Staying Socially Well in the Era of Social Distancing

553 words

4 minute read

These days, I'm not going to lie, it's pretty scary.

Being part of a high-risk population in the middle of a pandemic is no joke - and certainly nothing I've ever seen in my lifetime.

The truth is, though, I've practiced social distancing quite a bit, just in my regular life.  Being an introvert plus being disabled means that my world is comfortably small.  It's second nature for me to stay indoors.

But I know that's not the case for most people.

So, I wanted to share some tips here:

[Image: Various indoor plants by a window]

1. Have a Schedule:  This does not have to be set in stone, nor does it have to plan out every inch of your day.  But schedule aspects of your day, at least.  Maybe clean / disinfect your electronics / a certain room in your house first thing.  Eat your meals at predictable times.

2.  Do a Project: Are you a writer?  Sign up for Camp NaNoWriMo in April and use this month to plan.  (Brainstorm.  Make a Pinterest board.  Make a playlist.) 

Need something to occupy your family?  Create something together.  Use your imaginations.  Take turns creating your ideal world or contributing pieces of a story that you all create together.  Go on imaginary journeys to space or under the sea.  Sit quietly and close your eyes, then ask your kids what they see.  Take turns sharing.

3.  Read:  Go to GoodReads and set a reading goal for 2020 if you haven't yet.  Then, take time every day to read.

Have kids?  Great!  Read out loud to them (and let them take turns reading aloud, too!)  Read the Harry Potter series from the beginning.  (Or if you're from my era and still have books from your childhood, introduce them to Goosebumps or The Babysitter's Club!)    

4. Marathon:  You know there's that one show you've been wanting to watch from the beginning.  It's on Netflix, or maybe you've got the DVD box set.  Set aside some time to watch it.

If you're like me, you need opportunities to turn your brain off.  To focus on something else.  To get lost in another world, another person's life, for a moment (or a day, or maybe longer.  No judgment here.)

(Grey's Anatomy has 16 seasons.  Criminal Minds has 15.  If you're looking to really immerse yourself into something.)

5. Stay Connected:  This is probably the biggest concern I've seen from people.  How do I stay connected to my friends if we can't get together?

Social media is a great tool for this!  You can check in with your friends using Facebook messenger, Facebook video chat, Facebook voice notes, FaceTime, Skype, or my personal favorite, the Marco Polo app.

Make time as needed to connect with friends and loved ones.  Maybe that's daily.  Maybe it's weekly.  But check in.  Especially if you know your friends or loved ones are at a high risk due to immunosuppression, age, or disability, check in on us.

Let us know you're thinking about us.  Ask how we're doing.  Talk about shows, movies, books, or share a funny story.  Trust that our brains are full enough of worst-case scenarios.

This will pass, friends.

Please take care.

All the consensual ghost-hugs to all of you.

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