wise decisions as we would generally be. Continue reading below to learn how pandemic stress affects decision-making and how to overcome it.
Staying Grounded
One of the biggest struggles many of us face is remaining hopeful in tough times. It can be hard to make wise choices that benefit our future selves when we’re trying to stay in the present. In these instances, you should make sure you’re grounding yourself.
There’s a simple meditation technique you can practice to keep your mind off negative thoughts. Look around you and mentally note three objects you see, three noises you hear, and three body parts you can move. Doing this will ground you in the present moment. Once you’ve calmed your mind, you’ll be more alert and ready to make smarter decisions.
Overcoming Fatigue
Many people feel fatigued and lethargic after dealing with an overwhelming amount of negative news day after day. This sluggishness can cause you to make judgments that aren’t in your best interest or avoid making crucial or time-sensitive life decisions.
A great way to overcome this is by planning out your decisions—even the simple ones, such as what you’re going to wear each day. That way, when the time comes, your choices have already been planned, allowing you to focus on other critical and time-sensitive decisions.
Reviewing Your Options
Many homeowners have experienced income cutbacks or losses as a direct effect of the pandemic. As a result, they’ve run into financial difficulties, and it became tough to keep up with their mortgage payments. If this happens, it’s vital to stay calm and look at all the options you have available.
You may believe the only way out is to file for bankruptcy or foreclosure. This will impact your credit and your ability to buy a new home. But you may have a financial hardship that qualifies you for a short sale or refinancing instead. These types of real estate deals can mean selling your home for less than it’s worth. When faced with big decisions like these, it’s important to slow down and research your options.
Understanding how pandemic stress affects decision-making allows you to practice critical techniques to avoid making hasty and harmful life choices. The best thing to do is take a step back and look at all the options you have so you can calmly and logically plan your next steps.
