Self Care During these Uncertain Times

Anyone who says staying home to help flatten the curve is easy they are lying to you and themselves. There is nothing easy about staying inside quarantined so you don't unknowingly spread a virus you may or may not have come into contact with the last time you left the house to buy groceries, get gas, go to the bank or any other errand you might have to do while maintaining a 6 foot social distance from everyone else.

It's nerve racking. Adding onto that mental strain is the constant news updates on the latest death rates, press conferences where the government updates us on what they don't know is a possible job loss or the strain of working from home, homeschooling your children or taking care of elderly parents who don't live at home. It sucks. It's hard and it can drain the life out of you. But there is hope. I'm going to share with you some Self-Care Tips to help you cope during these uncertain times to help you get through this Global Pandemic.

Don't be hard on yourself

Alot of memes are floating around telling people if they are not taking advantage of this downtime to come out better then they wasted their time. That's very untrue. Everyone is different and no one can predict how they will react during a time like this. It's ok to not feel well about it. It's ok to feel uncertain and to wonder. It's ok to not be having a good day or even acknowledge that you aren't dealing with it very well. You are human. Give yourself permission to feel what you feel...just don't allow yourself to wallow in it for too long. 

Keep a Routine

Try writing out a daily routine of tasks for yourself to give you some semblance of normalcy. I know. What if your normal routine was work and now you've been laid off? I was once given great advice and that was to wake up at your normal time as if you were going to work, shower, eat breakfast and when your work day would've normally started begin your job search. Now is also a good time to learn a new skill set to build up your resume and Lynda.com through Linkedin has some great courses you can take to add to your resume. Take advantage of it at your own pace. Don't forget to take a lunch then finish at your normal time and go do something else. Watch TV. Go for a walk something. The routine will help you to not fall into a black hole of going to bed late and waking up late leaving you feeling unproductive and making the days blur one into another.

Get sleep

It seems like a small thing but sleep can make the difference between taking this well and feeling like you are going to lose your mind. If you normally get 7 hours of sleep try to maintain that sleep pattern. Go to bed at a descent time and aim to wake up at the same time everyday.

Other people might not be taking this well either

I know we all feen for the "good ol days" when all we worried about was keeping our new years resolutions, hanging with friends and planning birthdays and weddings but not everyone is still feeling normal. Some people, even those we thought were strong might not be handling this well privately. Try to be patient and supportive. Try not to take it personally if someone isn't up for a quick telephone chat or replying to your text. 

Positive Self Talk

You believe 99% of what you say to yourself. Speak kindly to yourself. Speak life over yourself. Use positive words even when you make mistakes. Be kind to yourself because it will help to elevate your mood. If you're having a bad day that is ok. If you make a mistake or you're not handling the kids being a little cranky that's ok too. You're human you're not  failure because you're not reacting or handling something as gracefully or as well as you would expect.

Limit the News

I know we all want to stay informed but there is only so much of CNN, Global News, CP24 and World Today News you can take before it starts to take a toll. A good tip would be to take in what you need to know and turn the channel for the rest. It takes some time to figure it out and its easy to get sucked into one news story after another. Maybe small bites of the news is all you can handle and that is ok. The news is there to inform but sometimes you have to limit your consumption. The same holds true for social media sites like Instagram, Facebook, Reddit and the like.

Get Social while Staying Apart.

Reconnect with old friends via Netflix Party or apps called House Party. Arrange group chats on Facetime or Whatsapp. Watch an old movie, re-watch a tv series or start a new one. Now is a great time to arrange show/movie reviews and reconnect with others to critique and discuss.

Clean your Space

Getting rid of old clutter is so freeing not only for your physical space but for your mental health as well. There is something about tackling that closet, rearranging a bedroom, finally getting around to that paint job you've been meaning to tackle that really helps you feel better.

Get out for Fresh Air!

While maintaining a safe distance of 6 ft between you and anyone you don't live with go outside and take in the fresh air. Go for a walk, a jog or a run. Walk the dog. Do something to keep yourself active. Fresh air does wonders.

These are just a few things you can do to help cope during these times. Just remember you are not alone. We are all in this together. Stay safe everyone!