"Pandemic Precaution Fatigue" - are you feeling it? Tips for getting out of the rut

(FOX 2) - Are you growing tired of wearing a mask and social distancing? That's to be expected. As the pandemic continues with no end timeline in sight, maintaining safe habits that feel somewhat confining can be difficult. 

Cleveland Clinic's Dr. Scott Bea  says it's not easy but we have to find it within ourselves to make sure COVID-19 safety measures don't slip.

"I call it willingness, willingness to do uncomfortable things because we value them and deem them worthwhile and they protect ourselves and those that we care about," he said.

Over time, as we adjust to a threat and stress levels drop, it's natural to let our guard down. 

It's important to remember though that if we take a break on safety measures - the coronavirus does not. It continues infecting people. 

Experts say creating habits out of safety routines may help us maintain them without having to think about them.

Dr. Bea says when we're fatigued we want to rest, but the more rest we get the more fatigued we feel, so he recommends new actions or activities to help us get back on track. 

"Finding a new mask, something that excites you, a new social distancing activity, finding something novel and new is a way we excite our brains and it's a way we can overcome fatigue."