5 bright spots about self-quarantine

In these challenging times, we are all coping with uncertainty and new routines. I hope that you and your family are well­.

I work for a mental health counseling center. Mental health is an essential service, and some of our clients need that face-to-face contact with counselors. Right now, the best way that I can help, as office staff, is by not being there.

With a little preparation, most of my work can be done remotely, and this is the seventh day of my self-quarantine. I have a desk, a computer, a printer, and a private spot to work.

For me, the key to being productive is sticking to my daily routine. That means following my morning routine, looking at my daily tasks, and prioritizing what is important. Then, at the end of the day, I make a list of the important things for the next day.

The transition to working remotely has been easier than I expected. Here are 5 of my bright spots about self-quarantine:

* 5 hours of extra sleep. Before, I woke up when it was still dark to get ready to go to work. Now, I can sleep and wake up when it is light outside, making it easier to convince myself that it is morning.

* 7.5 hours not in traffic. Before, my commute was about 45 minutes one way, depending on traffic. Now, that is extra time I can spend watching a webinar, reading a book, checking on my son’s homework for the day, or just starting work early.

* Taking a lunch break. Before, I ate at my desk, working through lunch, or sometimes just snacking. Now, I take a break and eat with my family. We each have out own “space” but it’s good to see each other throughout the day.

* Faster technology adoption. Usually, adopting new technology takes time. For example, when our nonprofit switched to electronic medical records, it took over two years before the system was accepted. Now, we were able to set up and get trained on a video conferencing system in one week. And no one complained about learning new technology.

* Realizing that we’ll get through this together. Before, I sometimes felt overwhelmed by my responsibilities and the things that needed to get done. Now, I realize that we are all acting in the best way that we can to this crisis. We are facing these challenges together.

Mental health is more important than ever. It’s normal to feel stressed, anxious, and lonely. If you need to talk to someone, please reach out. Whether you are in self-quarantine or still going into work, thank you for helping to keep us healthy.

Are you in self-quarantine or are you working at an essential service? What bright spots have you discovered?

Explore posts in the same categories: Health

Tags: Mental Health, Self-Quarantine, Working at Home

You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.