This is a weird time in many peoples lives. With the COVID19 outbreak and state of emergency declared by many major cities and countries all over the world, life seems to be put on hold. Reread the last part of that sentence, “put on hold”. It is more important than ever to have structure in your life right now. Truth is, we don’t know how long social distancing will last so it’s important we continue to live our lives with purpose. Among all the things we have lost control of, I encourage everyone to reflect on what we can control. We can control our interactions with people, our time spent on social media, our physical and mental health, and we can control what we invest our valuable time in. I am aware this can be an extremely anxious time for many people so I’ve created this post as a reminder to keep some routine. Here is my attempt in sending some positive vibes to you during this time!
We complain about not having enough time to do the things we want whether we are caught up with work, running errands or social events. This is the perfect opportunity to sit down and reflect on some of the things (that don’t require you leaving your house – slightly limiting I know) that you have always wanted to do. Have kids? Use this opportunity to teach them essential life skills like cooking, taxes or how to prepare an envelope for mailing. Living in clutter? Use this time to sort through some old clothes or antiques. Is your icloud full? Mine is. Do something about it – these are small projects to keep you preoccupied throughout the day. But wait, the list goes on…learn how to play an instrument, run that 5K you’ve always wanted you, read a new book, start blogging – again (that’s what I’m doing), try some meditation, learn a new language, learn to code… the options are endless. Stick to one thing and do a little bit everyday.
Regardless of what you choose to do in your free time, try to create a routine for yourself from Monday to Friday. Whether it means allotting time for working, studying, working out, meal prepping or socializing (via social media) – keep some consistency. Keeping a routine will hold you accountable. Here are a few tips to keep some structure in your life:
- Create a morning routine – shower, coffee, breakfast
- Set up your workspace in a clean space and remove distractions
- Give yourself breaks throughout your work/study day
- Keep consistency with the time of day you work out
- Create a To-Do list
- Go to bed early – as if you have to get up for work or school everyday
- Put a time limit on social media
I speak from experience, this will give you purpose and reduce anxiety. It could be another week of social distancing or it could be months. It’s important to ensure we keep physically active and mentally sane. Give yourself some time away from social media as the constant bombardment of news can be exhausting. Take some time to reach out to loved ones. Most importantly, give yourself some time to self-reflect!
“Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference” – Winston Churchill