Like everyone else, I have been affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic, and in ways I was not expecting. Since I've been working remotely from my home for a decade, you would think that my mental/emotional state would not be affected. My brain seems to know that there is a difference between choosing to stay home and being told that you have to stay home (and if you don't you might get sick and die). My mental state took a nose dive in early April, not long after Atlanta was ordered to Stay Home.

So, obviously, I needed to find things to keep myself from losing my mind. And I thought I'd share those with you here.

Try to Keep A Schedule

I've learned from past disruptive events — the dotcom bust, the September 11th terror attack, the economic collapse of 2008 — that trying to keep a normal schedule can be very difficult. So much so, that during these tumultuous times, I know that even having a schedule can be impractical or impossible. The main reason I bring this up is that the enemy of despair is hope. Having things to look forward to — things as simple as a phone call with a friend or as complex as a business meeting — can assist with your emotional health a great deal.

I like to mentally break my calendar into positive and negative parts. Well, to be more specific I tend to keep my regular calendar as it is, and make a different calendar for events that should be more positive: events with family, events with my mother, events with close friends, events with supportive co-workers. Due to the Stay At Home orders during this pandemic these events are either normal phone calls, FaceTime or Duo calls, or Zoom sessions.

The point is, during disruptive times like these it is important to make special efforts to keep connected to positive influences in your life and try to avoid any negative influences. And making and keeping a schedule to connect with these people makes your brain look forward to these events and help to keep you emotionally healthy.

Keeping connected to positive influences should be important enough to do regularly, but doing so during disruptive times can be very helpful. Making these activities a habit during normal time can't be a bad idea.

Exercise

One of the best things I've ever done for my mental/emotional health was beginning a regular exercise routine. Nothing extreme, just taking a brisk 45-minute walk on a mostly-daily basis. But the effects on me were extreme. I found that I became more mentally and emotionally stable when I walked regularly. Mind you, I'm not an erratic person, but the effects were obvious to me.

During this pandemic, it appears that everyone in my neighborhood is out walking, biking, and running. Alone, with their kids, or with their pets. Having walked regularly in my neighborhood over the past 10 years, seeing all these people out is fascinating. But for most people who leave the house every day for school or work, being isolated for weeks makes them have cabin fever. Getting out is a great idea when done responsibly.

To be clear, I am not suggesting that you begin training to become an Olympic athlete (though, don't let me stop you. Go for gold.). Stretch out. Take a walk. Practice yoga. Make it simple and match it for your current abilities.

Regular exercise can be a wonderful way to maintain your health, especially during disruptive times. When the future seems bleak, we tend to reprioritize things that seem more important. Something as simple as a walk will reduce stress, give your mind the opportunity to reset, take your mind off the obvious stress you are experiencing, as well as any stress that is seeping in externally.

Zoom Cocktail Parties

One thing that we didn't really have access to during past disruptions were products like Zoom and the kind of bandwidth to use them. Today, throwing together a video meeting with several people is as simple as sending an email with a link. Ten years ago, most people might not have a webcam or the bandwidth to meaningfully participate in a Zoom session.

Since I've been in lockdown, I've made a point to join Zoom sessions with friends and co-workers in a informal setting. Like a cocktail party. Hanging out. Chatting. Talking about anything and everything. Seeing their faces, body language, expressions; it is a truly wonderful thing to experience, especially for someone like me who is living alone during a pandemic. I'm pretty sure it is great for people who do not live alone.

Using a product like Zoom, FaceTime, or Duo to connect with people can be a very healthful replacement for actually interacting with them during a pandemic. You brain responds differently to conversations via video than when only using audio. And seeing friends and family without risking their lives is another benefit.

Remember: This is Not a Competition

I know you are seeing that some people on social media are taking their isolation to the max by planting gardens, making sour dough bread, or starting new open source software projects. If those types of activities are how you manage your stress, then by all means, dive in head first. But, please, do not allow someone else's process to reduce stress give you stress.

There are no Pandemic Games. There is no gold medal for an accomplished goal while in isolation. There is no Stay Home Blue Ribbon. No Nobel Prize for Baking. And, just because other people find and broadcast the ways they are spending their time, that doesn't mean you need to compare yourself to them. It isn't healthy.

The only person judging your activities during a disruption is you. If there is something new you would like to out, by all means, jump in and do it. But, if diving into a new book or watching a television show is more your speed, that is fine, too. No reason to feel guilty about it, but try to do make sure you're taking care of yourself.

Give Yourself a Break

Above all the things I've learned having lived through disruptive times, the most important thing I found to be true is that you need to give yourself a break. Stress can sink in from all kinds of sources; the news and social media are fantastic places that can provide stress that seeps into your subconscious and makes life more chaotic than necessary.

Limiting your access to all media — or dare I say it, completely shutting media access off — is a great step in reducing these external sources of stress. Yes, you should be tuned into what is going on in the world, but paying attention to the madness that is Facebook may not be the best source for factual information, and certainly having to read the prattling of conspiracy theorists won't reduce your stress.

And, by all means, listen to your yourself. During difficult times, the immediate impulse is to bear down and power through. That may not be the best thing for everyone. When I get to the point where I feel the stress bringing on depression, I'll take a break. I'll take a walk, a short nap, or read a book. Check in on yourself daily and do not allow stress or depression to sneak up on you.

The pandemic is not your fault. Yes, please be careful and follow the guidelines that the Centers for Disease Control has provided. But, please, give yourself a break and don't carry the weight of it all on your shoulders.

Take Care of Yourself

Basically, what I am saying is that you need to be aware of the effects that isolation can have on you and to take care of yourself. Keeping a "positive schedule", exercising, and connecting with family and friends over video conferences are things I am doing to take care of myself.