How to Maintain Your Well-Being While During Social-Distancing
Before you continue reading, let me say, I am NOT a mental health professional. If you have any mental health related questions, please consult a mental health professional or physician.
It’s been awhile since I’ve posted anything on my blog. It launched right around the time that social distancing ramped up in the U.S., and like many of you, I have been adjusting to a new normal. I wrote a post about giving back, as a means to overcome the isolating feelings of social distancing. But then, I didn’t know what else to write. COVID-19 was on every social media feed and traditional news outlet. Scrolling through my feeds became anxiety-inducing, and I had to take a break. I wanted to stick with my blogging schedule, but didn’t want to seem tone-deaf by posting something that completely ignored the current pandemic. Then, one of my friends and college classmates, @chantellilace posted an “Isolation Well-Being” checklist as well as a list of “Daily Quarantine Questions” on Instagram. FYI – she is an actual mental health professional. As someone who is a supporter of self-care, I was inspired to write about her suggestions. The point of @chantelilace’s post was that self-care and wellness are very real, and very essential. As I read through her lists, there were a few common things that I identified.
1. Develop a Routine
Whether it is an eating, sleeping, or working routine, it’s important to establish some “normalcy” to your day. Routines can help to alleviate stress, by limiting how many decisions you have to make. They can also make it easier to take care of yourself. I have spoken with more than one friend who has admitted to forgetting to shower. For whatever reason, they got distracted on a particular day, and started with their tasks before showering. Before they knew it, the day was almost over. Under normal circumstances, it’s hard to forget basic items. However, with the stress of uncertainty, even things that we think are basic, can be easily forgotten.
2. Connect With Someone
At this point, I hope that everyone has found someone to connect with every day. It could be a phone call, video call through an app, or a meet-up in the driveway. I’m an introvert and homebody, so when this social-distancing/isolation journey began, I thought it would be a piece of cake. One of my besties, who was a psychology major, invited me to quarantine with her and her family. She was concerned about me being by myself. Instead of moving in, I decided to visit once a week. After that first visit, I was amazed at how refreshing it was to be in physical contact with others. Human interaction in important for our sanity. Whether you’re communicating in-person or through the use of technology, make a commitment to connecting with someone every single day.
3. Be Patient With Yourself
This is a difficult time for everyone. There will be good days and bad days. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you aren’t always operating at 100%. I am a huge proponent of taking things one day a time, or even an hour at a time. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else. No one is perfect, and there isn’t really a road map for how to handle the daily stress of social distancing. Be patient with yourself and do the best that you can.
4. Don’t Neglect Your Physical Health
Physical health is just as important as mental health. I was watching someone on Instagram Live a month ago, and her guest commented that, “Once this is over, we don’t want to look like we’ve been through it.” She was talking about skincare, but the same principle applies to physical health as well. If you had a regular exercise regimen, don’t let it go now. If you didn’t have one, now is a great time to start. It’s another way to break up the monotony that comes along with isolation, and it’s an energy booster.
Regardless of where your community is on the social-distancing spectrum, remember to practice self-care. Stay aware of how this new normal is affecting you, and don’t be afraid to make adjustments to maintain your well-being.