How to be Productive during COVID

By: Carmen Tan | Outreach Worker in Kingston-Galloway

I can’t believe it’s been over a year since we have been in lockdown and trying to figure out what is our new normal. This past year, I have been feeling bored and there are days when I forget what the weekday is. I am a person who loves staying busy and work but with the pandemic, it felt like God was trying to slow me down. I have to admit, I spent the first few months being a couch potato binging on Netflix to the point I ran out of things to watch. 

But I quickly snapped out of it because I want to make use of my time. 

The past year, I discovered some new favourites and picked up some new hobbies I didn’t think I would have had the opportunity to do. I have always enjoyed walks but now I get to enjoy walks with a cute little puppy, learning how to time my recycle and garbage days to purge stuff I need to get rid of, and realizing how much I love takeout.

I’m going to share 5 tips and tricks I have learned that kept me productive the past year. 

Tip #1: Make a Plan (Schedule your day/week)

If I didn’t have a plan or agenda, I would have no idea what I need to do. So my agenda and calendar have been really helpful for me, I check it every morning and night to see what I need to achieve today and the next day. 

I find it helpful to write down the things/errands/projects I want to achieve in a week. Planning a week ahead allows you to have the flexibility to do it within the week versus planning a list day by day. I find it less stressful and much more manageable for me. I create a checklist and tick it off when it’s completed - it brings me a lot of satisfaction! 

Tip #2: Take Breaks 

When you’re working from home, it’s so easy to be sitting all day and staring at a computer screen. I highly suggest taking lots of breaks, 5-minute breaks, 10-minute breaks, or 30-minute breaks to refresh yourself. 

I love Starbucks and I had the habit of buying coffee all the time. So during the pandemic, I decided I will try to be a barista at home - there were many times I failed but taking the 10-minute break to make coffee was helpful. Getting up from my chair, walking around, and being in another environment was beneficial. I finally figured out a routine and recipe that works for my tastebud! 

If it’s not making coffee, whip on a coat and put on your boots for a walk around the neighbourhood. I have been running and walking in the neighbourhood and met some friendly neighbours I never would’ve met. 

Tip #3: It’s OK to dress up! 

At the beginning of the pandemic, I was excited to be able to work from home because I get to wear my pyjamas all day long. But I wanted to make a routine for myself, so I decided to have house clothes and pyjamas clothes. When I wake up in the morning I will do my get-ready routine, and change into my house clothes.  

At the end of the day, I would change to pyjamas and get ready for bed. It helps me separate rest and work by just changing outfits. 

Tip #4: Create Themed Days at Home

Prior to the pandemic, after work or the weekends, I always had something to look forward to. Whether it was meeting up with a friend for a meal or playing sports, there was something fun to look forward to. 

With the pandemic and stay at home orders, we seem to be stuck between four walls. So I decided to create themed days - it gives me something to look forward to! 

Here are some of my themed days: 

• Every Friday - Take-Out Day  I would order some of my favourite foods from local restaurants to support their business! 

• Every Saturday - I find a way to get active by going on long walks and maybe treat myself to a Starbucks or bubble tea 

What are some fun-themed days to add to my list? 

Tip #5: Reach out to your Family and Friends 

A big part of my life is meeting up with friends and family over meals. I spent months with only my family and found myself not really engaging or connecting with my friends outside of Instagram likes and sending memes to each other. 

Reach out to your family and friends with virtual dates, eating together, or even doing a workout together to catch up and check in with another. 

In my agenda, I also write down my church service time and small group gatherings to remind myself to not give up gathering together. I always find myself in a better mood and feeling refreshed after talking and listening to others. 

I hope some of the tricks and tips can help you feel more productive during this pandemic. Start small land find a median that works well for you!

Teen Depression and Anxiety

By: Rachelle Alcazaren | Outreach Worker in Kingston-Galloway

Statistics: 

• 1 in 5 people in Canada will experience a mental health problem or illness each year

• Anxiety disorders rose up to 20% in the last 5 years, and continue to rise along with hospitalizations for suicidal teenagers

• 1 in 3 adolescents aged 13-18 will experience an anxiety disorder

• Use of cannabis and alcohol by teens and younger adults has increased during the pandemic, with solitary substance use becoming more common. 

• More than a ⅓ of youth received mental health services in an academic setting ex. school , college, etc., but with the pandemic they are going without extra help

• Canada’s youth suicide rate is the third highest in the industrialized world

• Mental disorders in youth is ranked the second highest hospital care expenditure in Canada, surpassed only by physical injuries

• Only 1 in 5 children who need mental health services actually receives them in Canada

Our world is becoming even more dependent on technology than ever before. Because of the pandemic, our whole worlds revolve online, which is especially true for teenagers and children in school. Our connections have gotten broader in this world, but to our demise, they have gotten shallower as well. They are exposed to a number of people all at once on the internet, but sit alone in their rooms all day. The pandemic has only made it worse. There is a great need for deeper connection and relationship, but we aren’t able to have that at this time. Hangouts are replaced by FaceTime calls and Zoom sessions, and the only people we have to talk to that are physically near us, are our families. Unfortunately, not every teenager gets along with their families. It might be harder to share their inner thoughts and feelings with their parents and siblings. There are some youth in our own community of Kingston-Galloway that have shared their struggles with this issue. Especially concerning immigrant households, the youth have shared similar differences in culture, language, and ways of thinking between themselves and their parents that make it particularly difficult to find a middle ground. In general, our connections in this world consist of many people who only know us at face value, with only a few that know where we are at spiritually and emotionally.
Fostering relationships as a teenager is one of the most important factors in development. People who genuinely invest in a teenager’s life with care and commitment shape who they are and who they will become as people. At TCM, we invest in our teenagers through programs that build their character, leadership and relationship with God. Throughout the year, youth are able to participate in our Teens Leading Community Program (TLC). Here, youth learn and develop various skills, learn responsibility and grow their faith. They learn to be leaders in their very own communities. After all, who knows the community better than them? The TLC’s are a big part of our other Sonshine Day Camp and KIC programs.
Through these programs, they’re able to interact with kids in their community and help lead and guide them. These programs are vital to the community because it provides a place for youth to grow and cultivate their skills in a safe environment. An environment that not only cares about their education, health and well-being, but also their spiritual lives.
The fact that social media has ultimately replaced relationships (to varying degrees depending on the person) is a truly concerning fact. People are feeling more lonely than ever, especially now that everyone is in social isolation due to the pandemic. Social media also shows the best parts of people’s lives, and it can bring a person’s self-esteem down to see their own “reality.” Anxiety and depression is becoming more and more common in children, youth, and young adults. I am not saying that social media is the one true cause of everyone’s mental health problems, but that it is one piece in a puzzle of other factors causing increased mental health issues in today’s world.

Other Causes Could Include and Are Not Limited To:

• High expectations and the culture of achievement in today’s society

• A scary world: news articles from all over the world can be found by a click of a button. We hear and see stories of terrible things happening all over the world every day - something that is possible now because of technology 

• The unknown nature of the pandemic 

• Stressful home environment

• Hormonal changes in mood

• Social environment and social isolation 

• Remote learning because of the pandemic- days are long, lonely, and it’s hard to get academic help

How Can We Be There For Our Children and Teenagers? 

1. Be aware of mental health issues and don’t be afraid to talk about it with your child and/or youth. Fostering an environment of love and acceptance is important for their development. 

2. Listen without judgement or waiting for the opportunity to talk. It’s easy to dismiss our child/teen’s problems as dramatic. Sitting there with presence and purpose instead of dismissing it or having the need to give advice might be just what they need. Sometimes you don’t even need to talk! 

3. Older kids might not want to talk, and younger children might not have the words to express what they’re feeling. Establishing an environment that they can be comfortable in can take time.

4. Focus on resilience. Help them build skills that they can use to adapt to day-to-day challenges. What can they control? What can’t they control? Identify the little things that they do have control over and the things that only God has control over. Feeling helpless makes you more vulnerable and prone to depression and anxiety, so focusing on these skills can build their resilience. 

5. Model good self-care to your children. If you can’t take care of yourself, how will you be able to care for them? 

6. Learn the warning signs of anxiety and depression, and the symptoms associated with it. It is better to be knowledgeable than ignorant.

7. Get professional help. Here are some links to organizations that specialize in anxiety and depression in children and youth:

Kids Help Phone

• For children and youth

• Provides professional counselling and information and referrals for mental health, addictions and well-being

• Phone and online via web post or live chat

• Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

• Free, anonymous and confidential

• Call: 1-800-668-6868 to speak with a professional counsellor

• Text: CONNECT to 686868 to connect with a trained, volunteer Crisis Responder

Good2Talk

• For people between the ages of 17-25

• For post-secondary students in Ontario

• Provides professional counselling and information and referrals for mental health, addictions and well-being

• Free, confidential and anonymous helpline

• Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

• Call: 1-866-925-5454 to speak with a professional counsellor

• Text: GOOD2TALKON to 686868 with a trained, volunteer Crisis Responder

Mental Health Helpline

• All ages

• Provides information about counselling services and supports in your community

• Listens, offers support and provide strategies to help you meet your goals

• Provides basic education about mental illness

• Call: 1-866-531-2600

Ontario Distress Centres

• All ages

• A free telephone help-line for people experiencing emotional distress (including suicide)

• Provide listening and referral services primarily through highly trained volunteers

• Most centres are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

• Call a distress centre in your area

*information taken from Ontario Mental Health Services Children and Youth

Resources: 

• ADAA

• Healthy Children

• Haven Toronto

• NYU Langone Health

• Healthy Children

• Child Mind

• CTV News

• New York Times

• Psychiatrics Times

• Discovery Mood

• Dana Foundation

• The Power of Relationships (Video)

Joys and Difficulties of support rising

By: Racheal Mulongo | Intern

Raising support is a part of a lot of different Christian ministries. It’s one of those things that some of us want to go through with a “bear it and grin” mindset. Where we just cannot wait to get it over with. And that’s understandable, it’s a draining process at times but there are also great joys that come with the journey of support raising. A friend once told me, “support raising is like a beautiful beast”. Beautiful because it is a time that God works on your heart and prepares you for ministry but still a beast because the process is not easy. However, just because it’s not easy doesn’t mean it’s bad. In fact, the times you learn and grow the most is through situations that aren’t always the easiest. 

Support raising gives you a chance to share your ministry with others and allows them to see how God is at work in places they might not have thought of. You also get the chance to hear from others how God is working in their lives. During the process of support raising, you get to invite others to join you as you step into what God is already doing. I think sometimes in the process of support raising the temptation is to think that you are carrying the weight of raising your funds on your own, but the truth is God is the one who is working in people’s hearts to give to your ministry. God cares far more deeply about the ministry you are stepping into. He cares so much more for people to come to know Him, for His people to experience restoration. No matter how passionate you are about the ministry you are stepping into, trust me God is far more passionate and zealous. 

Support raising is a growing process, a time where your dependence on God will grow because of how much your faith will be stretched. Your eyes are really opened to just how much God can do. It might be hard to see what God is doing or to understand how He is working during the process, but He is. In a similar way when the Jews were waiting for the coming Messiah, they did not expect Him to come as a humble baby, let alone a baby born in a stable.  The Jews were expecting a Savior to work in a particular way, to become a King and overthrow the Roman Empire, but He was working in a different way than they could not understand at the time. 

 There are some difficulties that come with the process of support raising. It can be scary and at times disappointing. There will be people you share with that might not understand your ministry or may not want to support you at that moment. It can be disappointing to follow up with someone for long hoping they would join your ministry only for them not to. 

At times you might not get a response from someone that you expected would get back to you and support you. What is interesting though is that sometimes the people you least expect are the ones God uses to support your ministry. 

Whether you’re someone thinking of support raising or you’re in the middle of the process and feel discouraged, you are not alone. Many have gone before you and God has provided. If God has called you, He will equip you and enable you to do his ministry at the end of the day. Maybe it won’t pan out exactly how you planned and expected, but God will surely make a way.

How to pray when you don't feel like praying

By: Katherine Ma | Outreach worker, Willowtree

Why might Christians not pray as much as they should? The Bible says to pray continually. We all know we should pray, and pray often. Yet I have heard so many people, and personally struggle, with even just remembering to pray once or twice a day. So people know they should pray, but don’t - and I think the reason is a matter of importance. Of priorities, of weight, of worth. It’s hard to admit - perhaps we just don’t pray enough because we don’t think prayer is worthy of our time.

It’s likely not a conscious thought: most people can say with conviction that prayer is of utmost importance. Instead, it’s not about needing to convince yourself with facts and knowledge, but letting it reach deep into your heart. And this is a work of only God Himself.

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone” - Ezekiel 36:26

For me, this is a hard teaching. I’m the kind of person who wants to know steps 1 and 2. Who wants to know the details of the grand plan that only God knows and with infinite wisdom, has decided we are better off not knowing. I want to get from A to B; God wants me to trust Him with His own path. But eventually I accept that I can’t demand my instant gratification, but instead I am here in this present moment - broken, not yet there. So how can we pray in these places, when we know where we ought to be, but know we need to wait to be there? How do we pray in the waiting?

I don’t think I can give you a one-size-fits-all tool, but I found something that really helps me: Guided prayers. The Lord’s Prayer is a great guided prayer (after all Jesus Himself instructed His disciples to pray in this way). There are also many others found inside and outside the Bible that can serve as powerful tools in different situations. Many people are familiar with ACTS: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication. However, in times where you can barely manage to fill in the blanks, you might benefit from a simple prayer like the one below.

1. You.

   • Start off with your focus on God. See the world through the lens of who He is, and you will see the world through the lens of reality.

   • Who is God? What qualities from Scripture do you remember about God?

   • Example: God, you are good. You are faithful. You are light. You are sovereign. You are always there, you are always near.

2. Me.

   • Next, be honest with where you’re at. God knows it all, and there’s no point hiding yourself. Really search your heart.

   • Who are you? How do you feel? What do you think about yourself?

   • Example: I am so broken. I feel so lost without you. I’m so sorry for what I’ve done. I need you so badly.

3. Please.

   • Don’t be afraid of asking God for anything. If you’re not sure it’s right to ask, ask it anyway and God will reveal the answer to you.

   • What do you want to ask God for? What does your heart want?

   • Example: Please, can you fix me? Can you give me joy? Can you help me to trust you when it is hard? Can you heal my hurt?

4. Thank you.

   • Finally, end with your focus on God again. Even if you can’t think of anything in the present to thank Him for, you can always thank Him for His love.

   • What can you thank God for? What do you actually want to thank God for?

   • Example: Thank you for listening to me. Thank you for being present with me. Thank you for your Son who died and rose again.

Whether or not you use this guided prayer, even if your prayer is simply ‘God, please answer me’ - be persistent in prayer, and I know God will answer you. That is not only my hope, but a promise from His Word as well.

Self-care during COVID: Take a breather

By: Racheal Mulongo | Intern

I am not an expert and like many of you I have never been in a pandemic and have had to adjust my life to a  new reality. It has not been easy as I am sure most of you would agree. With things changing so drastically most of us are becoming aware of just how much we need to take care of ourselves. I want to share with you a few tips on self care that could be helpful for you.  

Sleep schedule: Have a consistent routine when it comes to bedtime. You could include specific activities to your bedtime routine. Once you do them regularly enough your brain and body will associate these activities with sleep. For example, you could turn off bright lights and have a smaller light by your bed as you prepare for sleep. You could read a book instead of going on your phone or laptop. The idea is to reduce light so that your body knows it is dark outside and time to sleep. Trying to go to bed at a regular time is also a really good way to program your body to sleep at a specific time. Sleep is an important part of self-care because when you sleep your body can repair itself, your brain is able to store important information and discard what is not as important. Good quality sleep improves your mood too and helps reduce stress because you will be able to be more productive during the day.

Breaks from the screen: I mentioned this to help improve sleep time but breaks from the screen is something that is becoming increasingly important during COVID times. Our time in front of computer screens has increased because of in person activities shifting online. There may be a temptation to take a break from work by watching videos or scrolling through social media. Though these aren’t bad things, you could replace some of that screen time with some stretching or some physical activity.

Going outside regularly: Speaking of physical activity, you don’t have to become an Olympic runner during this time (although if that’s something you’d like to achieve, go ahead) but regular physical activity could do some good. If you don’t enjoy running like me, you can go on a walk instead to breathe in the fresh air. Your mind needs it, but your body will thank you too.

Connecting with friends and family: With the reduced face-to-face contact, due to things moving more online, don’t neglect being intentional to spend time with family and friends. I know I was encouraging you to reduce your screen time, but if it’s for making genuine connections with people you care about and who care about you then that’s different. Make those connections. If you live with your family or other people find ways to connect with them. Food is a good common ground, maybe have some meals together. Or work together if your work is online and if you are able to encourage each other to work.

Connect with God: Take time to be with God. This, I would say, is the most important practice I’ve found helpful in general but also specifically during this time of COVID. Have a moment with God where you just pour out your heart and share what is going on in your life, the things that worry you, the things that excite you. God is always listening to us even when we don’t feel like He is. Don’t give up the habit of spending time praying or reading the bible which is God’s Word.

I hope there was at least one aspect that you found helpful. Maybe you are reading this and feel overwhelmed, because you just don’t know where to start. Don’t feel like you need to change everything you’ve been doing. Just take one thing you think would be more helpful for you right now and start there. I know things are confusing and discouraging at the moment but it’ll be okay. God is still very much at work, take heart.