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So. The 2020 presidential election is about two weeks away. I’ll go ahead and give you a second to clutch your chest in dread and wonder how this never-ending year is somehow finally almost over.
Okay, now that that’s out of the way, let’s talk self-care. We’re going to need it. It’s tough to know exactly what we’ll need, given that we likely won’t get any firm answers on election night itself and it’s impossible to know how things will unfold regardless of the outcome. Still, from a mental health perspective, we do know a few things. For many of us, election night is going to be fraught as hell—all the anxiety, uncertainty, and fear will have us operating on emotional high alert, and that’s going to take a physical toll. That means that, on top of whatever fallout happens after election night, we’ll also be dealing with some serious emotional hangovers. (And probably some physical hangovers too.) All told, you won’t be alone if you wind up feeling wrung out for a few days—or weeks.
Because of all that, planning ahead is important. There are obviously specific things we won’t be able to prepare for, but in general, self-care requires some preparation, especially if you’re not in the habit of practicing it regularly. The last thing you want is to wake up after election night, desperate for a way to feel a little more human, only to realize you don’t know WTF to do. So if you want to look out for your future self, start thinking about your post-election self-care now. Here are the three major buckets your post-election self-care plan will likely fall into, plus things to consider for each one.
Practical preparation
To start, now is the time to think about what you’ll need from a practical standpoint. What can you do now so you don’t have to do it when you’re drained and barely functioning? Here are some examples:
- Prep some food: If you anticipate you won’t want to have to do a bunch of cooking or shopping, do some meal prep ahead of the election. And make sure to stock up on your favorite comfort foods too. (Speaking of eating, you might also consider stocking up on compostable paper plates and cutlery if you worry you’ll fall behind on dishes for a few days and know that would stress you out more.)
- Knock out important chores: Maybe you want to make sure your laundry is done so all of your comfy sweats are nice and clean. Or maybe you want to just pick up your space because you know mess exacerbates your negative feelings.
- Stock up on self-care products: Self-care is obviously more than pampering yourself and buying things, but hey, if you think it will help, it can’t hurt to treat yourself to some relaxing candles, a new puzzle, some bubble bath products, or whatever your go-to relaxation tool is.
- Make some action plans: The less energy you have to spend on deciding what to do, the better. My coworker and fellow senior health editor Patia Braithwaite has some tips for making plans for good days and bad days here. You might also want to brainstorm around various outcomes of the election.
- Tweak your schedule: To whatever extent you can, rearrange standing commitments or lighten your load so you don’t have to do a bunch of stuff in the event that you’re feeling emotionally compromised (or, you know, hungover). Maybe you want to take the day off work (or at least reschedule your regular morning meeting).
Emotional preparation
From a more emotional standpoint, it might be helpful to brush up on certain therapeutic tools that might help you cope in the moment, or at least have them at the ready. Think about stuff like:
- Bookmark helpful articles: We’ll have more of these at SELF between now and the election, but for now, consider checking out these tips for emotional regulation, these grounding exercises, and these therapist-approved techniques for dealing with existential anxiety.
- Download apps: Familiarize yourself with some of these mental health apps, since they put a lot of coping mechanisms and therapeutic tools right at your fingertips.
- Try guided meditation: Even if you’re not a meditation person, there’s never been a better time to try it. Because, hey, you never know what might help. Meditation app Headspace has both general and election-specific guided meditations that might come in handy. I’m also planning on checking out mindfulness and meditation brand Ten Percent Happier’s free election sanity series, which launches a week before the election.
- Find comforting distractions: Make a list of the shows, movies, podcasts, games, books, songs, or other pieces of entertainment that reliably get you out of your head and comfort you when you’re feeling like crap. Same goes for entertainment that you’ve been meaning to check out that might be engrossing enough to distract you. That way they’re ready to go.
Supportive preparation
Lastly, think about where you’ll get your support following the election, whether it’s doubling up on therapy appointments, checking in with your friends and making plans to get together (virtually or safely socially distanced in person), or looking into other resources. Some of these might come in handy:
- Look into support groups: These virtual support groups may be helpful if you think you might want to connect with other people but don’t know where to start.
- Browse through resources specific to your identity: One example is this list of Black mental health resources, which is full of people and groups to follow, as well as directories and networks for finding a Black mental health practitioner.
- Have an emergency plan ready: Such as reaching out to crisis support lines, if you need to talk to someone immediately. Try the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) or Crisis Text Line (text HOME to 741-741).
Like I said, it’s impossible to plan for everything—who knows what’s going to happen and what we’ll need—but a little bit of effort now might wind up being the lifeline you need in a few weeks. Plus, at this point, I’ll do anything that helps me feel even the tiniest bit more in control.
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