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Letting Go: 5 Ways To Relinquish Control During This Time

Letting Go: 5 Ways To Relinquish Control During This Time

No matter what your political leanings, the run-up to the 2020 election has impacted everyone. MYX surveyed 2000 Americans in partnership with Rep Data and found that 92% of people who consume news on social media during this election year find it stressful.

If you’re unsure how to cope with stress, there’s good news. It’s as simple as letting go. We know it sounds easier said than done, so keep reading. Here’s our best advice on how to manage stress by relinquishing control.

  1. Give yourself credit. “Remember you did the best you could in circumstances that were largely out of your control,” MYX Coach Donna Scro Samori tells us. If you voted, stayed informed, or volunteered on a campaign, you participated. Your feelings are valid, so allow yourself to feel them. 
  2. Experiment with movement. Roughly half (48%) of the survey participants reported an increase in exercise during this time.  Donna reminds us that there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach when determining how to deal with stress. We all experience feelings and stressors differently. 

Movement is medicine and can help with stuck or heavy energy. The ideal movement for stress and strong emotions also depends on the person and what they’re feeling. Donna suggests getting your heart rate up with running or other forms of cardio to sort things out initially if you’re feeling dark and gloomy. However, if you’re feeling more anxious or nervous, you might want to do something grounding such as meditation or yoga.

  1. Reclaim control where you can. One of the best things you can do when you’re upset about something out of your control is to reclaim control in healthy ways. Look for opportunities to contribute to the world in ways that make you feel good inside, such as at your job, volunteering, hobbies, fitness, parenting, or relationships. 
  2. Find reliable news sources.  The news is adding stress to our everyday lives. In fact, of the people who find consuming news through social media stressful, it was attributed primarily to bias (61%), accuracy concerns (54%), an excess of opinions (40%) and increased negativity (40%). Coinciding with these survey results, MYX announced a partnership with the national news network, Newsy.  Newsy will provide MYX members with straightforward, opinion-free, 24/7 news streaming on the MYX tablet. MYX finds it extremely important to provide bias-free news to their members, especially during this time. 
  3. Consume the news for a set amount of time, maybe an hour, and then walk away and be done for the day. Let your brain unplug from the stress of the situation and do something that makes you happy.

Remember, stress is a natural part of life. However, if you feel you cannot manage the stress alone, you should reach out to your doctor. 

Curious about what else we found from our survey? 

  • Since COVID-19 hit, roughly half (48%) of people report an increase in exercise, with 96% agreeing that it’s attributing to a decrease in stress and anxiety.
  • Among those working from home, 67% say they’re exercising during working hours and in the absence of a commute, half of remote workers use exercise to close out their day. 
  • Among former gym-goers, nearly 8 in 10 report having typically consumed news while at the gym 53% of former gym-goers believe they’ve missed out on important news events due to gym closures
  • If forced to choose, most people (86%) say they would prioritize exercise over watching the news as part of their daily routine, despite important election and health mandates that lead the news at this time
  • 64% of people consuming news daily are turning to social media as their primary source of news, with Facebook (88%), Instagram (44%) and Twitter (38%) representing the most turned-to platforms.
  • More than half (53%) of Americans unfollowed someone on social media due to a disagreement over political opinions

Methodology

MYX surveyed 2,000 Americans who exercise regularly in partnership with panel provider Rep Data. The survey was fielded from October 7 - 8, 2020.

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