Mental preparedness tips for natural disasters

While it’s natural to think about physically preparing for a natural disaster, it's equally important to mentally prepare.

By taking steps to prepare mentally and emotionally for unexpected events, you can become better equipped to handle challenging situations and manage stress.

On this page, you'll find information on:

• Anticipating, identifying, and managing potential stressors
• Practical ways to plan for an emergency
• Tips for protecting your emotional wellbeing.

Scroll down to learn more.

In life, it’s often the unexpected things that can cause us the most stress and overwhelm.

By educating yourself on what to expect before, during, and after a natural disaster, you can be proactive about what things might potentially impact you the most.

Once you've thought through the scenarios that might impact you, you can use this RediPlan® disaster preparedness guide to make a stress management plan.

Alternatively, you can use your phone's notes app or a piece of paper and the following prompts.

When it comes to things you can do to manage stress, what works for you might not work for someone else and vice versa.

We all respond to stress differently, which means we'll all manage it differently and that's okay.

Below are practical techniques and strategies that you can turn to when experiencing stress.

• Go for a walk
• Listen to music or an uplifting podcast
• Spend time outside or in a garden
• Try a grounding technique
• Journal your thoughts and feelings
• Meditate or practice mindfulness
• Do this CBT-based thought-challenging activity
• Practise self-care
• Do volunteer work or help others
• Contact a support service like Lifeline or Beyond Blue.

One of the best ways you can manage stress during and after a natural disaster is by getting your ducks in a row. (e.g. tackle the to-do list that’s been in your ‘too-hard basket’ for the last few years.)

This can look like:

• Checking that your insurance policy and level of coverage are right for you and up to date
• Taking an inventory of your household
• Actioning any repairs that could help prevent damage in the event of extreme weather.

By taking care of the tasks that require a bit of deep thinking up front, you’ll feel less overwhelmed should you experience a natural disaster.

Australian Red Cross and NRMA Insurance have made getting prepared easier by co-creating the Get Prepared app, a digital version of Australian Red Cross' award-winning RediPlan® disaster preparedness guide and RediPlan® worksheet.

You can also find a variety of really valuable natural disaster resources on this Help Nation page and stay up to date with this Wild Weather Tracker.

Ultimately, the best way to protect your wellbeing is to ensure you're practising self-care and keeping your life as normal as possible.

This means establishing and sticking to daily routines, getting enough sleep, eating well, socialising, and moving your body.

Here are a few more ways you can protect your wellbeing:

• Build a strong social support system by connecting with friends and family
• Create an emergency self-care box you can access when you’re feeling anxious
• Create backups of important photos and memories to reduce the chances of losing them
• Establish daily mindfulness or relaxation techniques to manage stress and anxiety
• Listen to calming or mood-boosting playlists
• Prioritise and protect your sleep
• Consider seeking professional mental health support, especially if you have lived through a prior natural disaster or have a history of anxiety, depression or trauma.