Doing the best with what we've got
It seems only fitting to discuss the situation surrounding Covid-19. The central topic in our minds, the news, our dreams and our daily life.
It’s totally unprecedented. None of us truly know how to act. Our lives have significantly changed and it’s uncertain for how long and whether they’ll ever go back to the way it once was.
It's unnatural, uncomfortable and all out bizarre to all of us. We're all trying to cope in our own ways. And for many attempting to find the right balance while working from home or for others getting accustomed to a lot more free time. A lot of us are like swans, from the outset we look fine but underwater we're paddling like mad to stay afloat. We can take solace in knowing that we are all in the same boat. We’re just doing the best with what we’ve got.
Here are some tips to help you get accustomed to our new normal. Or at least cope just a little bit better.
1. Put your phone down and instead get back to that hobby you neglected, read that book you've been delaying, do that thing you've been putting off, learn to bake!
2. Exercise. Self-explanatory. Get moving in whatever way suits you and your means. Now is the time to attend YouTube university for yoga! Get creative with your workouts, bottles filled with water can act as good substitutes to weights.
3. Maintain contact with your family and friends. Skype and Zoom allow you to remain connected with your loved ones. Reply to a friend's instagram story or tweets, these little points of contact can and do make a difference!
4. Stick to three meals a day. This will maintain a semblance of routine throughout the uncertainty. Try not to snack your way throughout the day, you'll only feel worse for it.
5. Go to bed at a decent time. You still need to get 8 hours of sleep. Just because there is a global pandemic does not negate that fact. If you find yourself oversleeping, set an alarm.
6. Seek out what works for you. Whether you you’re more productive in the morning or more productive in the evening, figure what works and stick with that.
7. View it as an opportunity. An opportunity to get back to the hobbies you love and once neglected, an opportunity to explore new tasks, an opportunity to get back to yourself.
8. Control the controllables. In a time where there is a lot of here say and rumours, we can control the information we receive and therefore react to. We can only do so much, we will not create the vaccine for covid-19 (unless you are an expert epidemiologist), but we can control our social distancing and staying at home to help flatten the curve.
9. Recognise your feelings. Write them down. Remember it is ok to feel anxious. It is totally normal and justified to feel anxious.
10. Don't be so hard on yourself, and above all be kind to yourself.
