Top tips for when uncertainty is making you feel stressed
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How to cope when things are uncertain?
Will I have to isolate from school again? How much longer will I be stuck at home? Will I be able to mark the end of term with my friends?
These are all questions we've probably been asking and thinking about recently.
A lot of times when we aren't quite sure what's going to happen in the future, or things feel out of our control, it can make us feel unsettled and sometimes even quite anxious.
It's something we all experience at different points in our lives so it's important to know how to process our emotions when things feel uncertain and know that to do to make ourselves feel better.
Will Shield, child psychologist from University of Exeter, has given us these tips on how to deal with uncertainty.
1. Keep routines as normal as possible.
Make plans for the day/week so that you know what's happening each day.
2. Make sure there's something fun to do every day!
Do nice things with the people you live with. Bake, build dens, read books, do craft activities together.
3. Stay in touch with friends and family.
You can do this online through messaging and video calls, phone calls or writing letters.
Going for walks, going to the park with the people who make you happy can also really lift your mood.
4. When you're feeling uncertain, talk to adults or write worries down.
Think about times you've felt uncertain before and what you've done to help yourself feel better afterwards.
5. Do a random act of kindness every week.
This could be sending a card to someone you haven't seen for a while, or telling a joke to someone to make them laugh!
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