Can't control it? Adapt to it
Quarantine. Everyone is going through this. Everyone in their own way.
This article is not going to tell you about the spread of coronavirus and how the medical systems aren't prepared for it. It's not going to tell you how many people die and how many people still hang out outside thinking the government is overreacting. It's not going to tell you how the world's crisis is about to leave people without jobs and business without money. And it's not going to tell you what happens after the lockdown is over.
What this article will tell you, instead, is how to live here and now. During the quarantine. And how to adapt yourself to this situation.
Last week I asked my colleagues on Sketch_Box about their experiences living through the quarantine. Their responses helped make this article.
You aren't trapped
Social distancing, limited movement, disruption of work routine, canceled trips — it does seem like we're being trapped indoors. We can't go to work, get a haircut, meet up with friends for beers, and most importantly, we can't live our lives the way we did before the quarantine started.
Things did change. The term “national lockdown” has made people alarmed. But it's not all that hopeless after all. We are not in a bunker hiding from war. We have proper water and electricity. We have a toilet. Most of us are living in well-equipped spaces. If you're working remotely but don't have a comfortable home office, you can get an office chair delivered to your doorstep. And if you get bored, there is a bunch of stuff you can do at home.
Try new things
Today when almost everything is canceled or indefinitely postponed, there’s no reason to do anything, right? Because…what's the point?
But wait, when life was normal, how many times have you postponed doing something important or didn't do things you love using "I'm too busy" as an excuse? Well, nothing's changed. Except now you've got a little more time to focus on what really matters.
Lots of activities you used to do offline are now available from your computer screen. You can continue doing what you did before: studying a language, doing yoga, attending programming courses, working, of course. And you can try doing new things too — cooking, painting, playing music, making home improvements — all you need is discipline.
Have targets to move toward
Every one of us has had our lives upended to some degree or another. And when people are going through unforeseen changes, they tend to screw things up. They stay in bed late. They drink too much. They skip a home workout. They procrastinate.
If you’re a writer, you know how important logical sequence is. It creates a flow in your text that nothing can ruin. Routine is your logical sequence. It helps you get a sense of control over your life.
Below are a few examples of daily schedules that people shared in my questionnaire. It was pretty curious to check them out:
If you haven't done it already, make sure you have the targets to move toward. Nail those targets each day and you’re good.
Limit media intake
Pandemic, infection fears, economic crisis, financial uncertainty, frustration— all of it is amplified by media. In this period people divide into two groups — those who are constantly checking the news for updates, and those who are ready to walk away from social media and TV entirely. I'm in the second group.
Being exposed to the abundance of disturbing news is the perfect recipe for panic. There’s too much going on. Lots of that stuff is overwhelming and not necessary. Some of it is fake.
There is only one resource that I check out every day. The worldometers.info. I look at it to see the curve. For the past couple of weeks that I've been following the curve in Italy, it's been flattening. This means drastic containment measures work and staying home isn't pointless.
Live a new experience
We’re lucky. We’re are living in a world full of online courses, food delivery services, video conferencing apps, balconies, books, and even gardens. These things wouldn’t have existed without ideas.
There is one thing that we should all be thankful to during this time of isolation. This thing is silence. Silence inspires creativity. But it’s important to also relax to make yourself receptive to new ideas. They will sure come. New ideas always come with new experiences. And this is a hell of a new experience that we're living through.
Learn from others
Everyone is going through the quarantine in their own way. One of the best things we can do is learn from each other.
People who shared their experiences in my questionnaire wrote some brilliant recommendations to others. I will list some of them here:
"Stay home and don’t touch your face. Also, there’s s a lot of free courses now, so you should definitely start learning."
"Try to focus on midterm perspective, but don’t blame yourself if you are feeling anxious or procrastinating a lot at the moment. Our brains need time to adjust."
"Work on the improvement of your immunity. This is a powerful weapon against most diseases."
"Stay positive. Stress is painful and destructive. Make your own filter of news. Focus on love, humor, and support."
"Turn off your computer and smartphone after work. Read a paper book on something you really care about."
"Don’t panic and enjoy time with relatives."
"Don’t turn into a couch potato. Live your life to the fullest. Even if all you can see is walls."
"Stay cool, stay fit, stay healthy, stay home."
We can deal with it
One day we went for a long run with my husband. He told me that when he gets the I-can’t-go-on feeling during the run, he likes to remind himself that his mind is stronger than his body. This thought helps him finish the workout.
We’re stronger than we think we are. Remind yourself about it when you feel depressed.
