COVID-19 stress can manifest itself in many ways, but we tend to notice it most in three distinct areas:
- Our physical beings,
- Our mental states,
- Our work performance
Physical
When we feel stress emotionally, our bodies can react physically. Stress, worry, and anxiety may result in you experiencing:
- Headaches
- Clenched jaw
- Back aches
- Tight muscles
- Panic attacks
- Muscle tics and spasms
which could exacerbate the situation further by adding to our discomfort.
Mental
Even though stress is very much an emotional reaction, our mental capacity and outlook can be affected by:
- Anxiety
- Difficulty sleeping
- Moodiness and irritability
- Persistent distressing thoughts
- Hopelessness
- Loneliness
- Anger and
- Fear
These can compromise our ability to think clearly and see situations as they actually are, instead of what our anxious minds are telling us that they are.
When mental stress is coupled with any physical manifestations of stress, it can be difficult to practice positive wellness habits like exercising regularly, eating nutritional food, and getting a good night’s sleep.
It can become a vicious circle.
Work Performance
Peak performance in the workplace often depends on being able to focus on your tasks, without interference from undue stress.
COVID-19 worries can sneak up on your productivity in the following ways:
- Reduction in your expected quality of work
- Reduction in your required quantity of work
- Reduction of your morale and demeanor