Stay Positive | Surviving Isolation

Becky
Apr 1, 2020
3 min read

Hey there,

How are you doing?

Isolation, quarantine and lock-down is not easy. There are a lot of emotions that come with being cooped up. There is anxiety and stress and then just feeling trapped at home. As someone with chronic illness, being home is vital for me. I appreciate so much that I am home right now. That I am safe and that people where I am are following the governments advice. But we all struggle when we are stuck in the same four walls for so long. I have been in for about three weeks and I have created a routine and found some things that have helped me keep sane!

If you are struggling to find a balance, keep the stress down or have hope – these tips are for you!

Start your day with Jesus

Prayer and reading the Bible before you get going with your day is game changing. There is no better way to start the day than talking to God. Tell him what is on your mind and let him talk to you. You will feel better, hopeful and be better prepared to take on whatever comes your way.

Get moving

Everyone’s fitness varies especially when you have illness, but any kind of movement is good. Do your physio, do the exercises you always put off, but your doctor recommends, cycle or walk (at home or safely outside). Just move in anyway that you enjoy. It helps to release those endorphins and helps your body whilst being so much more inactive than usual.

Eat well

Try and eat well. Comfort eating and lazy eating can be okay for a time but keeping your body strong and healthy is better. If you are chronically ill, it is really important to keep your body strong and well hydrated. Make meal plans and stick to regular mealtimes.

Work from home

If you can work from home, keep a good routine for it. If you are not able to work from home, I recommend still working on professional development (read up new things, do training courses online, get creative). I cannot do my job at home, but I can keep up-to-date with new policies, practice my creative skills. I have found many ways to take parts of my life ‘online’ or create distance materials. Keeping busy and using your skills daily helps to battle that feeling of being stifled.

Hobbies

Dive into your hobbies or try something new. It is good to keep yourself active and interested. When you get bored that’s when all those feelings can creep in, so stay occupied.

Be kind to yourself

It is hard. When stuck together we can end up fighting more and that’s okay. Just be kind to each other and yourself. Do not be too hard on yourself if you find it hard to be healthy or feel productive. This is a difficult time and takes time to find something that will work for you.