Today marks DAY 14 of the nation-wide lockdown in Italy. For those of you who don’t know, we’ve been living in Sicily since 2017 so we are first hand experiencing how it is to live though quarantine & complete social distancing.
Covid19 is a very serious and global pandemic that affected Italy on a large and scary scale. As of today, there are 60,000 people infected and 5,500 deaths, and unfortunately the numbers keep climbing. Hence, the Italian government fights the epidemic by enforcing a complete nation-wide lockdown.
This means we are not allowed to leave our homes and have to stay indoors in order to reduce human interaction and further spreading the virus. The past 14 days I have left the house for a total of 3 times - only to go to the grocery store to buy food & supplies.
Being on a lockdown is TOUGH, social distancing is HARD, but it’s NOT A BIG SACRIFICE. It is worth making for our own and our families’ health, our community and our elderly.
In this social distancing we are more socially connected than ever. We create social camaraderie with our community and with millions of people around the globe. So please, stay home and be good to yourself & others.
With 14 days of lockdown behind me and unknown number of days ahead, I have been implementing habits that help me stay sane and positive through these hard times. I wanted to share these nine methods with you, so hopefully it eases your social distancing experience. Some may sound very trivial, but trust me, they make a big impact.
Let me know how it goes, stay connected and feel free to reach out if you need help. Let’s stay strong together.
1. Mind your mindset
The first, and most important thing we need to do is to approach this situation with positivity. Your mindset should not evolve around what you are sacrificing, but what you are gaining by social distancing.
Remember, that you are gaining:
- security of your & your family’s health
- time spent with your kids, spouse, parents, pet
- social camraderie with your community & everyone around the globe
- time for self care
- time to relax
- being part of something greater than yourself
You should not be counting how many days of social distancing are left, butcount how many days you have accomplished of being good to yourself & others.
2. Make your bed
It may sound trivial, but making your bed has an effect on your entire day and can give you a mood boost.
Making your bed starts your day with an accomplishment, however small it may be. It also provides a small joy at the end of the day because you are welcomed by a tidy and clean bed when it’s time to go to sleep.
It’s the simplest act of the day, yet it starts and ends your day with a good feeling.
3. Put on regular clothes
We all love pajamas; they represent the comforting and relaxing feeling of the weekend.
However, spending the entire day in them, day after day, can be devitalizing. Changing into regular clothes - that could very well be your comfy sweats- will give you a sense or normality and will help you resemble the routine of your normal schedule.
If you are working remotely, changing into normal clothes will also help your productivity and separate your work-time from your relaxing-time.
4. Keep a work schedule
Working remotely has many advantages, but it can also quickly become exhausting and unproductive.
Remember, in your regular day your work starts when you arrive at the office and ends when you leave. At home, your office and living room are the same so the lines can easily blur.
Set boundaries, set a schedule and stick to it. Once your workday ends, log out and don’t check emails anymore. Taking breaks is an important part of your schedule. Having your coffee breaks and a proper lunch-break will make you more productive.
Make sure you and your team are in agreement on your schedules and breaks so remote teamwork is as productive as office work.
5. Open your windows
Natural light and fresh air are essential to our well-being and mental health. Sadly, during these difficult times we are required to stay in our homes and deprive ourselves of the outdoors.
If you are fortunate enough to have a garden or balcony spend a lot of time out there. Even if the weather is a bit chilly, make sure to go outside a lot, do some gardening or tidy up the backyard. If you don’t have any outdoor space then make sure you open your windows often, let in the fresh air. Move your desk or couch close to the window and enjoy the natural light that comes in. Spend these next few weeks with your blinds open, your mood will be brighter.
6. Exercise
Staying home means you don’t get your basic daily activity - like walking to the subway, walking to work, grabbing lunch or running your errands. With gyms and group sports cancelled, most of the opportunities for exercising is also gone.
Making sure that you exercise at homes is extremely important. There are an array of amazing free online workouts that you can do in your living room without any equipment. For those with kids, doing a workout together can be a great way to tire those kiddos out and increase your endorphin levels.
Both your body & your mental health will thank you for it.
7. Do ‘project impossible’
We all have those ‘impossible projects’ we never ever get around to. Like organizing your computer desktop, cleaning out the shed, learning to play the guitar or taking an online class.
Good news, social distancing means you have the time to do them now and you will feel like a champ after accomplishing one. Consider this time to be an opportunity to focus on yourself, your home and your family, and do the things you are too busy or too distracted otherwise.
8. Blast your music
You are feeling blue and you really don’t know how you’ll make it through this?
The power of music is incredible, and it works almost every single time. Turn on the loudest speaker you own and crank the volume all the way up on your favorite music. You’ll be singing along and dancing in the living room in no time. There is nobody watching so have a blast!
9. Embrace the slower pace
Probably for the first time in our lives we are not shamed by society for being “lazy”. Quite the opposite, we are encouraged to slow down and relax.
Take care of yourself. Take time to get onboard with the idea of social distancing. Discover things that make you happy and make the most of your ‘me-time’…or not. If you don’t feel like doing anything, that’s fine too.
Ultimately, you are the only one who can make these few weeks a pleasant time for yourself.
