As weeks of extended quarantines are imposed by governments worldwide, people are ordered to stay at home, and in doing so, save lives.
But broken plans and schedules, scarcity of supply and indefinite isolation is starting to unsettle people and is making everyone anxious. In these trying times, it is important to remain calm and focused and suppress the buildup of negative thoughts.
Think positive. Are you stuck at home or safe at home? There’s a big difference in how you look at things, it’s that half full, half empty expression about being positive or negative, and in this case, choosing to think the worst of the situation will just stress you out. Why not take this time to do those things you’ve always wanted to but never had the time. Start a new hobby, read a book, declutter, learn how to cook , or create something new, anything, but take your mind off the misery happening around you.
Stick to your routine. Doing the same things that you did before the lockdown like going to bed and waking up around the same time, exercising, showering, eating, etc. gives you a sense of normalcy and keeps your mind occupied. Besides, doing so would make it easier to go back to the outside world once the lockdown or quarantine is lifted. Working from home makes it easy to break your routine and become lazy.
The gym’s closed and your yoga lessons are postponed indefinitely, but that doesn’t mean that you have to forego your exercise regimen. Becoming inactive isn’t helping your body and mind, besides, keeping physically fit keeps the immune system up which is crucial in fighting the coronavirus. A visual stimulus like an exercise outfit can get you going. So, gear up with your Silouex activewear and keep that body fit and trim. Set the mood and the environment, take your mind off the idea of being locked up and letting your body go.
Now you’ve researched the virus enough and probably memorized the symptoms, you don’t need to watch the ongoing coverage like your life and everything else depended on it. Set your watching time normally like you would on any given day and stop associating everything you feel to the virus. Stop making yourself sick with worry.
Make sure your home is clean and everything is in order because clutter will just make you feel uneasy. Work on your work table and eat on the kitchen table to keep things organized. Besides, it would be easier to disinfect if everything is in order and to keep the virus at bay.
Stay connected. Isolation without the comfort of other people raises the level of anxiety and stress and makes people paranoid. We connect by whatever means possible, a phone call, text messages, email, video calls to create a sense of being together.
This might also be the best time to start reflecting about oneself. Reassess your values, the things you believe in, the things that you want in life, priorities, goals and fears. We might not be able to change what is happening around us, but we can certainly change ourselves or how we react to the situation.