Social Distancing: The World is Still Out There

It has been a minute since my last post. I realize through social distancing all the things that I usually do and can not now. Stepping back I look at the multitude of outlets we have in our lives and are now "grounded" from.
How is this impacting you?

While my dogs have been excellent company while my spouse is at work, I found myself initially frustrated at having to work from home. I am not teaching this term so I did not have to adjust to online teaching. A great deal of my work is making art in person with people. Whether it's individuals, families or groups...in person. It was a difficult decision to cancel all my groups for the next two weeks, but I did it for the health and safety of all. While I can still offer individual telehealth sessions with clients it is appropriate for, I won't see many of the youth or groups I work with for at least two weeks.

I have been isolating since last Thursday when I had a cold which quickly passed (thankfully).
Five days and at least 13 more to go.

How do we get through this difficult and historical time? We can choose to be creative in how we manage each day. I have had times where I was sucked down a Netflix wormhole. There is also a 1000 piece puzzle that I have been working on since Saturday. My spouse wants nothing to do with it. These are coping mechanisms that can be pleasing, but not helpful if that is all I do. I had to snap myself out of these by reminding myself what is outside of my front door. The world. It's all still there and we are going to get through this. Today I decided I wanted to reach out to you and offer some tips to manage through these crazy times. I hope they are helpful. Remember we will get through this.

1. Structure: It will be easy to fall into vacation mode at first. Working from home still needs structure. Remember to work with a schedule. It may not be the same as if you were at work, but schedule can add to feelings of normalcy and set you up for productivity in your work.
2. Move your body: Take a walk or go for a bike ride, but just remember to keep your distance (6 feet) from others. There are also many ways to move your body in your home. Youtube has many exercise videos to stream for FREE! I personally LOVE Yoga with Adriene. If the weather is nice work in the yard. Organize those boxes you have been ignoring in the basement/attic. Do that home project you haven't had the time to do.
   
3. Self-care: In addition to moving your body you will need additional self-care. Practice mindfulness in your daily routine. Meditate. When you are washing your hands imagine the stress and anxiety of this time washing through your hands and down the drain. Take a bath or warm shower. Put on pleasant background music while you work. Ask for help if you need it!
4. Acknowledge difficult feelings: A wide range of feelings are likely at times like these. Fear or anxiety around COVID-19, worries around family members who may be high risk. Some may feel anger and frustration, which may come with helplessness. There is still much that is unknown and only time will tell as it continues to unfold. Writing or art journaling is a great way to externalize some of these feelings. Take a few moments each day to honor how you are feeling and what you are experiencing. Remember to acknowledge what you have control over. Ruminating about the things we can not control only adds to these difficult feelings.
   
5. Limit news feeds: visit reliable sources periodically, but do not leave news streaming all day. Moment to moment coverage can increase difficult feelings. Find a news source you trust and limit additional exposure. During 911 many experience vicarious traumatization re-watching the violence and destruction over and over. Limits are vital.
   
6. Connect virtually: While we are distancing, you still can take advantage of technology and connect with friends and loved ones. Facetime or Skype calls can help reduce feelings of loneliness. I have cooked dinner at the same time as a friend virtually and it was like we were having our own cooking show. These connections are important reminders of what is out in the world waiting for us.
   
7. Have fun! Bring joy into your day. You don't have to work the entire day, make cookies or bread, play a game in with someone at home or online. Visit online exhibits, numerous museums and galleries have responded to social distancing by creating online access to exhibits including the Smithsonian, Princeton's art museum, and google has a great resource page for more.  Read, learn a language, try a new recipe and of course my favorite make art!