Everywhere the Dog looks, people are talking about how we will not return to the normal of pre-pandemic life. It’s almost definitely true, but that does not mean that there is not a place for, even a need for, as much normalcy as possible.
What the Dog means is we each have to establish a normal routine that gives structure to our lives while we are being safe at home. Everyone has seen the memes about not knowing the date and day drinking running around the interwebs. They are funny in a dark humor sort of way, but they also point to a big problem.
Even people nominally working from home have too much time on their hands, and not enough structure in their lives. This leads anxiety and depression. Humans need stimulation and activity as part of their daily lives, or they suffer.
Worse, being creatures of habit, we can’t break from our panic mode if we don’t have the normal boring things going on. All the unique input keeps our adrenaline and cortisol up. It even makes time seem slower as our brains are wired to pay high attention to unique inputs and ignore the normal ones. That is part of why during a traumatic event time seems to slow. It’s not getting slower; you are paying significantly more attention to events.
So, that’s the problem. The good news is your pal the Dog has been in this hole before, and he knows how to get out. Back in the Great Recession (and can the Dog say he loathes that appellation?) your canine interlocutor was unemployed for eighteen months. The Dog is not going to kid you that it was not a hardship, it was. But it could have been so much worse if he had not defended normalcy fiercely.
What does that mean in practical terms? Let’s lay it out. It is going to be different for everyone, but there are some things that will be in common.
Frist off, getting up on time. There is a ton of evidence that how you start your day has a huge effect on the rest of it. So, even if you are not commuting anymore, get up at the same time you used to. Make the bed, eat your breakfast. The things you have been doing five days a week for a long time. That’s your normal, defend it!
Now your day is started. But that leaves a long time until dinner. How you fill it is dependent on your situation. If you are working from home, it’s important to have a schedule. Don’t try to sit at your computer like you do at work. Odds are you have a lot less work than normal anyway.
Plan for that, set a couple of two-hour periods where you will hammer on anything you need for work. Then get up and do something else. You would at work anyway (talk to co-workers, get some water, coffee or tea, etc.), so defend your new normal by getting away from the work for a while. The Dog promises it will still be there when you go back.
Resist, as much as possible, snaking all the time. Yes, we are all stressed out and craving sugar and carbohydrates, so you are probably going to snack more than you did but make it a plan so you aren’t grazing all day. Assigning a time for a snack not only keeps you from overeating (mostly) it is another data point in your day, another thing that can happen again and again so it becomes normal.
The same thinking applies for lunch. Set a time and stick to it. Eat then, eat a lunch similar to what you would eat at work. Give your brain the ques it’s looking for to be able to relax. Try not to fall into the habit of eating your comfort foods all the time. That is a signal that everything is not okay, and your brain and body will react accordingly.
While we’re being safe at home, exercise is going to be a critical factor. In this society, people sit on their asses too much as it is. With the safety restrictions, we are doing even less than usual. That has to change. Get out and take a walk, every day, at the same time. If you can walk in a wooded area even better. Studies have shown that time in nature, even as little as fifteen-minute reduces stress and anxiety. Even if you can’t get a woods, take that stroll around the neighborhood. Do it daily, make it your normal.
There are also some things you should resist. Turn the damned news off. You can watch it some, but you should not have the TV on constantly bombarding you with the same grim news. It is nearly impossible to have normalcy if you are swimming in a sea of bad and slow-changing news.
Resist making your day less full. As time wears on, things are going to be depressing. The natural inclination of humans is to take action, but when we can’t we start to do less and less. That’s a trap, don’t fall into it. What does this mean as a practical matter? Wear your work clothes, five days a week. Take your shower and brush your teeth when you would do it normally. Make the damned bed.
These seem like small things, and they are, but if we don’t send our brains the normal signals they will continue in panic mode and we will be tenser and less effective.
Now, the Dog knows that everyone deals with stress differently, and we are all under a shit-ton of stress. So, if, once in a while, you decide to have a nap, or put off doing the dishes for one day, that’s not a failing. We have to be kind to ourselves at this time. So, let those breaks happen, but for your long-term mental health, defend your normal!
Finally, never forget, we are in this together. Don’t feel that your situation is unique, it isn’t. If you feel stressed or panicked, or depressed. Get in touch with someone, anyone really. They will be able to sympathize and both of you will be supporting the other. Hang in Kossacks, it will get better, just not as soon as anyone would like.
The floor is yours!