Are you wondering how to make social distancing easier for your family? Maybe you are a Mum wondering how you are going to occupy your children through the school closures without everyone in your household going mad? Today I am sharing some practical tips and advice for surviving social distancing while protecting your mental as well as your physical health, so watch the video below or keep reading for all of the tips.
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What Is Social Distancing?
Social Distancing is something that we are all being asked to do at the moment by the UK government to slow the spread of covid-19 coronavirus. We are being asked to limit our social contact as outlined below.
Now We Know What Social Distancing Is, How Do We Stay Sane Through It?
Although these measures seem extreme, it is important that during this difficult time that we follow the guidelines in order to protect ourselves, our families and the vulnerable members of our communities. So how do we follow the guidelines, care for and teach our children and stay sane all at once? Following the tips outlined below will help you and your family to manage your mental health at this difficult time.
Get Up At The Same Time Every Day
Tempting as it is to slip into “holiday mode” and sleep until noon (if your children actually let you do this), studies have shown time and time again that maintaining a good routine has health benefits including better sleep and mental health. I’m not suggesting that you have to be up at the crack of dawn as if you were leaving for the usual commute or school run, but picking a time and getting you and your family up at that time each and every day will reap its benefits. Sadly we have no idea how long this situation will last, so implementing good habits from today will set you in good stead should this crisis run into weeks or even months.
Get Dressed
Getting dressed rather than giving in to the temptation to stay in your PJs will instantly make you and your family feel more “normal”. You don’t have to be as impeccably groomed as you would normally be if you were going out into the world if this doesn’t suit you. Even changing from nightwear into comfortable day wear means that you are less likely to slip into pyjama syndrome where the days and nights roll into one. Getting dressed creates an instant mindset shift and gets you ready for the day in a positive way.
Make Your Bed
As with getting dressed, making your bed sets a tone for the day. Your bedroom and the rooms of your children (who should be making their beds too) will instantly look tidier and you are less likely to feel like you are overwhelmed by living in a mess.
Get Some Fresh Air
At the time of writing this, the government advice is still that we are able to enjoy outdoor spaces as long as we maintain a safe social distance of 2 metres plus. (Check here for the up to the minute advice on this matter). Still, if you have children, chances are that the minute that they see someone they know (or don’t know for that matter), chances are that they will go bounding up to them and breech the 2 metre rule.
Whenever possible, especially if you have kids, try and take your outside time in your own garden where there is no risk of coming into contact with others and spreading the virus. Where this is not possible, choose places to walk or exercise that are quiet and you are unlikely to come into direct contact with others.
If you are unable to go outside for whatever reason, make sure that you open some windows and let some fresh air into your home. Even when all of this is behind us, I’d highly recommend opening some windows first thing in the morning to start your day the right way and reap the benefits of fresh air.
Create A Power Playlist
The right music can really elevate our moods, so create a power playlist of uplifting songs. Whenever you are feeling a little down or feel anxiety kicking in, crank up your playlist and dance it out.
Move Your Body
It is important that even while we are social distancing, we find some way to bring exercise into our lives. This does not have to be marathon level, but moving our bodies has both mental and physical health benefits.
If you are unable to exercise outside, there are still loads of ways that you can move your body inside. There are loads of amazing YouTube channels for kids and adults alike that share brilliant workouts that you can do indoors. I like to do some yoga while the children join in with a Cosmic Kids video like the one below. I also hare lots more of my favourite youtube channels for kids’ workouts as well as educational content in my Best YouTube Videos For Kids blog post.
Practice Gratitude
While these are scary times with plenty to frighten us, focussing on the things that we are grateful for each day can really help to improve our mood and mindset. Try starting each day writing 10 things that you are grateful for and see how it helps you to focus on the good in the world. You can be grateful for your lovely home, a cuddle from your child or a hot cup of coffee. Whatever it is that you are grateful for, acknowledging it can help to lift your mood.
Another nice gratitude practice that we like to do is to ask the children what they have been grateful for that day while we eat our evening meal. It’s always lovely to hear what they appreciated about the day and they often come out with the most unexpected things.
Have A Plan For Home Learning
Many of us who never intended to be homeschooling parents now find ourselves having to teach our children. Having a routine in place for home learning can be a huge help as I talk about in my Home Learning For When The Schools Are Closed Due To Covid 19 post.
Now the degree of structure that you apply to your days depends upon your family and the needs of your children. For my children, 2 of which have autism, routine makes them feel happy and secure. This is true for lots of children, especially those of school age who are used to a day filled with routine.
Still, there is no right or wrong way to get through this. If you would rather go with the flow and that suits you better, then go for it. As long as you keep your getting up, meal and bedtimes consistent, some parents will prefer to have more fluid activities in between and that is okay.
Get A Bank Of Activities Ready To Entertain Your Kids
Something that you are likely to hear from your kids (especially if you don’t have a routine in place) is “I’m bored“. Prepare for this situation by brainstorming a list of “boredom buster” activities that your kids can choose from when this happens. These can be things like making a den, doing som drawing, getting out certain toys and more. Get your children to help you make the list and challenge them to make it as long as possible.
Declutter Your House To Declutter Your Mind
A cluttered house can lead to a cluttered mind, which is the last thing that we need in a crisis. Although clutter may not have bothered us as much when we spent most of our days outside the home, now that we are stuck indoors it is more important than ever to feel comfortable in our living space.
Look at this as an opportunity to declutter your home from top to bottom and to make it a nicer place to live, both now and after this has all calmed down. Check out my decluttering videos above for some inspiration.
Write An At Home Bucket List
Write out a list of things that you would love to do in and around your home before the end of this crisis that you do not normally have the time to fit in. This could include decluttering, as previously mentioned, as well as painting, DIY jobs, rearranging rooms, repairs, craft projects and more.
Limit Your Exposure To Media That Triggers You
In times like these, social media can be a lifeline to the outside world, but it can also bring additional and unnecessary anxiety. While a lot of the posts that you see can be helpful, many can be filled with misinformation, scaremongering and pretty depressing stuff.
Now I accept that we need to remain informed of what is going on in the world, and for this reason, I watch the live update from Downing Street that is broadcast at around 5 pm every day. The problems come when we are so bombarded with around the clock information about the horrors going on in the world that we can do nothing about, that it brings us enormous amounts of anxiety.
If too much exposure to the news or social media is upsetting you at the moment, it is ok to step away. Get one daily dose of important information to check that there are no updates that you have missed such as new guidelines to follow, then switch it off.
Follow Inspiring Accounts, Unfollow Others
While following the wrong accounts or taking in too much news at the moment can have a negative impact on our mental health, following positive accounts can really help to lift your spirits and get you through tough times. Have a clean up of your lists and follow some more positive accounts while unfollowing some that bring you down.
Take The Opportunity To Read
If reading is something that you cannot normally fit into your busy schedule, now is the perfect time to get into a good book. Reading is the ideal way to carve out some “me time” and switch off from the craziness going on in the world.
Indulge In A Netflix Binge
Thank goodness that we live in the digital age where Netflix is a thing! Take this less than ideal situation and turn it into an indulgent time to binge-watch your favourite tv shows.
FaceTime Friends & Family
Although we may not be able to physically spend time with our loved ones, make sure that you are keeping in touch via phone and Facetime calls in order to avoid feeling emotionally isolated.
Start Journalling
Journalling is a great way to offload your feelings onto paper and suddenly feel lighter. You can journal about emotions that you are finding hard to process, write out your gratitude list, use positive affirmations to help you stay high vibe or even journal about your hopes for the future.
Plan For The Future
Know that we will get through this. Making plans for all of the things that you will do when this craziness is over. Having things to look forward to will help us to see beyond the overwhelming fog of this situation and to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
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