Let’s face it, working from home isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Some people have been doing it a long time and it works for them, but the reality is that during a quarantine, things are quite different even if you have been working from home normally. Kids can’t go to school or daycare, you can’t take a real moment to be “alone” and it’s getting to many of us. People living alone are also facing challenges. They might feel isolated, causing depression and anxiety which can be difficult emotions to handle. Despite these challenges we still need to take care of ourselves. Here are 5 tips for making sure that quarantine doesn’t make you go crazy.
Sleep
It’s super easy to binge-watch yet another episode of the latest hit show on your favorite streaming service, but if it’s cutting into your sleep time, it’s not good for you. You might think that tomorrow is just another day of waking up, staying at home, rinse and repeat, but stuck at home or not, your body needs rest. In fact, sleep maintains a healthy immune system which during a pandemic is vital! Get the recommended 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night because it’s huge for fighting sickness.
Routine
Human minds need routine, your mental and physical health depends on one. I mentioned the importance of sleep, and sleep is naturally part of a routine. Life has been disrupted yes, but being at home doesn’t mean you should let all sense of normalcy go. You had a work routine before, just adjust it in a way that works for your current circumstances.
Good Habits
Some could say that routine and habits go hand in hand, but here’s the thing, you can still have a routine with bad habits. Drinking to excess every night and eating junk food are not good habits, and putting them into your routine can be disastrous in the long run. Setting habits for making better choices that are good for you is important. Daily meditations, food preparation, journaling, or working out, all have excellent benefits and will affect your work at home life for the better.
Move Your Body
As you can tell, most of these tips complement each other, but some are particularly important to implement. You do not have to do the latest YouTube or BeachBody workout. While trying new ways of moving your body is great, if you’re just not that sort of person that’s ok! Moving means taking a walk, doing yoga, doing stretches. It doesn’t have to be high intensity, it just needs to be done. Exercise can improve not only your body but also your mental health. Make movement a priority. If you can get out, take a walk. Walking gets you outside and you need sunlight just as much as plants. Just make sure you wear sunscreen.
Connect
Technology has given us a gift during this pandemic. Your livelihood is important, obviously, but you also have a social life that’s just as important to your wellbeing. Zoom, Facebook, Instagram, Facetime, or Skype give everyone a different way to see a friend and have a real-life face to face, virtually anyway. Have a weekly chat with your parents, best friend, old college roommate, neighbor, anyone who brings you joy in this world. They need it too! If you are isolated it’s vital to make connections. If you are surrounded by children or a spouse/significant other you still need a break from each other that lets you connect outside of the family unit. We are a social species and we need connection.
It’s interesting how after you look at all of the tips above, that while they aren’t “work” they make it possible for you “to work”. Each of these practices is connected to provide a better quality of life and overall mental health. Take the time to implement these into your daily schedule and you won’t feel so out of control in an uncertain time.
Photo Credit: Pille Kirsi