How to stay resilient when every day feels the same during COVID-19 pandemic

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, experts have discussed the importance of resilience — something that may seem easier said than done considering the restrictions and lockdowns that have lasted well over a year now.

Author of The Happiness Equation Neil Pasricha recently joined The Morning Show to discuss tips on how to build resilience as Canadians continue to deal with the third wave of the pandemic.

To break out of monotony, Pasricha recommends taking up a “strange or unusual” hobby.

As examples, he points to pickling vegetables, bird-watching and painting dollhouses.

“You start something that I call ‘weird,’” he says. “It’s something you’ve never done before that you suck at, you steepen your learning curve and you bust out of the Groundhog Day effect.”

The New York Times recently published an article that went viral naming the feeling we’re all experiencing right now as “languishing.”

The author, Adam Grant, describes languishing as the void between depression and flourishing — which has contributed to a lack of motivation or well-being.

In order to flourish, Pasricha recommends shifting your attention away from apps and social media.

“Use this time and this moment to expose yourself to things like fresh air, nature… (and) reading fiction,” he says, adding that reading fiction makes us more empathetic.

For Canadians who have been struggling to find balance and boundaries between work and home during the pandemic, Pasricha says we need to take breaks “untouched” by technology.

“We pull work physically with us in our pockets everywhere we go,” he says, adding that we may need to go as far as turning off our phones or hiding them out of sight.

Starting with one untouchable hour a day and eventually expanding it to one day a week can go a long way, he adds.

Pasricha recently wrote a list of 1000 Awesome Things during the pandemic.

He includes things like “being really proud of yourself for using a bit less toilet paper than usual,” or “lying in the sun on your carpet like a cat,” highlighting the small but simple joys we can be experiencing during this time.

For more information on how to stay resilient during the pandemic, watch the full video above.