Below are a set of tips for coping with social distancing and these difficult times gathered from a variety of sources. i hope you find them helpful. Good reminders for all of us.
1. Keep a regular sleep schedule. It’s ok to sleep a little extra but try to go to sleep and get up as close to the same time each day. In the morning, get as much light into your eyes as possible.
2. Bathe and get dressed for the day every day.
3. Get time in nature every day. Open air should be ok if not done in a crowd.
4. Journal, pray, check in with yourself and your feelings every day. Find the balance between denial and submerging yourself. Reach out to others and share how you are doing.
5. Meditate. Stay as present as you can. “What if” thinking is dangerous. We can speculate and prepare but not to the point anxiety overtakes us.
6. Connect. Reach out to someone who needs you. And reach out to someone who makes you happy. FaceTime is amazing to help us during this time. If you don’t have an iPhone, messenger video does a great job. For groups, try google handouts.
7. Get some exercise every day. Take a walk outside, do yoga, do an at home body weight work out or Tabata. Pinterest has tons of work out ideas.
8. Keep your area clean and tidy. Not just for hygiene purposes but for mental health.
9. Try to eat regularly, avoid late night snacks and unhealthy foods that we all tend to crave when stressed.
10. Take breaks from your loved ones. Find that balance of togetherness and alone time even within your family.
11. Rest. It’s ok to slow down. Our bodies weren’t created for the life styles we’ve been living. Maybe when this is all over, we will change our fast paced lives permanently.
12. Set realistic goals for productivity. Try to complete one task before starting another. Distractions are harder to manage at home. Write a short list to complete for the day but if you don’t get it all done, relax and add it to tomorrow’s list.
13. Try not to numb out. It’s ok to do something relaxing that you enjoy like playing a game online, scroll facebook, or watch TV. Keep track and be sure you aren’t numbing out.
14. Limit exposure to news. Try assigning one person to keep an eye open for all the latest news or decide how much you will check the news and stick to that.
15. Give yourself grace if you aren’t able to do all these things. They are helpful tips only.
dianegclark 