HOW TO COPE WITH SELF ISOLATION

Usually a nightmare is gone the next day, but this nightmare we are living is still there the next day and it's not going anywhere for the next month, 2 months, longer ?

So how do we deal with this? WE HAVE TO ADAPT

First and foremost, we have to self Isolate as much as we possibly can.

That's a given now no matter how much we hate it.

That means in these extraordinary times that we now have spare time, if you're not working from home, an abundance of time.

INFORMATION OVERWHELM

We need to stay informed, but limit how much time you spend watching/reading the news.

Find your one source that you trust and consume that once a day.

Overload of this kind of information is going to affect your emotions - causing you to feel overwhelmed and bring on feelings of panic and/or depression.

Why would you deliberately set yourself up to feed those feelings?

DEVELOP A NEW DAILY ROUTINE

This will make life a lot easier too if you have kids at home. They are used to a bell going off to break up their time at school. Set your day up in a similar way, even if you don't have kids.

EXERCISE is extremely beneficial to our mental state

So you can't go to the gym, or you never went to the gym?

There are tons of exercise programs on the internet, 30 day Pilates challenges, or actual work outs in other forms of exercise.

Find your favorites and set a time each day when you exercise. Mornings are usually the best time cause it sets you up to have a great rest of the day.

Start doing JAZZ - A - CLEAN I just made that up🙃🙃

Crank up your music and dance while you are cleaning those surfaces multiple times a day. (Whoever is cleaning gets to choose the music, take turns)

LEARN A NEW SKILL / LEARNING TIME FOR KIDS

Keeping your mind productively occupied is incredibly important.

What interests you?

If it's a course you are bound to be able to find one online or certainly books about that topic. Get Kindle if you don't want to buy actual books although there is still something satisfying about reading a real book (perhaps that's my age showing).

If you do opt for real books, you don't have to buy brand new books, buy 'Used' in good condition.

If you are thinking of DIY projects it may mean you need 'stuff' to pursue that interest, check if it's available online.

If you can afford to support businesses in this new world of ours, ordering online is the way to go.

ESCAPE INTO A MOVIE OR A NOVEL

This can be beneficial in 'resetting' your mindset. Allow yourself to escape reality for a couple of hours.

HELP SOMEONE IN YOUR COMMUNITY

Is there someone you know that is all by themselves that would benefit from knowing that you are going to call them and 'have a chat' with them each day?

Or seniors that you could help in some way: pick up their grocery list when you go to do your shopping?

Maybe you are the person who can organize that in your neighborhood? There are neighborhood apps where you can reach out to your neighbors, you know, those people you previously didn't know?

When Hurricane Harvey hit Houston (wow that was a lot of H's), I was on the Nextdoor app most of the time and our community saved people, supported each other, it was incredible.

Maybe you can go mow someone's lawn?

Here is a link for a list of the top 10 such apps TOP 10 NEIGHBORHOOD APPS

REORGANIZE & DECLUTTER YOUR HOME

Choose one room to tackle: declutter and reorganize it.

This can be something the whole family does together or something you do on your own.

Then choose the next room, until your whole house is sorted and running at maximum efficiency.

Find a local charity that will pick up all those items you realize you no longer use or even need, or maybe you can drop it off and still maintain safe distances while doing it.

I know that where I live Big Brother do a regular pick up for donated items. And when you drop off, if you put everything in your trunk then you don't have to get out of your car, they will unload for you.

It is such a great feeling when you are done.

THIS IS THE PERFECT TIME TO LOSE WEIGHT

Going to the grocery store is a challenge, so reducing the number of times you have to do that is definitely preferable.

Eat less?

Use less toilet paper, count the squares you use each time.

I still don't understand the toilet paper thing (does anyone?) but it's now scarce so it is a real thing.

Think of ways to reduce consumption of everything that requires you going to the grocery store.

Order online whenever you can cause that can reduce how much time you spend at the grocery store.

START A JOURNAL

In an actual journal or on your computer/phone.

Set aside a time each day and just 'blurt' out whatever you are feeling today. When I say 'blurt' write it without editing, raw feelings, including swear words.

Some people find it is easier to write in the form of a letter, that you do not plan on sending, but it feels like you are talking with someone.

Once you have all your feelings in raw writing, go back and edit it as if you are going to show it to someone.

When you have finished you will feel so much better because you have let those feelings out, they're not festering inside you.

It's free therapy

GARDENING

Getting fresh air and sunshine are going to benefit your state of health as well.

If you have a backyard or even a balcony, you can discover the joy of gardening.

Plant vegetables, luckily it is the growing season, not the dead of winter. Look forward to the taste difference of truly FRESH vegetables.

If you don't have your own garden, maybe you can offer to mow someone else's lawn (See "Help Someone In Your Community" up above.

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Can you think of any other practices that you can share that may help others cope?

Stay safe and stay sane!

Trish😘