Keeping Hopes Up During COVID

As many of you know, America has been in a state of chaos due to this global pandemic. For many, that means they're out of a job, out of school, and probably out of hope. However, there are so many ways you can remain happy, healthy, and sane during this time.

As this continues, we are on a roller coaster of emotions. Sometimes (in New York) we think we're going to open, but then those dates and plans get pushed back another two weeks. While this is discerning and frankly annoying, we have to keep doing what we're doing.

Motivation

For me, getting kicked off of campus at college really made me lose my motivation to do any schoolwork. However, I needed to keep my grades up, so my friends and I would call, text, and video chat frequently to complain about schoolwork. Some of us would even just sit on a video call and work on things together.

Not only did I have no motivation for school, but everything else, I just lost my motivation. However, since there are other people in the house, I can read, write, and work on my own projects in rooms we're not in a lot. It is especially helpful if you have a study or even a dining room you don't use.

The main source of motivation is other people. If you're in a room of people on their phones, you're going to go on your phone. The best way to motivate other people to help motivate you is to just set a time to all do work.

Another factor in losing motivation could be depression. Although the weather isn't always nice, going outside for just a few minutes can really clear you head. Take the dogs out, jog, grab the mail, anything to get yourself outside. You could even grab a book or notebook and sit outside to read or do work.

Anxiety

Everyone in this situation has some added anxiety. Whether you already have it, or the added stress of teaching yourself or kids, the anxiety can get to you quickly.

To relieve some of the stress, do things you enjoy to do, or even start to exercise from home. Just doing simple things like watching Netflix or Hulu can take your mind off things and help you relax.

If you're getting overwhelmed when new information comes in, it is important to stop watching the news. This one is important, because it is human nature to fear the unknown, especially during a crisis like this.

If you are working during this time, that could be extremely stressful. If you are constantly in public, make sure to stay protected. Eat things that will keep you healthy and don't let your mind wander too much about fear of coming in contact with the virus

Staying Connected

I know all over the commercials they talk about being connected. But it's true. The easiest way to not go stir crazy is to stay in contact with friends and family. In the digital age, it's so easy to reach out to other's there's no reason you shouldn't be!

Not only might you feel lonely and disconnected, but other people you might want to reach out to may feel the same. My friends and I continuously let each other know when we want to talk.

Human contact is so important, because being in the house with the same few people will make you crazy. This isn't because the people at home are bad, but talking to a variety of people is important. When we were at school and work, we constantly talked to a number of people, so getting back into that habit, even through the phone, will make you feel better.

Being Productive

While some people have been taking this time to do schoolwork or get into new hobbies, some don't really try to expand. Being productive just keeps your brain occupied so you don't think about the crisis so much.

Being productive could be reading a book, watching TV, cleaning, just anything that gets your brain working. Being on your phone and brainlessly scrolling through your feed doesn't cut it. Take some time off your phone and go outside to listen to the sounds of nature (if you can).

Sleeping in can seem very nice as well, but the more you sleep, the less you're doing and that can make you very depressed. Plus, the longer you sleep in, the less productive you will feel throughout the day. Having a good sleep schedule is also important.

Keeping Schedule

If you keep a schedule like you did before the pandemic, you'll feel better. Although you're not going out to class and work like you did before, having the schedule will keep yourself in check.

You've probably heard everyone tell you to keep a schedule, but it does work to keep you feeling better! Having a good schedule not only keeps you productive, but it keeps you happy and healthy. You could have a schedule for contacting friends and family, too.

When I was in therapy, I was always told to keep a strict eating and sleep schedule to make me feel better. Although my body has adjusted to waking up early everyday, even when I don't have to, it's helpful.

I wake up, get dressed and ready for the day, then eat breakfast. I then take time to do things that keep my brain productive. After eating lunch, I try to go for a walk, having dogs is super helpful. Then I usually just watch TV for a calm night and have dinner.

Dinner is usually family time, but if you're alone, you can video call into friends and family that are also alone. After dinner, do things that make you happy before bed, and go to bed at a decent time. After all, eventually we'll go back to normal, so we'll need to keep our schedules.

Keeping Hopes Up

In the end, just keep your hopes up. Stay home and stay safe, but do not freak out so much about the situation. A situation is only as bad as you make it out to be.

When things start to trickle back open, take it easy at first. Society will need to ease back into a new normal again, so do you. The most important thing is to stay informed, but also calm and collected.