So it’s been a few days and I’ve got to say it really took the wind out of my sails. I felt like I was in free fall and I couldn’t grab onto anything to steady myself. I got a bit panicky and made some hysterical phone calls but one thing I am good at is adapting to change. My family thought I was a little crazy for taking a hard line on the social distance but over the last few days I think they have been getting to the same point as me while I’ve been adjusting to my new situation.
The biggest challenge is to continue to be as ‘normal’ as possible, while completely changing how you do it. I’m defiantly a person that likes to socialise, go out, see other people and that has stopped. However, when not worrying about getting sick I am worried about my mental health. Frank McAndrew, an evolutionary psychologist at Knox College in Illinois, notes that enforced quarantine is particularly distressing. “Being quarantined gives one a sense of being at the mercy of other people and other uncontrollable forces such as an epidemic. This leads to a feeling of helplessness and uncertainty about the future that can be very unsettling,”
It is going to be important now more than ever to prioritise our mental health. Good mental health allows us to adapt to changes in your life and cope with adversity and we need that more now than ever.
Here’s my list of the Top 7 things to keep in mind:
- Keep in contact
I’m not a person that likes to chat to people on the phone. I like to see you in person but I’d default to text messages to communicate outside of that. So I’m making sure I make at least one phone call a day. Reconnecting with other humans can reduce loneliness and help restore us to good mental and physical health. - Make a New Routine
The normal daily routine is gone, no more school runs and endless after school activity but the lack of a regular schedule can be hard. Routine can aid our mental health. It can help us to cope with change, to form healthy habits, and to reduce our stress levels. So maybe set a schedule, set a routine for the morning, breakfast at the same time Monday to Friday, set classroom up in the kitchen after breakfast and get the kids to sit down and do some activities or homework in the morning. - Get Outside & Exercise
We don’t have the best weather but we are surrounded by the most amazing beaches which are often deserted. When there is a let up in the rain wrap up warm and get out there. It allows the kids to burn off energy and gets you outside. The benefits of exercise is widely known to support good mental health. When the weather is bad put some music on and dance around the sitting room, do some yoga with the kids, run up and down the stairs maybe even do the housework with more vigour than usual…..just get active. - Create a Daily Goal
Activities that create a sense of change and purpose, such as rearranging the furniture or cleaning the house, can help create stimulation. If you take on a big project do a bit of planning first to break it down into manageable daily steps so that you don’t become overwhelmed. - Find a way to Help Others
Positive mental wellbeing means feeling good about yourself and the world around you and being able to get on with your life. Helping and supporting others and working with others towards a shared goal is good for our mental wellbeing. It could be something practical like getting shopping for a neighbour, keeping your street nice and planting flowers or doing something via social media - Slowdown
You’ve been forced to slowdown so take the opportunity and say thanks very much. Use the opportunity to do read that book that has been sitting on the book shelf for months, finish (or start) that project you’ve been wanting to do for ages. Allow some time for just being! Without guilt. Reading, movies, music, wandering in the woods, naps, gazing at the sea or the sunset, listening to the silence … whatever works for you. Our ‘normal’ lives tend to be so hectic that there is real value in this! Have some form of daily routine but don’t go mad by adding too many schedules and must-do’s. - Do something crazy every day!
You’re not going to be able to do your usual things so what not do something crazy. The kids will love it!! Make a daily effort to break out of your comfort zone, let go of embarrassment, and overcome irrational fears. Scare yourself meaningfully by doing things that help you become the person you want to be. Have a St Patrick’s Day in the garden, get dressed up for a date night in the kitchen, it’s important to have some fun. This could also be the perfect time to take a step towards something that you’ve been thinking about for a while like setting up your own business or writing that novel you have in you!
We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give
Winston Churchill
We don’t know how long this may continue so treat it like a new state rather than a short period of time. That way if the isolation is extended we won’t experience a set back and who knows, you might even begin to enjoy it.