The pandemic has got us to be confined within the walls of our home while the whole world is battling its war against the virus.
We have come to a point where all of us are fighting different battles.
However, the battle we have to fight with ourselves and our loved ones is the most difficult one to deal with.
Until now, we kept complaining about the commitments and pressures in our professional and academic realms that prevented us from spending time.
Yet now, when the pandemic has bestowed us with unlimited time, many of us are struggling to sustain our special bonds.
The exposure to the virus has uncovered the turnover of events that we never saw coming.
We have discovered that a little break to spend a blissful family time is important but this extra togetherness can sometimes be too overwhelming.
As affirmed by experts, factors like boredom, opinion disagreement, too much time together, lack of privacy, financial distress, career pressure, etc., are the major contributors that lead to disrupted relationships.
Mentioned below are some healthy tips to nurture and sustain our relationships during the pandemic:
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Communication and Boundaries
The pandemic has doubtlessly caused tension in many relationships, be it platonic, familial or other.
It has become significant to develop communication yet maintain the right boundaries.
Good communication is necessary to understand perspectives and know what’s going on in each other’s mind, be it negative or positive.
Everybody is stressed out in some or another way and good communication can elevate your understanding and decrease this stress.
While working on your communication, it’s important to understand the need of maintaining some boundaries.
Communication is necessary but we also need to acknowledge that people might need space.
Too much of anything is toxic and maintaining certain boundaries can help you get rid of this toxicity.
So while you try to develop communication, make sure you communicate about your physical and emotional boundaries as well.
Also, this tip would not just help you sustain a healthy relationship but also the relationship you have with yourself.
The Emotional Vigilance
Due to constant stress and tension, our behavior can become impulsive and we might end up doing or saying something we don’t intend to.
It’s important to identify our emotions and make a line between the ones you really feel by heart and the ones caused by your impulse.
Keeping a track of our physiological reactions to situations and our behavioral actions can help us identify our emotions.
By doing this, we can consciously decide how to react in what situation and avoid the factors which trigger our emotions.
Managing our emotions can help us avoid unnecessary arguments and discussions that somehow lead to disruption in our relationships.
This also helps in having control over our emotions that lead us to emotional instability.
Acknowledgement and Appreciation
Feeling low due to several different reasons has become a common and constant state of our minds.
Very little of something can make you both happy and sad.
During these difficult times when we all struggle differently, a little appreciation, and acknowledgment can help your relationship give a positive elevation.
It’s important to acknowledge the sacrifices our family members make as this validation can become a source of motivation which we all need right now.
Also, appreciating our loved ones for their efforts and even their own little victories in work or personal life can render both you and them with a positive vibe.
Acknowledgement and Appreciation take very little effort but can make your relationship very strong.
Spending Quality Time
Having a routine can help us feel a sense of control and stability.
It’s usual to feel like we have no idea where our life is leading us to.
Just like having a personal life schedule of everything makes us feel positive, having a certain routine with your family can strengthen your bond.
Spending quality time with our family members can help you feel like you belong and you’re not in this alone.
Talking about your lives, playing games or remembering old times will not only strengthen your relationship but also help you forget your stress.
Respect and Empathy
Mood swings and sensitivity are also amongst the common behaviors caused by this stressful situation.
It is very important to understand mood instability and paying attention to the signs of distress that people around us experience.
Most people are silently stressed about different things and their sensitivity can be a sign.
This sensitivity is not to be suppressed but supported by sharing your empathetic behavior towards them.
Also, try to keep a check on your language and behavior, be it verbal or non-verbal.
We need to have respectful conduct for all our relationships and have empathy for everybody irrespective of their age.
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Lastly, don’t forget about yourself in the process!
To keep any other relationship healthy and strong, it’s important to first keep ourselves healthy and strong.
On one hand, being too alone can instigate negative thoughts and on the other hand, spending too much time with people can weaken the relationship we have with ourselves.
What can help the most in such a confusing condition is having a balance between the two.
Try to be less isolated by finding your peace in the solitude we are confined to live with, in the times of this pandemic.
Make use of each moment you have got with yourself and your family.
It has become very easy to instigate negative thoughts but it’s not that difficult to see the brighter side, only if you choose to direct your vision in the right direction.
We are lucky to have got this me-time and family time that we always craved for.
It might not be the right way but having faith and channelizing our energy in the right direction is all we can do.
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