When people are stressed out they’re more likely to shop impulsively. Here’s how you can manage this urge.

With the coronavirus, even the most resilient and savings conscious person is struggling to keep their online shopping habits in check. Despite the fact that we’re all facing uncertainty in the workplace and in our lives, different industries have reported sharp increases in sales, ranging from clothing companies to home goods, kids toys and more.

According to a study, people tend to shop more when faced with times of crisis and stress. It’s a coping method that distracts us from our boredom, provides an easy way of making ourselves feel good and also gives us a semblance of control over our lives.

Here’s how you can curb your impulse buying:

Try to spend less time online

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The pandemic has influenced our already charged relationship with the internet. People who used to enforce parameters with their social media usage have understandably cut back on these boundaries. This is good, since social media provides a way of staying social, but spending all of this time online exposes you to more shopping options than ever, whether you’re scrolling through Instagram or Amazon.

Look for different ways of rewarding yourself

Since quarantine started you might have completed several puzzles and baked a bunch of stuff that you’d normally never try. As time passes, these activities become less rewarding and it’s easier to turn to shopping as a way of activating your rewards system.

Try to find fulfillment in other activities aside from shopping, whether they’re organizing your bookshelf or closet, or simply sitting down to watch a TV series. Monitor your feelings and try to stay busy with other things that aren’t shopping or browsing online stores.

Ask yourself if you need or even want what you’re looking at

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One of the most helpful approaches you can take is asking yourself if what you’re considering buying is something you actually need or want. A lot of people buy stuff impulsively only to realize that they have no use for whatever it is they bought once the package arrives.

Think of the consequences of your actions. Aside from spending your money, you’re also using up someone else’s time and resources. Delivery services are one of the things that are keeping the country running, and we should all do our part to ensure that we’re being considerate to others.