Before (and after!) the election, try these simple strategies to manage your election anxiety:

Take control of what you maybe control.

Anxiety is fueled by feelings of uncertainty, so focus on what you can do to feel better about the situation. Once you’ve voted, find other activities that can help you feel more in charge of your life right now. Choose to go for a run, clean out your closet, or plan a fun event with your kids so you understand that you haven’t lost all your power of choice. “Of course it’s important to participate and be active in the political process, but we have to take care of ourselves and our families first,” says Dr. Markey.

Limit your news intake.

It’s important to be informed, but it’s not necessary to get minute-by-minute updates. Maybe you can check the news or social media once or twice a day, or turn off push notifications so you don’t jump every time your phone pings, says Dr. Gould. Or consider a news blackout entirely if it’s too much right now. After all, watching play by play won’t change the outcome.

Connect with friends.

Something as simple as going to lunch together or calling a friend to catch up (though preferably not discussing politics) can redirect your focus. “Social connection is always a good antidote to anxiety,” says Dr. Markey. “We can’t think about these issues around the clock. It’s tiring, and our minds need a break.”

Move.

Physical activity is an effective stress management tool, says Dr. Markey. Give yourself a break from the news by going outside for some fresh air. Take a walk around the block. Play with your dog. Rake some leaves. Shoot baskets with your kids. Watch your favorite funny movie or listen to upbeat music instead of yet another political podcast.

Try cognitive behavioral therapy tools.

Cognitive behavioral therapy techniques can help you manage stress by observing your reaction and finding more helpful ways to respond to the stressor. For example, mindfulness strategies, such as meditation or simple breathing exercises, can help reduce your response to increased stress, says Dr. Gould. Just try it three minute breathing exercises. Or plan to worry for 10 minutes, writing down all your concerns. Then, for the rest of the day, redirect your attention to other activities so that you essentially “contain” your anxiety about that time.

Be honest with your children.

Children pick up on our stress and are certainly picking up on information from elsewhere, so go ahead and have an honest conversation with them about your concerns. Instead of making critical comments like “that person is horrible,” explain why you voted or will vote for a particular person, such as how their values ​​align with yours, says Dr. Gould. It’s the ideal time to model how to handle the things we can’t control in a less emotional and more productive way.

Reframe the situation.

Throughout our history, from the world wars to 9/11 to COVIDwe have learned to endure as a culture. The truth is that regardless of the outcome, life will go on. “Our brains often go to the worst when we’re stressed,” says Dr. Gould. “We don’t like not knowing the outcome, so we fill in the blanks and imagine catastrophic outcomes. But we forget that we are quite a resilient society. We can find a way to move forward. It may not be ideal, but even in such a divided space, we can find something good.”