Frontline workers--sanitation workers, policemen, anganwadi and ASHA workers who are entrusted with the task of spreading awareness, guards, first-response team members, essential workers etc.-- have relentlessly been at their job for the past three months. Many have faced physical and mental issues during the pandemic. As per a survey, 65% of them reported experiencing feelings of irritation, nervousness, anxiety, and overwhelming emotions leading to extreme sadness and lack of motivation. Around 20% are facing conflicts about quitting their jobs with more than half of those feeling guilty about the thought. All of these experiences and thoughts increase the levels of stress that the frontline workers have to deal with. In order to face or reduce this stress, it is important for you to accept the stress. Once you accept it, try to plan and strategize your daily routine by keeping these 5 things in mind to help manage the stress better.

1. Stay healthy: Avoiding stress-inducing situations is not going to help you stay healthy. Try and engage in more non-avoidant styles of dealing with the stress by simply taking care of yourself. Eat right, rest well and try to let external factors have less impact on your mood and health. 

2. Check-in with yourself: When was the last time you treated yourself to a relaxed cup of tea? When was the last time you thought about self-care? Checking-in with yourself is something that most  have forgotten while dealing with the pandemic which is another reason that makes you feel exhausted and stressed more than ever. 
Try and check-in about what you feel like doing and do it sooner. If things that you want to do seem impossible like taking a day off, try and search for alternatives like taking a half-day or taking an additional 30 minute break (apart from the usual breaks) once in a while. It will help boost your spirit and push you through the stressful time ahead.  

3. Look at the small positives: Increasing numbers of patients, no vaccination, increasing crimes, underprivileged issues… the bad news is almost ceaseless nowadays. It is important, for your mental health, that you pay enough attention to the smallest of positive things that happen--be it as simple as someone saying you a thank you, or the ability to travel with no traffic, or a patient recovering, kids being able to study online and so on. 
These positive things have the strength to keep you mentally healthy and afloat even more than you can imagine. 

4. Be connected: It is recommended for you to stay isolated while doing your job but, staying away from home does not mean you have to stay away from the people you love. As face-to-face connections are highly dangerous, try and regularize the virtual connections. This will help you loosen up the tight strings of pressure and also make you feel close to ‘your people’.

5. Speak out your mind: If a case or an incident has been bothering you more than normal, talk it out. In the conditions that you are constantly working under, an emotional and mental release is more than important. Try and discuss your fears, problems, concerns with a person you think will understand your troubles. You may even want to interact with a professional as they hold strong knowledge to keep you mentally healthy. Professionals also will be able to help you look at the troublesome situations with a perspective that you never thought about before. 

(Pic credit: Macrovector)