11 Daily Tips to Survive Coronavirus

There is a lot we can not control in the world right now. Coronavirus has forced many of us to completely alter our day-to-day lives. Being told to stay at home unless absolutely necessary is something none of us have ever lived through. With uncertainty and lack of control often comes anxiety, stress, fear and much more. For me, days have been good and bad. Sometimes both on the same day! Maintaining a positive balance is always important to me, but especially during times like these. Doctors often say that people with bipolar disorder don’t do well with change. This change was something I could never have seen coming. It’s something I can’t control. Each day I try to go back to my basics and follow some simple guidelines to build balance into my daily routine. These 11 tips don’t fix everything, but they help to positively influence most things in my life. On the days I do more, I often feel better. 

Keep your home clean

Many people are most worried about their ability to stay sane while shut in. In Gretchen Rubin’s book Outer Order, Inner Calm she talks about the relationship between the appearance of our living spaces, and our mental well being. For me, enjoying the way my space looks makes me happier and more comfortable at home. Giving everything a “place” has always helped me to keep my spaces clear and clean. Sure, I like to deep clean every two weeks or so, but the real trick is keeping the place tidy. When I wake up in the morning I make the bed. Then I walk through the house and fold all the blankets and fluff the pillows from lounging around the night before. I put away the clean dishes, and wipe down any surfaces I may have missed after dinner. I open the blinds to my living room and start my coffee. By the time I pull out my laptop to get started for the day I feel a sense of calm that comes from clean surroundings.

Journal daily - even just for 3 minutes

My therapist first suggested I journal before knowing that I enjoyed writing. It’s a great technique for processing your feelings and bringing your subconscious thoughts and worries to the forefront. Making time to journal daily is not something that has come easy to me, but it’s been extremely rewarding. Taking a few minutes at the start or end of my day to jot down what I’m thinking about helps me process my feelings, and sometimes even identify feelings I couldn’t previously put a name to. On days when I don’t have something jumping out from my brain to the page I write down three things I’m grateful for. 

It’s important to note that I can go days in a row without putting anything to paper. During those times I’m often finding excuses for myself. Believing the story I’ve constructed about why I couldn’t journal on any given day. But every time, I look back and wish I had made the time. Now I shoot for three minutes a day. It’s a low bar to hit, but still gives a strong sense of accomplishment. You could even bring your bar a bit lower! Some people do bullet journaling in the note app on their phone. Others simply write one thing they’re grateful for.

Minimize your news intake

Too much news is bad for anyone. I would typically say that I could afford to increase my news consumption. Staying up to date on current events in the world is not one of my strongest qualities. I’m grateful for that now, because even I have been catching myself consuming too much media about coronavirus. 

While it’s important to stay informed and connected, there is a lot of misinformation being circulated, as well as a lot of news with negative sentiment. The constant death toll counts alone can be anxiety inducing. By minimizing the amount of information I take in, I minimize my worry and fear about what’s to come. 

Meditate - start with a minute

I used to get very frustrated when I first tried to meditate. It seemed like my mind could never stop jumping around, when the point was to clear it and make it still. It wasn’t until I realized that the practice of meditation is most commonly the act of acknowledging your brain has wandered off, and bringing it back to your breath, that I thought I could make it work for me. Dan Harris’ book 10% Happier also had a significant impact. 

Meditation doesn’t have to be an app on your phone, or an hour on a pillow overlooking a forest of trees. It can be 60 seconds of deep breathing in your car before or after your get through a grocery store run.

Get out for fresh air 

In 2017, I ran the Chicago Marathon. In the last 2 years, I don’t think I’ve run more than 5 miles at once. Getting fresh air doesn’t mean I’m lacing up my running shoes and heading out for a multi-miler. And I’m certainly not going to my favorite populated park areas. I’m just spending some extra time outside when I take my dog, Oscar, for a walk. I’m trying to step outside during the work day to get some fresh air. I think back to my days of outpatient treatment. We were given a 30 minute break before lunch every day. I walked in circles around the building. It was boring, but it gave my brain a chance to breathe and my body a chance to stretch. 

Drink plenty of water 

The University of Connecticut did a study that showed staying hydrated can keep you feeling mentally balanced and stable. I never drink enough water. It’s just not something that I habitually do. When I’m working all day, and spending large chunks of time talking on video calls or over the phone, it’s so important that I drink water. I have to remind myself constantly. When I have a break between meetings I often try to finish an 8 ounce cup before hopping into my next meeting. Drink. More. Water. Tea is good too! 

Check on a friend of family member 

We’re all in this together, and no one knows exactly what to do. I’m just grateful that it’s 2020 and not 1989. We have cell phones, computers, tablets and apps that help us stay in touch and connected to our networks. For me, scheduling virtual happy hours with different people or groups in my life has really helped me feel connected. Even spending 10 minutes of a team meeting at work checking in on how everyone’s doing personally has improved my mood. It’s nice to know you’re not the only one going through this.

Set work boundaries and stick to them

Boundaries can be uncomfortable to put in place if you’ve never set them before, but they can offer you a great sense of control. Determining when I’m going to start and end my day in advance is extremely helpful. Working from home has always given me a sense of freedom, but also a subconscious feeling that I need to work a little bit more. During these complicated times of coronavirus, that can be even worse. Work is all digital, which means the timezones of my colleagues affects the working hours of my day. If I don’t make adjustments to account for a 6pm call, or a 7am start I will burn out. Now that I don’t have distance between my work and my home, at all, I need to determine when my computer powers down. And when it’s that time, I ask for help to hold me accountable to power down if I can’t wrap up my day alone. 

Find balance between cooking & supporting local

As someone who didn’t cook much before coronavirus, I was initially panicked over how we were going to feed ourselves during this time. Then I found great comfort in knowing that there are many local businesses struggling to survive and offering really unique ways you can support them, now more than ever. Instagram has been a great source of finding those local businesses and what they offer. I encourage you to support local with carry-out and delivery if you can. 

I’ve also been taking trips to the store to stock up on things and making an effort to cook a portion of the time. Buying healthy snacks to munch on during the day is a great way to help me get ahead of bad habits. I’m the first to admit this isn’t my best area, but I try to create balance.

Get yourself a perk for being home

My first week stuck at home I ordered a pair of fuzzy slippers off of Amazon and it made my whole day when they arrived in the mail. Only $17 and I was full of smiles. I’ve also ordered an adjustable standing desk that has improved my back pain and doubles as a visual reminder of when the kitchen is my office, and when I’m back to relaxation mode for the evening. 

I’ve done a few extra face masks in the past couple of weeks, and flavored k-cups have been a welcomed addition to my morning coffee routine. It may sound like I’m saying ‘spend money to be happy’, but it doesn’t have to be monetary at all! A longer lunch so you can walk outside and get sun on your face is a perk to enjoy too.

Enjoy the things you don’t normally have time for

There are going to be a lot of great things that come out of this time when the world was holding their breath together. All of the minutes I normally spend getting myself to work, or the cycling studio, or anywhere really, are mine again. I personally have been binge watching shows, reading a long list of books I normally don’t have time for, and listening to podcasts while just sitting on the couch. All things I love, and would never complain about having more time for. 

We’re living in a wild time. A time that will be in history books for years to come. There’s not a lot we have control over, but there are some things. These next few weeks (and maybe months) will be trying for us all. My heart goes out to those folks who have had their jobs impacted by coronavirus. The children who won’t get the hot meals and attention they normally have at school now that they’re forced to stay home. The elderly neighbor who buys one pack of toilet paper at a time and now has no way of getting more rolls. The essential workers who are risking their lives every day to keep the rest of us functioning and safe. And all of us, who as humans, typically don’t do well with change. 

We will get through this. Take care of yourself. Take care of your family. Take care of your friends. Take care of your community. 1 hour, 1 day, 1 week at a time.