The Coronavirus event we are living through these days caught most of us unprepared for a situation of this magnitude and sent us running. With curfews, work-from-home, remote-learning, and homeschooling kids, not to mention unemployment for many, we all had to scramble for solutions. Our routines, habits, and comfort levels were replaced by a new reality that is physically limiting and emotionally taxing. You are not in control over how this situation will develop, but have many ways and means to control your home and immediate environment. You can and should plan things that fully depend on you. As we make the best of the next few weeks (here’s for hope!), here are a few points you may want to pay attention to and practice:
1. Follow official guidelines
This is an emergency situation on a global scale. To defeat this outbreak, we all need to act in unison and adhere to rules laid out by experts and officials. Do your part by keeping yourself and those around you safe and healthy by following official guidelines for how to behave and handle activities during this crisis. The CDC website offers advice and tips on what to do. Educate yourself through reputable sources and avoid spreading false or misleading information to others.
2. Keep your body active
These physical constraints are drastically reducing your daily amount of activities. Staying home all the time, you walk less than usual, and mostly move from one sitting location to another. Set up an hourly reminder for motion time: walk a path between rooms or floors for five to ten minutes. Do a couple of sets of pushups, curl-ups, or other exercises you are comfortable doing. Walk outside if weather and conditions permit. Change these routines to keep different muscle groups active. Set these workout sessions as challenges to complete before you let yourself continue with the next activity, i.e. you can watch the next episode after you complete a workout set. You can find many workout videos on YouTube that will throw you back to the 80s, but hey, Jane Fonda didn’t look like that by sitting on the sofa.
3. Keep your mind active
Staying home over many days leads to stagnation and may affect your mental state. Avoid falling into passive routines that could idle your mind, like watching TV for hours on end, surfing the internet aimlessly, and so on. Set a timer to remind you to change activities. Rotate between routines. If you are binge-watching TV, stop between program to read a chapter in a book, solve a crossword puzzle, exercise, or talk to someone. Try to engage in creative activities. Write a journal and use it to reflect on the current situation, including your personal one.
4. Stand up and look outside
Check out the scene outside your window. Look at the birds, the squirrels, or whatever else is roaming outside your home. Use your phone or computer to search and identify the different species of birds you spot. And when you spot another person out there, wave at them. You are at a safe distance from them, and any human interaction is important these days.
5. Develop a new interest
The home you are confined to right now is the same one you are used, but instead of staying in for only a few hours in a day, you are now there all the time. It’s your familiar environment, but under new rules. You continue doing everything you always did there, like rest, eat, etc., but now you are there all day, every day. You may even work there as well. This new situation calls for a new set of rules. Instead of stretching out activities you are used to in order to fill the day, start adding new ones: paint, draw, write, or cook. Use your personal reflections on this situation as an inspiration for the subject and direction. Most public libraries offer books online. Many universities and other institutions offer free courses on a wide variety of subjects. Study Greek philosophy? Learn a new language? This is the chance you waited for. Put it to good use.
6. Organize your house
This is a great opportunity to get those long-awaited projects you always had to postpone. Chose an area in need of cleaning/organizing/fixing, and get to work. You don’t have to do it all at once – you will be able to finish it tomorrow or the next day. You can also use it as a break activity, as offered in paragraph 2.
7. Watch your diet
Eating three (or more?..) meals at home each day may limit your menu choices and lead to unhealthy eating. Watch what you eat and vary the types of food you dine on to ease the burden on your stomach. Keep a list of what you had for each meal – it is easy to lose track of what you did when days turn into weeks. If possible, order meals from restaurants in your area and have it delivered. Many places offer this service, and in addition to enjoying “eating out”, you will do your part to support businesses that are struggling to survive given the circumstances.
8. Maintain your daily routine
This new kind of freedom you are experiencing may lead to the development of unhealthy schedules and habits. Boredom can cause you to feel fatigued and throw you into a haze of walking slumber, upsetting your internal rhythm. Avoid taking prolonged naps during the day and using the time to rest too much. Continue to rise at the same time you usually do in the morning and go to bed on time. Even when no one is watching you, watch yourself.
9. Keep your sense of humor
The internet is flooded with memes, jokes, and commentaries that deal with the Coronavirus event. Satire, sarcasm and other forms of humor are good ways of dealing with a situation that offers gloomy prospects. They illuminate its darker corners in a ridiculing and entertaining light. Lampooning a situation helps to lighten its reality. Share these puns with others in your network, and create your own jokes if you can.
10. Maintain your mental health
The uncertainty of this situation can cause an onset of mental stress. Keep yourself in check and do not hesitate to seek help if you feel distressed, sad, or depressed. Deferring help may cause you unnecessary harm, and complicate an otherwise simple situation. Keep your internal compass pointing in the right direction by keeping a healthy attitude and rhythm. Keep in touch with people whom you trust to keep you on your best side. Visit your place of worship online and participate in an online service if they are available. The American Psychological Association offers many sources on its website on a variety of topics. Check it out for reference material that may be useful to you.
11. Be patient toward others
If you live in a house with a number of people, pay attention to respect their privacy and avoid unnecessary conflicts and friction points. You cannot expect the same personal space you were accustomed to during normal times, and must adhere the same to others. Small arguments can flare up quickly and may be hard to subdue. Be tuned to any signs of stress among them, especially the kids, and act to address them. Lead by example and treat others the way you would like to be treated. If you have children with you use the time for positive interactions. Organize family game times and promote positive interactions between all occupants.
12. Remain social, the new way
Pick up the phone, call family and friends to check up on them, and give them a chance to do the same on you. It is prime-time for video-conferencing. Many schools and companies moved their activities to virtual platforms such as Zoom and Skype. These apps allow you to interact with coworkers, friends, and loved ones. Familiarize yourself with how to use these apps and programs so that you can effectively participate in these calls. We are all in this for the long haul, so don’t be left behind or alone.
Last thought. It is important to note that some of the advice items may not be relevant or possible for you to execute. Do what you can when you can, and remember to not be hard on yourself. You cannot and should not do everything alone. Seek out an accountability buddy and keep each other in line. It important for each of us to maintain ourselves as best as we can. We are all in this together. Hopefully, this situation will be over soon. Stay healthy and well.