As the pandemic’s hold continues to intensify across the globe, most of us are confined to our homes and working remotely until it’s safer to go outside. Naturally, spending so much time inside and being unable to see your friends or colleagues can lead to loneliness, especially if you live alone. When you think about it, we’re all in the same boat, but our routines are definitely unique.
With the constant worry of the outbreak, managing finances, and the uncertainty of the future, we can find ourselves feeling unproductive and lethargic. Now more than ever, we must proactively take care of our mental and physical wellbeing, so we’re able to stay on track – pandemic, or no pandemic.
Self-isolation presents numerous challenges, but practicing empathy, kind-heartedness, and understanding will help you navigate through the rough waters and come out as a survivor on the other side.
Don’t let the absurdity of your current situation put a dent in your routine. Instead take this as a learning opportunity and try to look at things from an optimistic perspective. Whether it’s working from home, home-schooling your kids, or just exercising indoors – there are ways to productively perform these tasks from home while ensuring your sanity.
To get you started, here are some valuable tips to assist you in making your self-isolation journey a lot smoother.
1. Allocate a Workspace Area
For those who are new to the concept of working remotely, you must allocate an area where you can work daily. Assigning a specific space will help you get into a routine of working from home, and you can personalize that area according to your liking. This helps your brain to get into ‘work mode’ whenever you enter that room or area.
While you’re setting up your workspace, make sure it has everything you need, so you don’t have to leave the room unnecessarily and slow work down. Ultimately, your aim should be to create the ideal workspace for you, and this can even be a spot on your kitchen table or a couch with a side table. Don’t go out of your way to purchase a desk or furniture, especially if you’re in a financial crunch; try to work with what you have. But, if you have cash to spare, then customize your work station however you want.
Make sure you pick a spot with a strong internet signal, so you’re able to easily communicate with colleagues and conduct important Zoom calls from your designated work area. Make sure you have a stable internet connection; choose ISPs that use coaxial cables or fiber optics wiring for your home internet connection. Finally, once you’ve wrapped up work for the day, avoid checking your work emails and group texts unless it’s something urgent, so you can spend time to relax.
2. Follow a Schedule
It’s essential to follow a schedule to not forget any significant tasks or chores. Whether you prefer writing down a schedule or keeping a digital reminder on your phone and laptop, make sure it’s somewhere visible. The purpose of making a to-do list is that it helps you get any important tasks out of the way so you can focus on other aspects of your routine.
You can inform your partner, roommate, or whoever you live with of your daily schedule, so they know not to interrupt you while you’re busy with work. You’ll find yourself being more productive once you’ve created a list of responsibilities and highlighted things that should be done immediately. You can make one for your professional obligations as well as household-related duties, and you’ll find self-isolating a lot more organized and smooth-sailing.
3. Stay Active At Home
Spending a lot of time at home doesn’t mean you can’t stay active. If you’re not comfortable with going outside for a walk, then there are plenty of ways you can get in some exercise at home. Many activities in your daily routine alone can help you stay active such as cleaning, reorganizing your room, cooking, etc.
Of course, you can go the extra mile and look for free apps and classes that can make a home workout easy for you. YouTube has a repository of yoga instructor videos that offer simple workout tips and guidance to help you stay physically fit during the pandemic.
To get through these troubling times, you must have a healthy mind and body, so try to squeeze in 15 to 30 minutes of daily physical activity during self-isolation.
Individuals who are working from home should take frequent breaks and take a quick walk around the room to stretch their legs. Additionally, parents that are home-schooling their kids should plan for 15 minute breaks between study time to give themselves a break and refresh their minds. You can even plan some fun activities with your family that involve physical activities such as charades, dancing, playing Nintendo Wii, or doing house chores together.
4. Practice Mindful Eating
Now more than ever, we should be watching what we’re putting in our bodies. In this time of uncertainty, some tend to stress-eat and consume more while others skip meals, but it’s critical to take care of our wellbeing and eat healthily.
Be sure to consume breakfast, lunch, and dinner at regular times and plan meals while being mindful of their nutritional value. When you take meals at the right time, then you have better control over hunger levels and can ensure you’re getting the required nutrients. Since we’re spending more time at home than we normally would, we might reach for a snack out of boredom, but if this becomes a habit, then it can be detrimental for our health.
If you are snacking more than usual, then it’s recommended that you get in some physical activity to burn off any excess calories. Try to be mindful of your sugar and salt intake, so you don’t develop any health issues in the future. Keep your relationship with food pleasant but healthy.
5. Stay in Touch with Loved Ones
With everyone following strict social distancing rules, we can’t go out to see some of our closest friends and loved ones as we used to. But just because in-person meetups are off the table doesn’t mean we can’t check in with our mates through Zoom, Skype, or even a text message. Try to stay in touch with your buddies and family members to show that you’re all in this together and to let them know you’re thinking about them.
Being stuck in one place can get exhausting and lonely, so checking in with your friends regularly is a healthy activity and a good way to show others that you care. If you’ve got elderly parents, grandparents or loved ones that are immunocompromised, be sure to call them up daily to ask them how they’re feeling.
People with health issues and vulnerabilities can easily get troubled and anxious from loneliness since they are required to meticulously practice social distancing. So talking to them on Zoom or FaceTime can instantly lift their mood and make them feel much better.
You can create a group text where you can all send your best memes and daily inspiration quotes or schedule weekly Skype calls with your closest friends. If you wish to make it out of the pandemic with your sanity intact, then keep your friends close.
6. Stay Informed, Not Overwhelmed
Everyone’s notifications are constantly blowing up with COVID-19 updates, whether it’s from social media or the news. While staying informed is important, if these updates begin to take up too much space in your mind, it can make you unproductive.
Moreover, it’s not good for your mental health either, which is why we must limit our exposure to social media and news channels to not overwhelm our minds. If you’re uncomfortable discussing the virus, inform your friends and family so they can avoid those discussions in your presence.
Have a friend give you a small briefing about the situation every day or just read an article from a reliable source daily to keep yourself informed. It’s best to not expose yourself to things that might trigger anxiety and stress. Stepping away from social media and frantic news reporters will do you some good.
Another way to avoid depression is by focusing on some good news during the pandemic; people worldwide, individuals, local communities, and organizations are doing amazing things that can restore our faith in humanity and uplift the spirit. Focus on the good and try to participate in any way you can.
In a Nutshell
None of us anticipated being stuck at home for such an extended period, but when it comes to our wellbeing and our loved ones’ we have to be cautious. Try to look on the bright side and prevent yourself from entering a negative mindset. Self-isolation might be the new normal, but that doesn’t mean you can’t see your friends and family through Skype or a video call. Follow these tips to help adjust to this new routine, and don’t let any bumps in your journey put you down.
