If you’re feeling a little stressed out these days, you’re not alone. The fact is, COVID-19 is throwing everyone off-balance. We’re all struggling to adjust to the “new normal” of social distancing and working from home, and we know it’s not easy. Here’s a list of tips and tricks to help you get through the quarantine…without losing your mind.
Treat yourself like royalty…within reason
It’s been shown time and time again: the little things in life make the biggest difference. Small treats can really improve your mood and your outlook. With that in mind, why not create a daily self-care ritual to boost your mood? Build your own ritual based on your personal preferences. This will likely look different for everyone. Maybe you’ll want to take a bubble bath in the evening or pour yourself a glass of wine just after sunset. You could also nibble on a few squares of dark chocolate with your afternoon coffee.
There’s one thing you’ll have to bear in mind, though. You can’t let these little treats get out of hand! Don’t let that glass of wine turn into a bottle, and don’t over-indulge on chocolate either. Treats work best when they’re small and special. If you get carried away and start over-doing it, your self-care ritual will take over your whole day, and you’ll really struggle to get back on track.
Build better bonds
There has never been a better time to work on your relationships. We know – that’s a strange thing to say while we’re all socially distancing. But it’s true. Even though you’re sheltering in place at home, you can still get in touch with your friends and family. In fact, this is a great time to bypass texts and emails. Go for video chats or at least phone calls. Skype, FaceTime, and Zoom are great for establishing intimate connections. Chatting with your friends will lift your spirits, and it will remind you that you’re not alone.
If you’re not sure what to talk about, why not play a game, or even make a date to watch a movie together? Shared activities are a great way to bond. Look for ways you can help others, too. If you have elderly friends and relatives, check in to see whether they need anything. You might be able to help arrange their food delivery or make sure they’re getting their prescriptions filled. Sometimes, helping out the less fortunate is a great way to remember just how fortunate we really are.
Make a schedule – and stick to it!
Many people have reported that they’re struggling to manage their time now that COVID-19 has upended their usual schedules. And that’s normal. For those of us that are retired it’s meant creating a new sort of schedule. What to do all day now that we can’t go anywhere? Finding ways to occupy ourselves all day now that we’re unable to partake in our typical social activities. We have so much more time on our hands whether we’re still working or not. We’re social creatures, it’s natural to feel uneasy during this social distancing era. Try creating a ‘new’ schedule for yourself, a new routine during this time will help ease the loneliness and frankly, boredom, that many of us are feeling lately!
