It’s week 3 of shutdowns and it seems everyone is having their own personal experience & reaction. A lot of people I’ve spoken to are having a hard time and almost everyone is dealing with variations of the same problems.
If things seem impossible, remember you’re not alone. Here’s 5 common things everyone is experiencing right now (and what you can do to mitigate the effects on you going forward).
Overindulging in Junk Food
Solution: map out your meal plans
If you’re overindulging in junk food, it’s pretty normal. Just be careful to not overdo it.
It’s easy to dig into the junk food, but instead of that – be sure to eat to support your immune system. Whether that’s low carb, paleo or something else – focus on eating real food. Your body needs it now more than ever.
Also, it’s worth noting that while fasting can be incredibly beneficial, you can probably go without stressing your body in that way during a pandemic. Eat breakfast, focus on real food, and avoid overdosing on the sweets. If you need to, there are free meal plans to help.
Engaging the Pandemic Panic
Solution: Quiet Your Mind
If you’re having trouble staying calm, you’re not alone. After downplaying the virus it almost seems the media is invested in making the virus as scary as possible. If you’re feeling panicked, turn off the news and start focusing on living in the moment.
Turns out, if you turn off the news and just go outside for a (solo) walk, life can seem relatively normal (and calm). While it’s still weird to see people, you can get away from the craziness of twitter, blogs, and just take a moment to breathe. The times might be tough, but you can get through it.
Going Stir Crazy
Solution: Move, Move, Move
If you want to stretch your body and improve your bio. I’ve never felt more like running around in circles like a cooped-up-puppy or just running an ultra marathon for the hell of it.
If you’re feeling cooped up – get outside and run. If you’re a beginning runner, start small with a 5k. Then work your way up.
Zoom Overwhelm
Solution: Switch it up
While the number of Zoom meetings we’re all on have skyrocketed, it’s easy to get burnt out on them. In lieu of doing yet another Zoom happy hour, try something else. Do a video game run (seriously), a socially distanced walk or even a facetime that’s not directly on your computer.
Happy Hour Bonanza
Solution: Drink More Water
About that Zoom happy hour list item. Some places are reporting a 55% increase in liquor sales. While it’s fine to indulge a little during quarantine, now is a good time to remember to drink more water. If you’re getting tired of regular water, try coconut water to mix it up with something with more electrolytes.
No matter who you are or how you’re dealing with this, remember this isn’t going to last forever. You can get through this, and when we do, we’re going to appreciate the good times even more.