Hi Everyone. I hope everyone is keeping safe during the pandemic. The Corona virus pandemic is a serious issue facing us all. The Corona virus has added another layer of complexity to caregivers and persons who live with a disability. So how do we adapt to the new situation? Today we will go over the most obvious problem being stuck at home for long periods of time.
The two big stumbling blocks for being at home for a long duration are losing track of time and people within the same household annoying the crap out of each other. So what is the big deal with losing track of time? Well remember the movie groundhog day where the main character relives the same day over and over again. That is kind of what we are doing now. Wake up, shower, work, eat, watch tv, sleep then you wake up, shower, work, eat, watch tv sleep, then you wake up, shower, work, eat, watch tv and sleep. Over and over and over again. Most people begin to feel bored, life starts feeling meaningless and ultimately leads to depression and other very negative emotions. I myself went through this exact situation. I began getting very crabby and lashing out at the people around me.
So how do we break the cycle? Simple! Setting boundaries for time and for your space. Having boundaries helps your brain associate when and where to do actions. It also makes it easier for others to know when to leave you alone or when you are free to hang out.
Let’s start with the easier of the two. Boundaries for your space. During this home isolation it is very easy to start doing everything from one spot. For me that spot was the couch. I would work from the couch, eat meals on the couch and take breaks on the couch. What I did to change this was identify what were my major recurring activities (eating, cooking, playing, writing, my job, etc.)and set specific spaces in my home dedicated to each. For example I do my goofing off on the couch, eating meals on the left side of the dining table and work is conducted on the right side of that same table. If I wanted to take a 5 min break while working I would physically pick up my laptop and move it to the couch, chill there for 5 min and move right back to the dining table. Also don’t forget to modify the areas to make it work for you. It can be pushing the work desk closer to a window, cleaning off a section floor for playing with the kids, whatever makes your life easier.
Setting boundaries for time (aka scheduling). Now unlike space where the issue is, all activities are done in one spot, with time however the issue is having one activity that bleeds across the whole day. It is so easy to work through dinner, or watching youtube when you should be spending time with family. Just like space, create a list of tasks that needs to be done. Next try to estimate how long each task will take and spread them out throughout the day. Don’t forget to put in breaks too. Now you need to figure out how you will transition between tasks. I like setting a timer on my phone that buzzes when it’s time to switch. Finally review your schedule daily. Add stuff, remove others and/or tweak as needed. It’s your schedule you have control over it. Note this review should not be any longer than 5-10 minutes.
The mind is affected by your environment and actions. By taking control of those aspects of you life you indirectly are improving your mental well being. With what is going on right now that is something we can use.