From yard signs to social media posts to news coverage, right now you’re likely seeing political content everywhere you look. That’s typically the case during the autumn months of an election year—especially a presidential election year—but this year the focus on politics seems intensified. If you’re dealing with anxiety or excessive worrying, having difficulty concentrating or sleeping, or are feeling scared, helpless, or angry, you’re not alone. Here are some ways to cope if your emotional health is being impacted by the uncertainty and stress of the current political climate and upcoming election.
Know what helps you cope best. If you feel like you “need to do something” and getting involved helps you feel better, go for it! Find opportunities to volunteer, like sending out postcards. Just be mindful of your stress level—if you start feeling overwhelmed or anxious during those activities, scale back the time you’re spending on them. If you’re dealing with “politics fatigue” and you’d rather not think about politics until Election Day rolls around, find ways to focus on things that make you happy and that distract you from thinking about the election.
Limit your screen time to limit your stress. While staying informed is a good thing, doomscrolling is not—and it’s far too easy to lose track of time and fall into the social media rabbit hole. Decide on times when you’ll check your email and social media feeds and times where you’ll unplug. Set alarms to help you stick to those times.
During times when you plan to check for news updates, be sure to choose reliable, trusted news sources that report the facts and avoid clickbait-style articles that aim to get an emotional reaction out of you.
During times when you plan to unplug, truly unplug! Hook your phone up to its charger and put it in a different room than the one you’re in. Consider setting special ringtones for certain family members and loved ones so that you are alerted to any potentially important calls, and then ignore any other calls that come in until the next designated time to check your device.
Create an activity toolbox so you always have something pleasant to reach for. Have things to look forward to that can distract you from election coverage. Here are a few ideas to get you started building your toolbox—choose some of these or come up with your own!
- Plan a fall movie marathon. If you’ve always wanted to see all the Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings movies, consider planning to watch one each weekend. Or maybe you like scary movies or cozy movies—create a list of your tried-and-true favorites or a list of ones you’ve been wanting to see (or a combination of both!).
- Make a to-read list. Losing yourself in the world of a story can help you forget about the real world for a little while. Whether you already have a big to-read pile of books or you need to visit the library to pick a few out, make a list and set a reading goal. Challenge yourself to read a new book every one to two weeks.
- Or make a to-eat list! Do you have a pile of recipes you’ve been trying to find the time to make? Challenge yourself to make one new recipe each week. It’s a great time of year to dust off your slow cooker and whip up a comforting dish.
- Get tidy and/or organized. Spring cleaning might be the term you hear most often, but there’s nothing wrong with fall cleaning, either! Cleaning and organizing can keep your hands busy and your body moving—not only is it good physical activity, but when you’re focused on the task at hand, you may be less likely to be ruminating about politics. Whether you’re organizing the fridge, cleaning out a closet, giving the bathroom a deep clean, or decorating a space in your home, doing these kinds of activities can help you feel more in control during this uncertain time.
- Start a new healthy habit. There are lots of healthy ways to relieve stress, and many of them work best when you do them regularly and make them habits. A few ideas: Try your hand at journaling, set aside time each day for meditation, or watch a yoga or tai chi video or sign up for an online class.
- Stretch your brain. If your mind keeps going to politics, distract your brain with puzzles. Get some crossword, Sudoku, or word search books to have handy—when your brain goes into political anxiety mode, reach for a puzzle and focus your attention on solving it. Bonus: This can also help keep your brain sharp!
- Start that hobby or course you’ve always wanted to do. Whether you’ve been wanting to learn to code or pick up a new language, or you’ve wanted to try painting or knitting, now might be the perfect time to try it! When you’re focused on these kinds of activities, your brain is engaged in learning and doing rather than on worrying.
Outsmart the ads to help your favorite shows feel more peaceful. If you feel stressed every time a political ad pops up on your TV screen, consider recording your favorite shows instead of watching them live so you can fast-forward through the commercials. You could also temporarily go “ad-free” on your streaming services until after the election is over—this will likely cost you a few bucks, but it may be worth it if it improves your well-being.
Plan some park outings and enjoy the well-being benefits of nature. If you feel your blood pressure spike every time you see a political yard sign, go where there aren’t any: Local and national parks! From getting fresh air and a little sunshine, being physically active, and immersing yourself in the calmness of the great outdoors, getting out into nature can benefit your health in so many ways. Autumn weekends can be great opportunities to visit your favorite parks or explore one you haven’t been to yet.
Temporarily change your purchasing habits to reduce ad exposure. When you’re out in the world buying things—whether you’re shopping in your town or via your favorite websites—you’re likely to encounter ads, some of which may be political. Consider downloading your local grocery store’s app and opting for home delivery instead of driving to the store. You can also visit your favorite online stores to set up subscriptions for essentials to be delivered to you. “Setting it and forgetting it” not only reduces the amount of time you spend online and potentially seeing political content that you’d rather avoid, it can also help curb impulse buying!
Accept the discomfort of uncertainty—but know that it’s temporary. While this is a challenging time, remember that it won’t last forever. If it would cheer you up to do so, consider making a countdown to hang on your fridge.
You may also want to start writing a daily gratitude list—this helps you remember that while yes, it is an uncertain and often stressful time, there are still moments of joy to be found in everyday life. Focusing on those joyful moments and remembering all that you do have and love can help balance out the moments of worry.
Whether you’re grateful for a heart-to-heart you had with a friend, getting to watch the songbirds at your bird feeder, receiving a compliment from a coworker, or appreciating a really great book you just finished reading, taking time to remember these small things that matter to you and make your day better help you focus on the positive rather than on the great unknown.
If you’re struggling, seek help. Sometimes the best way to get through a tough time is with help from someone who gets it. If you find yourself excessively worrying or ruminating, or you feel down or depressed for a prolonged period of time, it may help you to talk to a counselor or other mental health professional. There is no shame in seeking help, so if you think it could benefit you to talk to someone, reach out—the sooner the better.
Know what you can’t control and take action on what you can control. Even during uncertain times like these, when it comes to elections, there is one thing that every American adult can control: Casting your ballot!
If you think you’re already registered to vote, check your voter registration online just in case. If you haven’t yet registered to vote, or if a life change (like moving to a new state) means you need to re-register, check your state’s voter registration deadlines and take action quickly so you don’t miss out.
Then make a plan to vote. If you plan to vote in person on Election Day, make sure you know where your assigned polling place is, how you’ll get there and back, and what hours they’re open for voting. If you are unable or don’t want to vote in person on Election Day, look into alternate options like mail-in/absentee ballots. Since different states have different deadlines, check your state’s rules and requirements as soon as possible.
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We understand that this is a challenging time for many people, and we’re here for you. We encourage you to visit our blog, where you’ll find a wide range of articles to help you manage stress, achieve better work/life balance, make healthy lifestyle changes, and more. Organizations, if you think our content would be helpful to your employees, please feel free to include our articles in your company newsletters or link out to them on your intranet.
In addition, if you are a Health Advocate member and you’re having difficulty coping with the stress and uncertainty of the presidential election, log on to healthadvocate.com/members today to get support from one of our caring advocates.
