Bringing Certainty into Uncertain Times

We are all in the thick of it now. COVID-19 has drastically changed the way we operate and go about our daily lives. Those who can are working from home. Those who can’t may be working fewer hours (more if you are an essential health care worker) or none at all. Students have had to make the switch to online learning, which is proving to be a challenge for educators and parents alike. “Social distancing” is becoming the new normal - with more people indoors and in front of a screen than on the road, in office buildings, stores, gyms, theaters, or restaurants. 

This is our reality, for now, and however long it takes to get COVID-19 under control. It’s scary, frustrating, and quite frankly overwhelming. We are living in unique circumstances that we have little control over. But perhaps there are small actions we can take during our days to regain control and a sense of “normalcy”. 

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1. Prepare - If you can, wake up a bit earlier to prep for your day. I don’t mean go through your email or any work documents, but prepare your mind and body for the day. Do some light exercise; drink a cup of tea or coffee; meditate; leisure read. What’s important is that you are taking aside time for you to get in the right mindset for what lies ahead. When in the preparing stage, try to minimize interference from external sources (electronics and other people) as much as possible. This time is for YOU. 
   

 

1. Perform and Pause - This likely makes up the greatest part of your day; the work you do for yourself and others. Given that our routines may be a bit out of sorts right now - this provides you with an opportunity to mold your own routine. Create a schedule for your work day, which will consist of the times you are going to PERFORM (aka do the bulk of your work). Ideally, you should be grouping similar assignments together to complete in 1-1.5 hour intervals before scheduling a time to PAUSE (break) for 10-15 minutes. If you are a student, or have students in your household, create a similar routine but with shorter work intervals for the younger members of your household. If you have the flexibility, don’t force yourself to mimic a true work or school day. No one is going to live up to those expectations under these conditions, at least not right now. But, creating structure during your day will give you a greater sense of purpose and perhaps more motivation to meet goals on a smaller scale. 
   

1. Reset - All of these steps are important, but REST is probably the most valuable. When you are done with your work day, BE DONE WITH YOUR WORK DAY. Stop. Turn it off. Put it away. Productivity is often about how you manage your time, not necessarily how long you spend on something. RESETTING is a major part of your productivity, because you need to walk away from tasks in order to revisit them later with a fresh mindset. Use this time to check in with family and friends; make a meal; do some crafting; get some fresh air;  take a nap; do a more intensive workout. Resetting prepares you for...
   

1. Rest - How you prepare yourself for bed may influence the type of rest you get, and how you wake up the next morning. Some people may be able to binge-watch TV and fall into a deep sleep (not me). I know that I need to do certain things which will help my body and mind switch into REST mode - take a hot shower or bath; listen to a podcast or audiobook, read. 
   

Let’s be clear, even I don’t always follow my own advice. I’m an innate “performer”, but I don’t always set aside the time to “prepare”, “pause”, “reset”, and “rest”. But I know when I do follow all four steps, my ability to perform is far greater than when I haven’t cared for my own wellbeing. What I am saying is not life altering, but simply a reminder to regain control of that which is in your own grasp.

Take care of yourself, and in turn you can care for others :)

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