Hi friends, family & clients,
During this time of social isolation, it is incredibly important to take care of our mental/emotional selves, as well as the physical. I want to take a little time to send some ideas out into the void. So, wherever you are reading this from: couch, bed, kitchen table, back patio; take a breath, put a smile on your face, and dive in.
Social isolation is something that we, as human beings, fear. It is not natural. In fact, it is the opposite of natural. We are creatures that thrive with community and family. So how, in this time of social isolation, can we keep our mental and emotional health in tip-top shape?
First, Please, Be kind to yourself. Have compassion for yourself and for others. We are all trying to adapt in this new crisis. People are learning how to do their jobs remotely for the first time. Children are being separated from their friends and teachers. Parents are juggling childcare and work. Everyone is worrying about the health of their friends and loved ones.
Second, people function best with a routine. What does that mean? Let’s brainstorm. What are the things that we typically need in order to feel like our day was meaningful? Laughter? Exercise? Learning? Food? Friends? Family? And now, how can we tie that all in while still juggling this new learning curve?
My recommendation is to create as much structure as you can. Get up, get ready for the day, and have a schedule. I’m not saying that we all need to have a timed 30 minute breakdown of each thing we will do that day. But a general schedule is fine. Currently my schedule revolves around work on Monday and Tuesday, and then my not-so-little 7 month old for the rest of the week. We wake up, get ready for the day, play/eat/sleep/repeat. This will look different for each household.
For those of you with school age children: Wake up, get ready, eat breakfast and then focus on school work. Take a break to play/make a group project. Do something that gets you active. Have lunch, maybe prepare lunch as a family. Then get back to school work if needed. End the school work around the time that it typically would end (2pm/3pm-ish). Have a snack! Play/read/relax/have alone time…. You see where I’m going with this, right? Use the structure of your normal day, and adapt it to home.
If we don’t have structure, especially with children, lots of things can become messy. We get overwhelmed, depressed, anxious, angry. Our mental/emotion/physical selves becomes drained.
Here are some other great things that you can STILL do:
- Video chat with family members and friends
- Play a boardgame (some great ones are: Ticket to Ride, Clue, Codenames, Kids Catan, Blokus)
- Get Jackbox for TV/Xbox/PS4 and play with friends on your phone
- Have a virtual Happy Hour with your friends
- Watch live and learn about animals at the Cincinnati Zoo at 3pm. https://www.facebook.com/cincinnatizoo
- Learn a new craft. Or finish that project that is still sitting there.
- Explore baking/cooking with your family. Or yourself. Eating-in is so much healthier!
- Play outside or inside (tag, hide-and-seek, ball, trampoline, monkey in the middle, etc.)
- Many groups are utilizing virtual platforms to continue events/fitness classes/church/etc. Research!
- And if you’re my husband…. learn how to juggle! (insert laughing face)
If you only read one thing on this post, I hope that you read this: we need to remain positive in this time of fear and crisis. Our bodies don’t function well with anxiety. In order to stay healthy, we need to surround ourselves with love and fun. So, take a break from scrolling that feed crammed with covid-19 “stuff”. Try to use this as an opportunity to reconnect with family and loved ones. We sometimes forget that time is a gift that not everyone has!
And pray for those people on the front lines of this virus. They need our love and support.
P.S. If anyone is needing therapy right now, I am now offering telehealth sessions for my clients.