How to Healthily Distract Yourself During This Difficult Time

This COVID-19 crisis has radically changed our lives. Just a few months ago, we had no idea our 'world' would be our homes!

This crisis is a powerful reminder of how important freedom is - and how much we need human connection!

Remember, you are not alone. Because what is DIFFERENT here is that everyone is impacted! Your neighbor, mom, boss, friends, and counterparts worldwide are all going through something similar.

So, it's important to remember:

Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms - to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way. Viktor E. Frankl

This is the challenge each of us must rise to today! If we are going to be at home, we may as well make the most of it.

Here Are 10 Things You Can do to Make Your Life Better while Physically Isolated:

1) Create a Healthy, Supportive Routine

When we feel powerless or helpless (as so many of us do at the moment), one straightforward thing is to create a routine or schedule.

While we are all stuck anxiously waiting at home, it is easy to lose our sense of time. Days can begin to blend into each other. A routine can give us an anchor and a greater sense of control over our lives. And if you have children, creating a pattern is especially important to provide them with a sense of normality.

This routine or schedule can be as simple as:

• 7 am - Wake-up
• 8 am - Breakfast
• 10 am - Exercise
• 11 am - Talk to friends
• 12.00pm - Lunch
• 1-4 pm - Learning or a home project
• 5 pm - Make & Eat Dinner
• 7 pm - Talk to close family
• 8 pm - Reading, Journaling
• 10 pm - Bed

Be sure to include food preparation, social time, exercise and outdoor time, and some learning or creativity, so you get some benefit from this challenging time.

It is also essential to recognize weekends because it is too easy for weeks to blur together. So, make a looser schedule for your weekends. For example, you could include:

• Sleeping in/later bedtime
• Brunch
• "Treats"
• Movie night with popcorn
• A virtual happy hour with friends or colleagues
• A larger project, perhaps some art, craft, gardening, or home redecoration.

So, create a routine for a sense of control and mastery over your environment and life circumstances. Reclaim what power you can have over your own life because, with all this uncertainty, it is crucial for you - especially for children - to have predictability.

REMEMBER: Being stronger = FEELING stronger and more in control! And building your PHYSICAL strength or fitness = REDUCED feelings of helplessness!

2) Explore your Life Vision:

Rather than watching endless news streams, you can choose to focus on a bigger picture - your future. What do you want for the rest of your life? What would you be disappointed you did NOT do? Where do you envision yourself in 10 years?

Having a clear vision of how you want your life to be is a powerful motivator. A vision helps us work towards our goals, take action, and make a change. Soon, we will all be super-busy again - and a vision might be just what you need to stay focused!

Here are five questions to ponder or journal around to go deeper:

• What do you desire or yearn for in your life?
• How do you want to feel?
• What do you want to be different in your life?
• What would have happened in 3 years such that your life is spectacular, and you feel magnificent about yourself?
• What's your dream for this lifetime? Imagine you are 90 years old and looking back over your life; what did you do that made you proud and happy?

TIP: Remember to think possibility, not probability! Do not limit yourself and your ideas because you do not believe something is likely. Instead, believe it is possible - and even if you do not get all the way there, you may get close - or even find something better along the way!

3) Be in the moment:

At THIS moment, you are OK. You are safe. Take one day at a time. One hour or even one breath at a time if you need to.

This tip is about being super-present, not thinking ahead or remembering the past, but practicing BEING.

This is a PRACTICE - meaning you will have to do it repeatedly - bringing yourself back to the NOW. Over time it gets more manageable, and it is a great skill to take back to "normal" life.

So, when you notice you are worrying, feeling twitchy, and want to pick up your device and find out what the "latest" is about the COVID situation, say to yourself, "It's OK. At this moment, I am safe. At this moment, I am OK."  You can also add or say, "At this moment, my children/husband/family are safe."

EXTRA TIP: Reduce or minimize how often you watch and read the news! And DO NOT read or watch the news (or articles about COVID-19 or similar) just before bed!

4) Laugh

Distracting ourselves from our fears is a valid technique for feeling better!

Laughter releases helpful chemicals in our bloodstream - Endorphins (our natural "happy" drug) and Dopamine (part of our bodily "reward" system).

• What is your favorite comedy show?
• Is there a comedian you like?
• Netflix and similar have so many watching options, so find something that makes you laugh!

5) Start a Journal!

If you have always wanted to journal, now is an excellent time to start. More than just keeping a record of your day, a journal can help you explore and sift through your feelings and experiences and learn from them. It is a great way to get to know you.

It is great to choose a beautiful notebook, but the most important thing is just getting started. Here are some prompts to get started with:

• Today I am feeling _________. I think this is because __________.
• One big thing I have learned during this crisis is _________.
• I remember the last time I was stuck in the house _________.
• One thing that's surprised me recently is _________.
• What matters most to me in life is _________.
• Describe your ideal day _________.

6) Be Kind!

Kindness and compassion are some of the most powerful tools we have in our toolbox right now. Many of us are housebound, never mind the fear that you or a loved one might catch the COVID virus! So, of course, we are going to feel unpleasant and weird.

• Use kindness to comfort yourself when afraid or feeling anxious or fidgety. Be gentle. Imagine you are soothing a friend, small child, or animal who is worried - what would you say to them? Then say that to yourself!
• Use kindness to give yourself - and others - the benefit of the doubt. Instead of getting upset when you see other people misbehaving, remember that we all do silly things when we're scared.
• Imagine you have a kind, wise self. A part of you that is calm, intelligent, and unconditionally loves ALL of you. Now, when you need it, imagine that kind, wise self is with you, supporting you, maybe hugging you - and saying precisely what you need to hear (not just the sugary stuff, but also the tough love and common sense).

7) Help Others

Helping others is empowering and makes us feel better. Here are a few ways you could help others.

• Check in on a neighbor or friend and see if they need anything. You can do this by phone or in person, remembering to maintain a 6 feet distance.
• Offer to get someone groceries if you're going.
• Help someone less technically savvy learn how to use Zoom or WhatsApp or whatever they need to get online.
• Host a virtual get-together with your regular friends.
• Reconnect more deeply with friends or relatives who have moved away.

8) Live Your Values

When we know your values, we understand what motivates and drives us. When we build our lives around our values, we create a meaningful life. Finally, when we align our actions with our values, we are truly authentic. It is a very satisfying and fulfilling way to live.

And living your values could be the single most important thing any of us can do right now.

Here's an exercise you can do:

• List your values on a piece of paper or in your journal.
• Give each value a score ___ / 10 as to how well you are living that value in your life now (0 is not at all. 10 is full-out).
• For the scores that are eight or more - great!
• For the scores that are seven or less out of 10, ask yourself, "How could I express this value more in my life right now?" "What could I do differently or approach differently so that I feel good about how I live this value in my life?"

For example, you value creativity, but you are only managing to 'go through the motions right now, and your score is 4/10. Ask yourself how you could be more creative during this time: cooking, gardening, art, writing, helping your kids do something creative, or even watching a documentary about someone creative you admire...

9) De-Clutter

I bet you have some organizational things on your to-do list (like going through winter clothes, sorting out toys to donate, or tidying the laundry closet, garage, or shed) that have been on there for a while. Use this isolation period to get them done!

Getting organized and de-cluttering allows us to exert some control over our lives - and therefore feel less helpless! Plus, it will feel amazing to have it done.

Organize your closets, garage, books, photos, office, and kitchen equipment. Whatever needs organizing. Or perhaps you need to go through your receipts or file your taxes!

• If you need some inspiration (and great clothes-folding tips), you could watch the Marie Kondo series on Netflix!

A simple 3 Step Method to go through your stuff:

1. If you are keeping it, be sure to DECIDE where it will "live" from now on.
2. If you are not keeping it, create two piles:
• Things to DITCH
• Things to DONATE (and relevant to pass on to specific people).
3. When done, put each pile into bags or boxes, and then once this crisis is over, you can get rid of what you no longer need.

• TIP: You do not need to do any of this 'in one sitting', do an hour a day – you will be surprised how much you get done if you keep it up for a week!

10) Grow Something - Or Get an Indoor Flowering Plant!

Nothing quite like growing something (flowers, fruits, or vegetables) that makes us feel good! Even if you live in an apartment, you could grow fresh herbs on your windowsill or balcony to use in cooking!

• Get some seeds (a pot and some soil if needed) and get started.
• Many plant nurseries are still open, or you could order seeds, etc., online.
• Follow the instructions - and remember to water it!

If growing something is just too much work, get yourself a spring bulb or succulent (cacti) planter, or you could get an indoor plant like an African Violet if you have open shelving in your kitchen. These flowers would be a great, colorful addition. (Make sure the plant is not near a drafty floor vent or window.) With indirect sunlight, they will bloom beautifully.

*Be aware that some plants are poisonous to pets - so please check.*

So, which of the above ideas resonated with you?

Believe you have the skills and power to tackle this situation, and you will! Choose to make the best of a difficult situation, and no matter what – you will find a way.

This current and strange COVID-19 situation will end. And when it does, you will be proud you made an effort to learn something - whether it is about yourself, new knowledge, a new skill - and who knows what else!