Keeping clean:
Wash, wash, wash: Sing a song to help your children along
Quite literally, wear your mask, make it a habit
Keeping social distance is an act of self compassion and empathy for others
Keeping one self balanced!
Routine and Schedule:
Set a routine and try to follow it. Having a schedule anchors us!
Have separate routines for the work week and the weekend
Try to establish and keep boundaries for “work from home” and personal time
Help your children with routine, schedule and boundaries
They thrive with structure
Be flexible as perfection is not possible
Allowing “go with the flow” reduces frustration and stress
Focus on what you can control and what you can’t
Mindset matters
Keep focused in the moment
Sleep:
Sleep refuels the brain and body
Go to bed and get up at regular times
Literally provides us with a daily reset and recharge
Nutrition:
Be mindful
Try to plan for healthy, interesting food choices, meals and snacks
Limit sugar snacks and mindless eating
Be mindful about limiting substance use
How hungry am I?
Cooking together and eating together has been a silver lining for many but again keep it realistic
Exercise and Movement:
Get up and go
Walk, walk, walk: Take in Nature, Let out Stress and Anxiety
Dance parties
Neighborhood olympics with “What do you have around the house?”
Plank challenge
Mental refuel:
Breathing and mindfulness
Meditation
Yoga
Use of mantras and mindset: this too shall pass, one day at a time, be in the here and now
Limit constant exposure to news
Relationships and connection:
Stay at home but not alone!
Stay connected: Zoom, houseparty, group FaceTime, go to meeting, group text messages, Marco Polo
Reading bedtime stories, dinners across the country
Limit children’s exposure to news staying age appropriate and use “what they need to know” as a guide
Keep children’s social connections creatively in tact
Kindness to others:
This is a time to consider one for all and all for one
Living with empathy and connection as our lens
Thinking of others makes us feel better
Taking care of others takes care of ourselves
Positive contribution and purpose are important and helpful
Resilience comes from navigating through adversity
Gratitude and counting our blessings
Keep a blessings jar
Keep a gratitude journal
Silver linings keep us hopeful
What are your silver linings?
