The second year of COVID showed how the extent of the pandemic's toll on people's mental health.
No matter where you are on the planet, anxiety, stress and sleeplessness are heightened, leading many to question their body image, consider quitting their jobs or doomscroll until sunrise.
We started Life Kit on reportr to help you find your way through the ever-evolving COVID situation while taking good care of your physical and mental health.
Here is the best of Life Kit for 2021:
I can't sleep and I'm always feeling restless
COVID-somnia is real and millions are chasing sleep in their beds every night, worrying about their health and how to get by during these extraordinary times. Here's how to deal with sleeping problems.
Having a hard time taking a break? Blame it on the pandemic, which obliterated the boundaries between work and rest, psychologists said. Here's how to step back from work and mean it.
I'm burned out at work
Endless Zoom meetings and Microsoft Teams notifications are literally at the foot of your bed for two years and counting, blurring indefinitely the bounadry between work and life. Overwork, which experts said bring people closer to death, has become too common during the pandemic.
Long-term stress can take a toll on an employee's performance and well-being. Here's how you can deal with burnout and avoid dying from stress.
I want to join the Great Resignation
In 2021, employees rode the The Great Resignation wave, a trend borne out of the pandemic. It's the search for "what's essential and meaningful" in a time of uncertainty and changes, a life coach said.
Impostor syndrome held employees back from seeking better opportunities, borne out of fear that they had been faking it at work. There's also the danger that work takes over a person's entire personality, causing them to lose their identity.
If you've made up your mind on resigning, Here's what you should do.
I can't stand my toxic boss
Is your boss a walking red flag who nitpicks on every mistake and calls you in the middle of the night for work that isn't urgent? Workers leave managers, not their jobs. When your boss is unmasked as a bully, you should step back to evaluate your options, according to a human resource expert.
Here's how to spot a corporate psychopath and how to deal with them.
I don't want to return to the office
With the gradual easing of COVID-19 restrictions comes the anxiety of leaving the comfortable world of work-from-home set-up. Traffic in EDSA alone has reached pre-pandemic levels that got some employees asking: should work-from-home be permanent?
Your concern about on-site work is valid and it's called post pandemic anxiety. Is it alright to refuse on-site work? Here's what HR officers think.
What if the boss insist on returning to the office? Here's how to say no.
I'm feeling blah
Feeling uninspired, stagnant, joyless? You're not alone. Languishing is one of the dominant emotions in 2021. Here's how you can move forward to flourishing.
Struggling to focus and feeling as if your brain had fogged up? Forgetfulness, being tired all the time, and having a hard time thinking clearly is a sign of "pandemic brain", triggered by chronic stress and anxiety. Here are some tips to overcome brain fog.
Have you tried using memes and emojis? Science says it's good for your mental health. You can also harness the power of cognitive reappraisal to beat COVID-19 blues.
I feel invalidated
Motivational words like "It's going to be OK" mean well, but can end up creating more distress. Toxic positivity is not always the answer, especially when it invalidates other people's emotions.
Mourning the loss of your pet or job, or "breaking up" with your ka-MU (mutual understanding)? Society easily dismisses breakup-related grief because it doesn't involve death, according to various studies. When someone's mourning isn't recognized, it becomes more difficult to address. Here's how you can deal with disenfranchised grief.
I'm fed up with toxic social media
It's 3 a.m., you have work at 8 o'clock yet you're still doomscrolling. Social media keeps you informed but infinite scrolling easily gets out of control. Here's how to climb out of the rabbit hole of depressing content.
Is your notification anxiety getting on your nerves? If you're an Apple user, here's a way to save your sanity by tweaking your iOS 15 settings.
Fed up with political posts? Maybe you need to check if you're trapped in a social media echo chamber. Unfriending toxic friends is also an option to keep your peace.
Maybe you need a social media detox? Taking time off Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for a limited period of time can help you take control of your life again, an expert said. If that won't suffice, how about deleting your social media persona? Here's what will happen if you'll delete Facebook.
I am ashamed of my body
Hate what you see in the mirror? You don't have to force yourself to go on liquid diet every time you gain a pound because that's toxic diet culture talking, a nutritionist said. The pandemic changed our bodies and it's okay.
A healthy relationship with food means indulging during special occassions like Christmas minus the guilt. Here's how to do it.
ALSO READ: 2021 in News Headlines: Marites is Born in Squid Game Year for Vaccines, Votes
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