Practice Common Sense During a Pandemic

Every time I open Facebook or Instagram, I’m bombarded with updates on Coronavirus and how many people have gotten sick from the virus. It can be panic-inducing, but I’m working hard to stay realistic about what I can do–and focusing on the things I can control. Because, let’s face it, there are so many things that are out of our control.

The biggest factor within everyone’s control is some general common sense, something that I feel like so many have lost right now. (Honestly, what are you going to do with a year’s supply of toilet paper? Or enough pasta that your family can use a box every day for a month?)

There will still be toilet paper and pasta, even in the midst of the pandemic.

I do know that the pandemic has hit hard for some families. Some people have compromised immune systems, so they have to be more careful than ever. Some people have lost their jobs or seen a cut in hours and pay. Kids were sent home early from college. Parents have kids home all day long with distance learning, while also having to work from home.

It’s a challenging time. And I wanted to share some of my own top tips for getting through this really difficult season. None of them are perfect, but doing any one of these things can help you feel just a little bit better, physically, emotionally, financially or spiritually.

• Practice social distancing and follow the recommended rules and guidelines. This means stay home as much as you can, wash your hands regularly and clean all fresh produce thoroughly.
• Maintain proper nutrition. It’s easy to snack often when you’re working from home or feeling frustrated and emotional about your current situation. But proper nutrition is essential to staying healthy. Stick to your nutrition plan and continue taking vitamins and supplements to stay on track.
• Get plenty of sleep and stick to a schedule. Turn off Netflix at a decent hour and stick to your normal bedtime. Sticking to a regular routine and schedule is important to your own health but also to your children’s peace of mind.
• Double check any booked travel. Talk to your travel agent, airline and/or hotel for any travel you have booked in the coming months. You might be able to negotiate a reduced fee for travel this summer, and you may need to reschedule your vacation if it’s planned in the next few months.
• Stop the social scroll. Social media isn’t always the best distraction from world events. Not only is every social feed filled with Coronavirus reports, memes and opinions, but you’re likely not learning anything new from hour to hour. Instead, check in on social media in the morning and evening and know that if anything big happens, someone will call or text you. I promise.
• Share a bit of positivity on your social media. You may not even realize this, but the more you see the positive things in life the more your life will be affected in a positive way.
• Find a way to create some new traditions for your family. Take a local drive to explore the area (of course while maintaining social distancing). Have a family game night. Have some fun with sidewalk chalk on the driveway. Have a family make your own pizza night.

We’re all in this together, friends. And we will come out the other end. But let’s be sure we’re keeping our family and loved ones at the top of our mind, and practicing common sense for the benefit of our first responders and our communities.