Managing Stress and Anxiety on Election Day: Tools for Staying Grounded


Election Day can bring heightened emotions, stress, and anxiety for many people. The uncertainty, media coverage, and conversations around election outcomes can be overwhelming, but managing stress and staying calm is possible. Based on principles from Beyond Emotional Intelligence: Never Have Another Bad Day, this blog post offers strategies to help you stay emotionally balanced, resilient, and centered on Election Day. 

1. Accept and Acknowledge Your Feelings

The first step to handling stress and anxiety on Election Day is to acknowledge how you feel. It’s normal to experience a range of emotions, from nervousness to hopefulness to frustration. Accepting these feelings rather than suppressing them can help you maintain emotional clarity. 

How to Practice:

  • Name Your Emotions: Take a moment to identify and label what you’re feeling (e.g., anxious, hopeful, tense). Acknowledging emotions helps reduce their intensity.
  • Be Kind to Yourself: Remember, many people experience similar emotions on Election Day. Practicing self-compassion can help you avoid self-judgment and respond to your feelings with understanding.

2. Practice Mindfulness Techniques

Mindfulness allows you to stay grounded in the present moment, which can reduce anxiety about future outcomes. 

How to Practice:

  • Deep Breathing: Try a simple deep-breathing exercise. Inhale slowly for four counts, hold for four, and exhale for four. Repeat several times to calm your nervous system.
  • Body Scan: Sit in a comfortable position and focus on each part of your body, starting from your head down to your feet. Notice any areas of tension, and breathe into those areas to release the stress. 

These techniques help bring your focus back to the here and now, reducing anxiety tied to unknown future events.

3. Limit Your Media Consumption

The constant influx of news can increase stress levels, especially on Election Day. Limiting exposure to news and social media can help you maintain emotional balance. 

Tips:

  • Set Boundaries: Decide ahead of time how often you will check the news, and stick to that plan.
  • Curate Your Feed: Consider muting certain keywords or accounts on social media that might increase anxiety. 

By creating boundaries around your media consumption, you can protect yourself from being overwhelmed by constant updates. 

4. Reframe Uncertainty as an Opportunity for Growth

A major source of Election Day anxiety is uncertainty. Instead of viewing uncertainty as a negative experience, try to see it as an opportunity to strengthen your emotional resilience. 

Practice Reframing:

  • Shift Perspective: When you feel uncertainty building, remind yourself that it’s a chance to practice emotional dexterity. Tell yourself, “This is an opportunity to strengthen my ability to handle the unknown.”
  • Focus on Growth: Think about how handling this anxiety can help you grow. What can you learn about yourself and your emotional responses through this experience? 

Reframing uncertainty can help reduce anxiety and foster a growth-oriented mindset. 

5. Engage in Physical Activity to Relieve Stress

Physical activity is a great way to reduce stress, as it helps release endorphins that improve mood and relieve anxiety. 

Ideas:

  • Go for a Walk: Step outside for a walk, even if it’s just around the block. Fresh air and movement can do wonders for stress relief.
  • Practice Stretching or Yoga: Gentle stretches or a short yoga session can help release physical tension and calm your mind. 

By incorporating movement, you provide a productive outlet for nervous energy.

 

6. Reach Out to Your Support Network

Talking to trusted friends or family members can help alleviate stress. Sharing your feelings and hearing supportive perspectives can make a big difference. 

Tips for Connection:

  • Choose Positive Interactions: Reach out to those who help you feel calm and understood. Avoid conversations that might escalate your stress.
  • Focus on Listening: Support others who may also be feeling anxious. Often, helping others can reduce your own stress and bring perspective. 

A strong support network offers encouragement and reassurance, making it easier to handle emotional challenges. 

7. Focus on What You Can Control

Anxiety often arises when we focus on things outside our control. Election outcomes may be unpredictable, but you can control your response to the day’s events. 

How to Practice:

  • Make a List of Controllables: Write down things you can control, such as your thoughts, actions, self-care, and how you engage with others.
  • Shift Focus: Each time you catch yourself worrying about uncontrollable factors, refocus on what you can actively do. 

By concentrating on what’s within your power, you can reduce feelings of helplessness. 

8. Practice Gratitude to Maintain Perspective

Gratitude can help shift your focus from worry to appreciation, which naturally reduces stress. 

How to Practice:

  • List Three Things: Take a moment to write down three things you’re grateful for, even if they’re small.
  • Reflect on Positives: Think of something positive in your life that remains unaffected by the day’s events. 

Practicing gratitude encourages a balanced mindset, grounding you in the present. 

Conclusion: Staying Grounded on Election Day

Election Day can be a time of heightened emotions, but by using these tools, you can stay grounded, calm, and resilient. From mindfulness and reframing techniques to connecting with others and practicing gratitude, these strategies help you maintain emotional strength. Remember, the outcome is beyond your control, but your response isn’t. Beyond Emotional Intelligence: Never Have Another Bad Day teaches you to master your emotional responses, helping you navigate even the most challenging days with confidence and balance.  Stay tuned for our next post on how to be more emotionally resilient AFTER the election. 

About the Author

Dr. Drew Gold is an Associate Professor of Management at Saint Leo University and an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of North Carolina.  His areas of expertise include technology and innovation management, research methods and statistics, strategic management, and personal and professional development.  He has spent over a decade developing his concept of Emotional Dexterity, which is reflected in his forthcoming book “Beyond Emotional Intelligence: Never Have Another Bad Day!” 

Dr. Gold is married and lives with his wife and two crazy cats in Tampa, Florida. He loves to travel and is a master scuba diver trainer and loves college sports, especially his Ohio State Buckeyes!  O-H- 

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