Taking care - phase 2
Hi everyone
We’re in a holding pattern – America decides tomorrow, lockdown coming in three days. Life as normal but big changes coming. So I find myself thinking how will I approach another lockdown of indefinite length and what did I learn from the last one? What actions will I take when the end of the week lands with its changes? Am I ready?
First there is self protection from the virus – now known as ‘hands, face, space’ – with which to protect ourselves. We know what to do but do we do it? I went shopping this week and spent some time browsing in WH Smiths – bringing home some stationery, a card and a book. I wore a mask and use hand gel as soon as I got into the car. On returning home I washed my hands again and put the items down on the kitchen top feeling clean and virus free. Then I thought about it – if any of the items were carrying the virus due to someone else browsing then my hands, the kitchen top, perhaps my clothes, the car door and back door handles etc etc were all contaminated. Wow. It is so easy to fail to take the precautions that are needed to keep your space safe. It is months since I was advocating the use of the cooker for ‘incoming’ and in the process melting Sandy’s credit card. So it is worth reminding ourselves that there are four reasons why we all fail to do this (and many other things) – ignorance, carelessness, rebelliousness and complacency. Perhaps it is worth considering which of these qualities drives your covid behaviour now.
Second there are measures to improve your own immunity and mental health. Louis Pasteur said – ‘The microbe is nothing, the terrain is everything.’ So here are ten things to do:
1. As the days shorten take a daily vitamin D.
2. Exercise – preferably of the aerobic variety. Very good evidence this is good for mental health as well as your immunity. This is a bit of a personal challenge. In the spring I went biking which morphed into autumn swimming at the local pool - which is about to shut. As is the golf course. However there are lots of options – walking, jogging, exercise bike, dancing or perhaps an on line aerobic yoga class. What will you do?
3. Eat well – multicoloured food and beware too much alcohol.
4. Keep busy. Find a project. It could be a challenge – say reading a series of books or building a compost store or doing something creative.
5. Act on problems. Move them forward rather than let them simmer.
6. Avoid too much news – especially late in the evening. We record the six o’clock news and watch it as convenient early in the evening and that’s it.
7. Get enough sleep. Get into a routine and avoid getting up late.
8. Consider the opportunity to ‘go inside’ – with some meditation or mindfulness – there are several apps that are useful including Headspace and Insight timer.
9. Timetable in frequent calls with friends and family – perhaps one or two contacts every day. Remember you can meet up outside with one other person. Include some down time.
10. Reach out to your community – reaching out is life enhancing
Everyone is different but it is certainly worth reflecting on what worked for you before (and what didn’t) to help you get through the next phase - the isolation, the loss of in person contact, perhaps loss of income, and everything else that goes with this. Taking action with a plan is in itself health enhancing. Developing a routine provides a structure which simply makes life easier.
Let us hope the week brings hope and opportunity for us all and ……..bring on the vaccines.
Finally enjoy…. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcsSPzr7ays
With love