Quarantine Blues?

By Annika Miyamoto

The onslaught of Coronavirus complete with the shelter-in-place order can leave some folks feeling a bit disoriented as daily routines have been squashed for the time being. Waking up in the morning can especially feel strange as many are forced to either work from home, not report to work at all, and keep the little ones home. Without a purpose to get up and start the day, it might be tempting to stay in pajamas all day and binge watch the latest shows on Netflix to curb fear and anxiety surrounding the current pandemic. This way of coping may work for a day or two until the anxiety creeps back in reminding you of your recent decrease in productivity which can leave you feeling… just blah.

First things first

First things first, it is necessary to acknowledge the realness of the Coronavirus pandemic and cut yourself some slack as these are scary times for everyone. The immense anxiety your body is feeling is more than enough to derail attempts at motivation and concentration. Self-care has never been so important as it is now as stress has been shown to lower immune response.

Here are some key elements that can help you pull through

  1. Maintain your pre-Coronavirus sleep schedule

  2. Get out of bed in the morning and go through your pre-Coronavirus routine (e.g., brush your teeth, eat breakfast, get dressed) even if you don’t have anywhere to go

  3. Write down a daily schedule to maintain a sense of structure and productivity; tasks can take your focus away from the current state of things

  4. Stay connected with friends and family via phone or videoconferencing

  5. Eat healthy and stay hydrated

  6. Get outside for at least 30 minutes each day while maintaining social distancing guidelines

Andrea Zorbas