For My Extrovert Friends - How to Manage Social Distancing and Give Back

Photo by Clark Tibbs on Unsplash

On a conference call this week, one caller asked, “So, how are you dealing with this social distancing?” I told them that being an introvert, I was fine so far. They replied, “So basically you’ve been preparing for this all of your life.” I rolled my eyes, but their comment led me to think about the extroverts in my social circle, and how they’re managing so much alone-time. I decided to put together a list to help my extroverted friends keep their energy, and up give back, while #socialdistancing.

1.       Go Outside (Self-Care)

In response to a question about what people can do while social distancing, Harvard Health Publishing suggests, in part, “Take long walks or run outside (do your best to maintain at least six feet between you and non-family members when you’re outside).”[1]

Social distancing doesn’t mean you can’t go outside, it just means be careful when you do.  While working in the office, take a break to walk or stand outside for a few minutes. If you are working from home, make sure you get some fresh air. If you happen to live in a community with a shelter-in-place order, spend time on your balcony or porch. If you don’t have either, open a window.  Breathing fresh air and seeing the outside world can provide a much needed boost of energy. I am a true introvert, and I can tell you, staying locked inside all day isn’t good for anyone. After you’ve decided to venture outside…

 2.       Volunteer

If you haven’t been exposed to COVID-19, find an organization to volunteer with. Plenty of school districts need volunteers to assist with distributing free meals to its students. There are also meal delivery services providing free meals to senior citizens, and other homebound individuals.  Even if you can’t participate with a larger organization, assist someone closer to home. Help a neighbor that is self-isolating due to their being high-risk (older age, underlying health condition, etc.). Offer to run errands or pick up their groceries (leaving them at their door). You could also plant flowers in their yard or take their dog for a walk (sanitizing the leash afterward).

Animals need your love too. Numerous animal shelters need foster parents for the animals they care for. If you love animals, but can’t make a long-term commitment, consider fostering. Of course, animal shelters are always looking for good, permanent homes too. Many are offering free or reduced adoptions right now. If you’ve been on the fence about welcoming a new family member, this could be the perfect time.

3.       Share Your Knowledge On Social Media

All of the extroverts I know are proficient in using social media. If you aren’t, google a quick “how-to” video. People are always looking for new content, and these days, they have more time to consume it. You’ve probably noticed the significant increase in free, at-home workout videos from just about every gym and fitness guru. Content creators have increased their doses of how-to videos as well. Why don’t you join them and share what you know?

While this section focuses on the employment landscape, the author understands this is not the only need that people are facing right now.

Promote Your Business through Free Services

Many small business owners are worried about the long-term effects of social distancing, and One way to lessen the impact to your business, may be to ramp up your visibility by giving back. One of my friends owns a tutoring business. She is using her time at home to offer free online tutoring so that students in her community won’t fall behind with school. This allows her to interact with other humans, give back to her community, and promote her business all at the same time. The students experience less disruption to their education and may allow their parents some time to themselves.

Gift Your Expertise

COVID-19 has ushered in sweeping changes to the job market. You may have an expertise that is suddenly in high-demand. Are you great at networking your way into a job? Have you ever trained someone in a skill to make them more hireable? Does your organization provide emergency financial assistance to individuals? With the unemployment rate rising, and other jobs being at-risk, your services are greatly needed. Go-Live and answer questions your followers have about keeping their jobs or pivoting after losing one.

Are you’re skilled at helping students secure employment?  There is plenty of opportunity for you as well. The Spring term is essential to student job-hunting. High Schoolers use this time to line-up summer jobs. College students are usually going through on-campus interviews for internships and post-graduate employment. All of this is likely delayed due to social distancing. On top of that, the number of spots available may be falling due to businesses shrinking their workforces. Did you finish high school during the Recession, and have some tips to navigate this familiar job climate? Start an online series. Write down a few notes to help you stay on topic, and press record. Your audience is waiting for you!

I hope these suggestions have given you some new ideas on how to give back, while satisfying your need for human interaction. Try to stay positive! Remember Social Distancing will end at some point. When it does, everyone will be waiting to hear how you made it through. Make sure you have some good stories to tell.

[1] Harvard Health Publishing, Coronavirus Resource Center, at https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/coronavirus-resource-center (Updated Mar. 20, 2020).

How To Avoid Getting Sick While Flying

Before you continue reading, let me say, I am NOT a medical professional. If you have any medical questions or concerns, consult a physician.    

One of my previous jobs required 80% travel. That meant I was on a plane every Monday morning, and flew home on Thursday evenings (unless I got delayed – which is a blog post for another day). That was my life for about 45 – 48 weeks out of the year.

During my three years of regular flights, I only had to miss work once due to illness (I got a sinus infection and ear infection at the same time). With all the apprehension around coronavirus and traveling, I thought I would share 7 of my tips on how to avoid getting sick while traveling by plane. Please note, this is not meant to be a substitute for common sense: washing your hands, using hand sanitizer when soap isn’t available, drinking plenty of water, staying away from people who are sick.

1.       Skip the Pretzels: Depending on the length of your flight, the flight attendant will be passing out pretzels or cookies and a beverage. Yes, flights are expensive, and you want to take advantage of everything the airline is offering. However, letting the snack cart pass you by, may just help you avoid some germs. Have you noticed that some flight attendants wear gloves while handing out snacks? Even they’re concerned about catching germs from other travelers. Think about how many people’s fingers brush up against theirs while distributing cups. Instead, purchase or pack your own snacks for the plane. If you don’t want to spend $5 for a bottle of water, courtesy of any airport vendor, get creative. I’ve seen people carry empty water bottles or reusable bottles through security, which they then fill at a water fountain.

2.       Turn On Your Vent:  I know there are split opinions on this one. I am of the opinion that turning the air vent on medium or high (for those that can stand the cold) and directing the airflow toward you (or just in front of you) keeps the germs moving past you.  I have heard that others believe the vent is just blowing “dirty” air on you. That may be true but think about it - the recycled air on planes has plenty of germs already. Why let them stand still on your face?

3.       Invest in a scarf: 9 times out of 10, I carry a scarf with me on the plane. I wrap it around my neck, and once I’m seated, I shift part of the scarf to cover my nose and mouth. A former co-worker, who also happened to be a nurse, questioned whether the scarf was actually effective. She was of the mindset that the scarf would be holding germs closer to me. As I said, I’m not a medical professional, but this worked for me.

 4.       Wipe Your Seat and Arm Rest: When feasible, carry a travel pack of antibacterial wipes with you. When you get to your seat, take a quick swipe across the headrest and arm rest. Let’s face it, you may not always remember the wipes, or you may run out. In those instances, simply avoid putting your hands on the arm rest. With the coronavirus, cleaning crews are disinfecting planes, but on a typical travel day, have you ever seen the cleaning crew sanitize an armrest?

5.       Take A Supplement: During my traveling career, I took Emergen-C every single day, to ensure my immune system was fully functioning. While packing for the week, I placed four packets of the powder in my travel bag. I made a habit of drinking them during breakfast. By the way, the Raspberry flavor is my favorite. As a side note, I have friends who take Airborne a few days before flying, and it works great for them.

6. Keep Some Distance at the Gate: Once on-board, you will be crammed next to a stranger for at least the next 45 minutes, so why not take advantage of the space at the gate. Instead of taking a seat, stand next to a wall or ceiling beam. If you have plenty of time on your hands, but need to sit down, find a gate across the aisle that’s less populated.

7. Maintain Your Health Before You Fly: Remember to stay hydrated, get plenty of rest, and eat well prior to flying. Whether you realize it or not, traveling takes a lot of energy and can be stressful: long security lines, navigating the terminal maze, and running to catch watching for flight changes. Start out in the best shape possible.

Whether you’re a career traveler, or someone who is taking advantage of the recent drop in airfares (alleged drop, I have yet to find a great deal from my airport), I hope these suggestions ease some of your flying fears. Happy Travels!