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Top Tips to Manage Your Time in Social Isolation

We're living in unprecedented times. From our health, income, education, ability to travel, no one has been exempt from the impact of this global pandemic. So excuse yourself if you have an occasional melt down. It's understandable under the circumstances. We don't know how long it will last, what the outcome will be. All we can manage is how we react and learn to take each day as it comes.

Practise daily gratitude. A positive, thankful approach is the key to improving unfortunate circumstances. Start each day by being thankful; for waking up, for having a roof over your head, running water, electricity, your health, your family and friends. Times like this often bring out the best in people, so be thankful for the people who check to ask if you're okay, the opportunities you have to walk each day, to slow right down, spend time with your family. Okay, this situation is tough, but you can improve it by appreciating the good in your life.

Take care of yourself. That way others don't have to worry about you and you're in a better position to take care of those who need your attention. Self-care requires both mental and physical stimulus, so reading, games, work, study and physical exercise are an important part of your commitment to yourself. Getting enough sleep and not staying up all hours or over-sleeping are also important.

Explore available options. Might this be a good opportunity to learn another language, refresh an existing skill, diversify? If you've free time you could turn it to your advantage by investigating and even training in a new interest or skill.

Help others. Those little gestures, the phone call, bunch of flowers on the doorstep, the 'thinking of you' greeting card can make all the difference to someone's day. And when you shop for essentials or go online for support remember your local small traders are relying on your custom to survive.

Keep to a regular routine. It's tough when your normal life has been thrown into disarray and added unexpected worries and concerns. But it helps when you re-establish some order in your life. Get up at the same time, shower, put fresh clothes on, designate certain times for work. Some people even have their children wear their school uniforms, which helps them appreciate that this is not an extended school holiday and that they have to do some actual school work!

Don't allow the children to dominate your life and run you ragged. Start as you mean to go on and introduce one of the great online exercise classes to burn off some energy, but also have quiet time too where they read, paint, do some chores or crafts and give you a little space.

Stay hydrated and eat healthily. Keeping your fluid intake up is important. Virus's thrive in your mouth and throat so drinking hot/warm water regularly, perhaps adding fresh lemon, ginger and honey, can help to keep your airways clear. Maintain a good diet, including fresh fruit and vegetables. The supermarkets are doing a sterling job of frequently restocking.

And manage your alcohol intake. When we're feeling fed up it's tempting to go down the wine'o'clock route, but it doesn't help and you'll feel worse afterwards, as you will if you stock up on treats like cakes, biscuits and chocolates and then binge eat the lot in an afternoon!

Manage your time on social media and the news sites. There's plenty of fake news, naysayers and doom merchants out there, feeding us gloomy prophecies, images and statistics. Yes, check in once or twice a day but don't allow depressing information to be drip-fed into your home and life on a regular basis. Remember, you're in control!

Stay connected. There are plenty of groups using skype, zoom, what's app, Facebook to stay connected and be supportive of each other. Keep in touch with the people who are important in your life. Many businesses are finding effective, alternative ways to contact their clients and hold meetings, run training sessions and still work.

If you've a partner give each other space. It can be challenging to spend 24/7 in each other's company, especially if you've only ever done that on holidays or at Christmas. Post-holiday and post-Christmas anyway are the busiest times for divorce lawyers! So if you don't want to fall into that category ensure that you agree to not do everything together. Maybe one shops for food, walks the dog, works in the study, goes for a quiet read, potters in the garden, has a leisurely bath. Make allowances for each other's low mood at times. Give each other personal time.

Stay positive. A good perspective and sense of humour are lifesavers, especially at the moment. Social media, used well, can help lighten the mood. When you dip in and see the fun, imaginative ways people respond to daily themes or news stories it can brighten the day. Or laughing at some of your unfortunate attempts at baking, DIY or making something work can keep a pleasant light-hearted atmosphere.

If you find you're struggling maybe keep a journal and write down how you're feeling. It can help to get things down on paper, and writing is more effective than using your laptop. Avoid running 'what-if' and worst case scenarios in your mind. Intercept those by distracting yourself; move, dance, sing, phone a positive friend for an upbeat chat. Aim to accomplish one positive task each day, from tidying your sock drawer, cleaning the windows or even sorting your emails. Then you have a regular achievement to feel good about.

We're all trying our best to get through these exceptional times. Let's support each other and do it together.

Susan Leigh, counsellor, hypnotherapist, relationship counsellor, writer & media contributor offers help with relationship issues, stress management, assertiveness and confidence. She works with individual clients, couples and provides corporate workshops and support.

She's author of 3 books, 'Dealing with Stress, Managing its Impact', '101 Days of Inspiration #tipoftheday' and 'Dealing with Death, Coping with the Pain', all on Amazon & with easy to read sections, tips and ideas to help you feel more positive about your life.

To order a copy or for more information, help and free articles visit http://www.lifestyletherapy.net

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The High Cost of Doing Nothing

By: Daniel Sitter
Cost is sometimes a difficult term to define. Here, we are not simply discussing cost as it relates to selling price, but rather opportunity cost. The web site, "Mentors, Ventures and Plans" defines opportunity cost as "The loss of the next best alternative whenever a decision is made involving two or more options". "Investing in Options" defines it as "Choosing the best alternative means that you can't choose the next-best alternative. Opportunity cost is the next-best alternative that must be sacrificed in order to get something else you want. Opportunity cost can be thought of as the road not taken." Inactivity, or doing nothing, is usually the highest price paid and is often associated with great opportunity cost. Inaction is usually the worst decision one can make, made from a base of fear.

Many of us freeze when facing decisions. For some reason, decision making becomes complex, paralyzing and even painful for many people. It should not be this way. Making a decision is simply the act of choosing between alternatives. You must learn to weigh the implications of each possible decision and choose the outcome that is best for you and all others involved. For example, when your telephone bill comes due, you may choose to pay it or not. There are real obvious consequences for both actions. The situation becomes more complex however, when our human emotions enter the picture. For instance; you are offered a new job and must decide to leave your current position and move your family to a new location, hundreds of miles away..

What we often fail to realize, is that delaying important decisions or simply not making a decision at all, are actions that often impact us with the highest opportunity costs and worst case scenarios. Inactivity, or the lack of a decision, is actually a decision made, although one seldom made in our best interests. In this case, we unfortunately transfer over control of our lives to external forces and circumstances. We are now positioned to be at the mercy and decision-making of others. This is not your best scenario. There are often unusually high costs associated with doing nothing.

Decision making is actually a skill set that can be learned and refined. Like all skills, entering into a new area as a novice requires practice and application in order to improve. Keep in mind that you will indeed improve! Start small, with less important decisions involving less than crucial outcomes and gradually make more decisions on matters of greater importance. Soon, you will have few if any issues with making decisions. Learn to start small and work your way up, gradually extending your comfort zone in this area. A by-product of learning these new skills is that your confidence will surely improve as well.

Decision making need not be frightening. Think of it as a process that is your own, shedding any external pressure that others may be applying. Take your time, get your facts and choose the outcome that works best for you. Do not allow yourself to fall victim to the high cost of doing nothing.

Author Bio
Daniel Sitter is the author of the popular, award-winning e-book, Learning For Profit. Designed for busy people, his new book teaches simple, step-by-step accelerated learning skills, demonstrating exactly how to learn anything faster than ever before. Learning For Profit is currently available from the author's web site www.learningforprofit.com and a variety of online software and book merchants. Mr. Sitter is a contributing writer for several online and traditional publications. His expertise includes sales, marketing, self-improvement and general business topics.

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