Hello loves,
I think we can all agree that the world is straight up just a weird place right now. But we will get through it.
Ever since the Coronavirus outbreak started (or at least since it has become more well known), people across the world have been choosing to take part in "social distancing". The basic concept here is that by staying away from others and keeping to ourselves, we can hopefully slow down the spread of this disease - which allows for our health care system to be able to better control and react to the situation. (If you want to read more about the science behind this concept, here is a nice explanation from Live Science).
Many people have made the conscious decision to take part in social distancing. Others out there have sort of found themselves in the social distancing boat simply because everything around them is closing and it seems like the thing to do. Many companies are now having their employees work from home, or are closing down or severely limiting their offerings until things return to "normal" - and as more and more companies take part in these efforts, more and more of us are staying at home and social distancing. Welcome to a land of pajamas, pet cuddles, and Netflix.
Now, obviously I do NOT work for the CDC or anything of that nature, so I'm not going to sit here and tell you a bunch of medical jargon about the Coronavirus. What I CAN do, however, is educate and talk about what I know. And that, my friends, is health and wellness. Or, more specifically in this situation, self-care that can contribute to your health and wellness.
While I completely understand the current need for social distancing, it has also come to my attention that this is a big adjustment for a lot of us - which can sometimes be really hard! For those of us who are healthy but are staying at home due to the circumstances of our weird world, we are now finding ourselves out of our usual routines and patterns. A lot of us are working from home, or not working at all. We aren't going to the gym, we aren't attending any classes, and we aren't even meeting up with our social circles for lunch dates.
It may be tempting to use this downtime to sit around and not really do much. And yes, that is kind of the point. However, it is possible to contribute to this effort while also dedicating some of that free time to taking care of yourself! Sitting around and "not really doing much" can help us relax in some situations, but two straight weeks (or more) of it might be more harmful than helpful when it comes to our wellbeing. Over a long period of time this can make us feel stagnant , stuck, and just overall "bleh".
Let's not feel "bleh". Let's find a silver lining out of this whole situation, and take some time to really focus on self-care!
Without further ado, here are some things you can do to take care of yourself while social distancing.
1. Keep a Consistent Sleep Schedule
I kind of mentioned this earlier, but suddenly having all of this time at home could mean that you have lost your daily routines and patterns - including a specific time you have to start work in the morning. Maybe you want to take the first day or two of your new stay-at-home lifestyle to allow yourself to sleep in and get a little crazy, and that's okay. But after a day or two, it's important to establish some sort of routine. Obviously every human is different, but in general most people function better when they are on a consistent sleep schedule. This practice allows you to wake up feeling more well rested in the morning, stay energized throughout the day, and fall asleep with more ease at night. So go ahead and pick a time to go to bed and a time to wake up every day that gives you 7-8 hours of good sleep - and stick to it within at least 30 minutes. Bonus points if you also give yourself specific times to start and end your "work day" while working from home - it's important to have boundaries and know when work is done for the day!
2. Find Ways to Stay Active
It's hard to stay active when you can't go to the gym or attend your favorite fitness class. But it can still be done. Depending on your situation and how much you are distancing yourself, consider going for a walk outside (while still distancing yourself from others). If that's not an option for you, maybe you can just turn on some music and DANCE! Let yourself find whatever movement feels best to you. And of course you can always explore the many different fitness classes on youtube or check in with your favorite fitness instructors to see if they are live streaming classes! (Check out my facebook account to hear about the virtual classes I will be offering 3x per week!)
3. Reach Out to Your Loved Ones
Times like this can be really rough - humans are social creatures, and even though a lot of us do love our alone time, long periods of it might get to us after a while. But just because we can't physically be with someone doesn't mean all contact is lost! We live in a time where technology is booming - use that to your advantage! Set up a FaceTime date with your long distance friends, Skype a loved one while you both eat dinner "together", or call your grandparents to check in and see how they are doing. Just because you are staying in your home doesn't mean you can't connect with the ones you love. It's also important to embrace the extra time that you now get with your family or roommates! Try spending some quality time together by playing board games, having a movie night, or maybe even eating dinner at the dinner table (shocking concept, I know). You may not have a lot of social interaction during this time, but allow yourself to enjoy the connections that you have at home and make an effort to reach out to those who are farther away - it just may lower your stress levels.
4. Fuel Up with Healthy Foods
Alright, this one is pretty self explanatory, but I wouldn't be me if I didn't at least mention it. It may be tempting to let yourself eat whatever you want right now because it's a unique situation and other things might seem more important, but do your best to eat healthy! I'm not saying you can't occasionally eat some of that ice cream in your freezer, but don't completely lose sight of what is important - your health! Eating healthy, whatever that means to you, can keep you energized, elevate your mood, keep disease away, promote a healthy immune system, and so much more! I know that the grocery stores are picked over right now, so maybe you can't get some of your usual "staples". But get creative with what is available to you! There are tons of food blogs and youtube channels with cooking inspiration (From My Bowl is my current favorite) - you got this! Fuel your body with the good stuff, and it will thank you.
5. Learn a New Skill
Now that you have more time at home, how about you spend it learning that thing you've always wanted to do? Find some how-to videos on youtube or skillshare for whatever it is you've been dying to try - maybe you want to learn to knit, play guitar, bake bread, meditate, whatever it is - now's the time! It's been proven over and over again how important it is to keep not just our bodies active, but our brains too. Keep that brain sharp and clear during this time and maybe you'll even find a new lifelong hobby along the way!
6. Step Away From the Media
I'll admit it, I'm glued to the media too. Most of us are! In some ways we are SO lucky to have access to constant news updates through the web, social media, TV, ALL the things. And it's important to keep up with the happenings of the world, especially during something like a virus outbreak. But keep in mind that it's important to take a step back from all of that digital information as well. If we spend too much time staring at our phones, waiting for the next update or scrolling through our feeds, we can miss so many other things going on around us! So don't let yourself get sucked in. Put down the phone, turn off the screens, and spend some time doing something else - reading a book, cuddling your pet, drinking some tea on your porch, taking a bubble bath, anything to clear your mind... away from the media. Take a deep breath. All of that information will still be there in another 30 minutes.
7. De-Clutter
We could all use some decluttering in our lives, in one area or another. Use this time to make that happen! Clean out the junk drawer, tidy up the living room, reorganize the pantry, throw some old clothes in a donation bag, do whatever it is that is nagging at you! Sometimes we don't even realize it, but our minds can have a hard time focusing if our space feels cluttered - so clean up your space and improve your mental health too! You might be surprised how much lighter you feel afterwards. Plus, giving yourself a task around the house could be a good distraction for your brain if you need to destress!
8. Above All... Stay Positive!
This is always a good practice, but I really want to emphasize it during this chaotic and potentially stressful time. And I'll admit that this is something that I struggle with now and then - because I'm human too. But this phase of the world is NOT going to last forever. We may not know the end date yet, but there is one! Just keep your head up, focus on the silver linings, remember that this is temporary, and keep on keeping on. Sticking to your self care through the tips on this post, and any other ways you can find, can keep you in a better mindset and hopefully contribute to staying positive. But if that's not enough, find other ways to implement positivity into your life! Maybe write your favorite positivity quote on a sticky note and stick it to your mirror, or make it the background on your phone or computer. Maybe pick a song that has a positive message and listen to it whenever you're feeling down. Or even just remind yourself of a happy memory when you need some extra positivity. Just find something you can include in your day that will bring a smile to your face and remind you that everything is going to be okay.
As a quick side story to close up, I want to share what I do when I need a quick pick-me-up on a gloomy day - one way that I stay positive when the world feels like a bit much.
The summer that I got married was an amazing summer, but also pretty stressful. It was one of those phases of life where really great things were happening, but that also meant that I was dealing with a lot of change all at once. I had just graduated college, which always comes with feelings of "what am I doing with my life". I was planning my wedding, which I was so excited about but was also a huge undertaking (ask anyone who has ever planned a wedding). And, on top of those big life things, I was also moving across the country a week after the wedding so that my husband and I could actually live in the same place. Again, excited... but also a lot.
One day that summer I went to a dress fitting for my wedding dress. It was just me, my mom, and one of my bridesmaids - who was one of my best friends. I tried on my dress and realized I had a tan line that you could very clearly see. It may seem like a small thing, and truly it was. But at that moment, with so much stress already on my shoulders, it felt like the last straw. I started tearing up, feeling like the world was falling apart. Then my friend walked up to me, laid her head on my shoulder, and pointed to a sign on the wall that said "Every Little Thing is Going to be Alright". It was a simple act, but her comfort in that moment was everything that I needed, and for the rest of that summer anytime I felt overwhelmed, she would repeat that quote to me. Every Little Thing is Going to be Alright.
I know that planning a wedding is an entirely different type of stressor from a global pandemic, but that memory can always perk me up. Find a memory like that for you, and keep it stored away for whenever you need it.
Stay well, loves. Take care of yourselves. We will get through this.
Every Little Thing is Going to be Alright.
<3 Delaney
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