Working from home, closed businesses, and stay-at-home orders have led to drastic changes in much of our lives. All of this is an effort to practice social distancing to slow the spread of COVID-19. It’s an important part of dealing with the pandemic we face, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy.
If you’re struggling with social distancing, here are a few tips.
What is social distancing?
We hear the term a lot, but not everyone knows what it means. Social distancing means keeping a safe distance from other people that you don’t already live with, at least six feet of space. It also means avoiding gathering spaces where several people may be; this includes schools, churches, event halls, public transportation, and public buildings like courthouses and libraries.
These efforts, when used in conjunction with quarantine and isolation for individuals diagnosed with or who fear they may have coronavirus, help prevent the spread of the virus. While staying at home and avoiding social spaces are difficult for many, social distancing can save lives.
How to cope with social distancing
Just because it’s necessary for our loved ones’ and the community’s safety doesn’t mean social distancing is easy. Many people feel a myriad of emotions like fear, anxiety, depression, anger, frustration, irritability, and even boredom and a lack of energy. You may experience all or some of these feelings, at varying times, especially as financial and health concerns begin to take over.
Here are some things that may help.
Get your news from reliable sources. While you’re at it, limit your news consumption. Make sure your news comes from good resources to limit unnecessary worry. It’s also important to take a break from the news, too. Spending too much consuming COVID-19 info can lead to more fear, anxiety, and even anger.
Follow a daily routine. There’s a good chance your days have changed completely. Maybe you work from home for the first time, or you have a very full house because the kids are all home. To give yourself a sense of normalcy and reduce your focus on the news, create and follow a routine that helps you get things done.
Connect with loved ones. It’s called “social distancing” but it’s more like “physical distancing.” Maybe you can’t meet for lunch or dinner, but you can Facetime, Skype, or connect in other ways with the people in your life. This is great for catching up, checking in, and distracting yourself from the news.
Maintain a healthy lifestyle. It’s not the end of the world if you’re eating a few more snacks or watching a lot more Netflix. But don’t neglect your health during this time, either. As long as you can stay away from people (by six feet or more), you can walk, run, bike, and do other outside activities. If going outside isn’t an option, look for at-home workouts online through your local gym or on YouTube.
Do things you enjoy. Yes, going to concerts or even the library may not be an option for now, but it’s important to do other things that make you happy. Work on your hobby at home. Read more books. Watch old movies you love. Catch up on podcasts or listen to old albums. In between the news, homeschooling your kids, and figuring out how to work from home, you need to do things that bring you joy. This helps you feel less anxious and angry.
Here at Charlotte Insurance, we’re doing our part to practice social distancing while also taking care of our clients. Your insurance needs don’t stop because of social distancing, and neither do we. Our team of dedicated agents are all setup to work remote and are ready to help you with all of your insurance needs. We will get through this together.