Since this season is marked by #stayathome, and the majority of our lives is marked by #letsgodosomething, we all find ourselves living much differently than we did just a month ago. For those introverts out there, you might still be loving this. But if you’re an extrovert or an enneagram type 7, you might be feeling like you want to crawl out of your skin…and for the rest of us…we probably fall somewhere in the middle. Sometimes really enjoying those days free of all the social pressure, but other days, really wanting to get out and do things. Everyone has their own outlet and ways to thrive during this season. Here are a few tips that I found helpful during my fourteen days of isolation:
- Maintain a routine. This has been really important for my head and my heart to maintain some sort of normalcy during a not-so-normal time. Get out of your pajamas (most days!), get ready for the day, and anticipate the good things that will come.
- Cook things. Real things. Food and cooking is the one thing that everyone in the world has had in common since the beginning of time. It’s settling and good for the soul. Find new recipes, take the time to cook things slowly, and enjoy it!
- Stay connected. Although we can’t physically be together right now, technology allows us to stay in contact with people better than ever. Utilise Zoom and Facetime. Have long catch-ups with family and friends that are overdue, and maybe call your mom a bit more than usual. (She needs it right now.) Create coffee dates and dinner dates with your friends, and remember, we’re all in this together!
- Celebrate the mundane. Pajama days. Netflix days. Project days. #treatyoself days. When you create fun events out of the simple things, everything seems a bit more special, and you look forward to it more.
- Shift your focus toward others. Think about how you can creatively serve other people in this season. Can you send something via snail mail to brighten someone’s day? Or maybe order them a tiny surprise to be delivered and make them smile? Focusing on others keeps us all reminded of what’s really important, and it drives us to be better.
- Project. Mode. Find a couple of projects to make your home a place you actually WANT to be. Tidy up a room or two, make something crafty to hang on the wall, or create a new outdoor space. We’re all spending heaps of time at home now, so we might as well make sure it’s just how we like it!
- Do something you’ve never done before. Find a video to teach you how to take up a new skill you’ve always wanted to do. A friend of mine recently discovered how to paint, and she got a lot of practice during her time in self-isolation. She’s now actually really great at it, and she never even knew she had such a talent!
- This is where most people would add exercise to the list. And I agree that this is good and necessary. However, I personally have not done this yet, so we will just leave it at that.
We are keen to hear your quarantine tips to keep us from going stir crazy as well. Comment below, and let’s continue to create community in all of this!
Melissa Kauk
Mel hails from Texas (yee haw!) and has been on staff with us for the past three years. Mel is a physiotherapist by background, and serves onboard our medical ship for 6 months of the year. Mel is passionate about caring for people and mentoring.
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