This is a difficult time for everyone, and I sincerely hope everyone reading is taking the proper precautions to protect themselves and others. While the current pandemic makes everything feel like it’s at a standstill, for most of us, work must go on. It is important to recognize that having a job or school that allows you to remain safe and work from home is a privilege that “essential workers” do not have. However, it is still difficult to do. Since I have been back home, I have been a stressed, unproductive mess, so I have had to come up with ways to maintain my sanity! Below are some of the practices I have been trying to implement in my life.
- Remind yourself of all the people who are on your side
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It’s easy to feel hopeless and overwhelmed right now, so it is important to remind yourself that the world has not turned against you. Admit that you cannot control other people’s behavior, but remember that there are people taking the proper steps like you are and we will get through this together.
As far as work goes, remember that these are difficult times and everyone understands that. I have felt overwhelmed by class work that is difficult to do from home, but I have received several messages from professors that have displayed their leniency, flexibility, and understanding that school work isn’t and shouldn’t be our first priority right now. Pay attention to these types of messages when you are feeling overwhelmed!
- Stay social
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Sociologists have been trying to change the term circulating from “social distancing” to “physical distancing” this is because staying in contact with others is more important now than ever – just don’t do it in person. Facetime friends and loved ones and stay in touch with people from school. When we isolate ourselves, it tends to have negative effects on our mental health, so instead quarantine yourself without isolating yourself from the (digital) company of others.
- Practice self reflection
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Try reflecting on your feelings, emotions, and health in general. Listen to your body and mind to figure out what YOU need. I often find myself irritable when I’m craving social interaction, but I didn’t use to understand why I was irritable. I would just take it out on others or isolate myself further until the bad mood was gone, but that isn’t healthy. The next time you are in a bad mood or even just a weird mood, try to ask yourself “why?” and go from there. Try talking it through with someone who cares about you and have a constructive conversation!
- Pick up journaling
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Another great option is to take up journaling! Personally, I always have a thousand thoughts racing through my head that my Twitter feed simply cannot contain! Writing them down declutters my mind and makes them feel more concrete.
- Create a schedule or to-do list and try to follow it
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This is tough when you are staying at home day in and day out, but it has greatly improved my productivity! Our days have started to just mesh into one another, so it is difficult to find any type of stability, but making a schedule or list helps keep you accountable to your workload and self care routine!
- Schedule time outdoors
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In that schedule you just made, pencil in some time to go outside. We are being quarantined from other people but not from nature! Time outside can improve your mindset greatly, but it’s something we forget to do when we are couped up all day. So, go for a walk, take a hike, or just sit on your front porch.
- Turn off social media
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Try to only check your social media a few times throughout the day instead of constantly.
Staying updated via reliable news sources is important, but it can also be overwhelming to hear about the chaos in the world 24/7. Make sure your updated on the actions being taken by the state and national governments and on the progression of COVID-19 cases, but remember to take breaks.
Also, try not to pay attention to how seemingly well everyone else is doing. Watching other people’s success, productivity, and sociality can be upsetting and give you feelings of failure when you do not feel like you are being as successful or happy as they are. It’s important to take breaks from this and reminding yourself that things aren’t always as they appear. Also, remember that some people function differently, and their success does not translate to you being less of one. Let’s try to celebrate each other instead!
- Schedule meals so you don’t snack all day or forget to eat
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Maybe this one is just helpful to me, but when I schedule times to eat, it helps me avoid overeating all day long! I mean, it doesn’t need to be a strict timeline or anything, but a small guideline helps!
- Try something else
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If you see that your productivity is lagging and you aren’t accomplishing anything, switch to a different activity. If you aren’t able to write another paragraph of your essay or retain anything you are reading, switch to cleaning or a hobby for a while and come back to it later. It makes you feel refreshed!
- Remind yourself that this isn’t forever
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This one pretty much speaks for itself.
I grieve for the lives that have been and will be lost during this pandemic, but I hope you all remain safe and calm. I feel for anyone who is financially suffering due to lessened work hours or layoffs, and I hope you have access to your local food pantry.
For Stillwater residents, Our Daily Bread is a wonderful resource with amazing people who want to help (https://www.ourdailybreadstillwater.org/).
Additionally, here are some potentially helpful links for residents of Stillwater.
Suddenlink internet service:
Takeout food options in STW: https://www.visitstillwater.org/blog/post/food-service-options-in-stillwater/?fbclid=IwAR14xIb9R053O0n_flycAUcQQR-Pfm6Fv-N7VDrGAmBn2Qw-JLXa2UGgPcA (Links to an external site.)
United Way agencies in STW: https://www.unitedwaypaynecounty.org/covid-19?fbclid=IwAR3ObA0BXl1ThCYxlbZs-Qv3hOyXz1fZbITqqzdyv7eVY8ZaucITuBrZ3zc (Links to an external site.)