Pandemic stress

I have generalized anxiety disorder and I also work in a stressful position in executive finance. 2020 and 2021 were also pretty bad for me in every way with COVID and trying to work from home and kids home doing online learning and stay at home orders, etc. I put on about 25 Lbs over those two years after maintaining my initial 40 Lb weight loss for seven years. A few things that have helped with my anxiety and stress...not just with the pandemic, but overall for that past 9 years or so.

1 - Regular exercise, both cardiovascular and resistance training. This has varied over the years for me, as for awhile I was heavily into endurance road cycling and spent a ton of time on my bike slogging out the miles, to the tune of about 8 hours per week or more just on the bike. 2020 and 2021, this all but came to a halt as all of my events were cancelled and I had nothing to train for. With everything going on, a bit of depression set in and I just couldn't get myself to go out and exercise, and this started feeding into my anxiety...to make matters worse, I was gaining weight and my blood work and BP and other health markers that I had worked so hard to fix started going in the wrong direction.

I determined for 2022 that I needed to get my *kitten* back together. I do not have the time nor the inclination to train like I used to, but I'm making sure I get on my bike and indoor bike trainer with Zwift 4-5 days per week for 30 minutes in the morning before work. I get into the weight room at least 2x per week...3 if I can. On weekends I go do my fun stuff like a trail ride or mountain biking, the occasional road ride, or a hike or whatever. I have to say I'm feeling way better these days.

2 - Reduce Alcohol. This may or may not apply to you, but my alcohol consumption got really out of control in 2020 and 2021...like drinking excessively every single night. With everything shut down, it basically became my primary source of entertainment. It didn't help with the stress or anxiety at all...it only fed into it. I've reduced my alcohol consumption considerably since the start of the New Year. I don't drink at all during the week and my weekend consumption has been cut drastically as well. This has helped immensely and I just feel much more in control. I'm also sleeping immensely better and wake up feeling rested, refreshed, and ready to roll.

3 - Leave my work at work. There were some plusses to working from home, but having all of my work at home and suddenly having subordinates and superiors calling or texting whenever they felt like it, not to mention continuous work emails coming through my phone wasn't one of them. I'm back in the office now and I turn off all work email notifications as soon as I step into the parking lot. I also do not accept any calls from anyone other than friends or family after 5 PM. I notified my subordinates as well as superiors that starting January 1 I would no longer respond to anything work related after 5 PM until the next day. I have my work life balance back and it has greatly reduced my stress and anxiety.

4 - Perhaps unorthodox, but cannabis is legal here. When I was first diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder in 2014 I was prescribed a narcotic tranquilizer for use when things were really bad...I find cannabis to be a much better and safer alternative. I haven't used my tranquilizers in quite a long time.