How to stay sane in quarantine<\/p>\n
Hi there, thanks for joining us for Plain English. I\u2019m Jeff; JR is the producer; and you are listening to Plain English lesson number 246. You can find the full episode, including the video lesson, translations, fast version, and flash cards at PlainEnglish.com\/246.<\/p>\n
Coming up today: With all the talk about physical health these days, it\u2019s important not to lose sight of our mental health. In today\u2019s lesson, we\u2019ll go through some tips from experts on how to maintain your balance and prioritize your mental health if you\u2019re quarantined in your house, as I know so many of you are. In the second half of the episode, we talk about the English expression \u201cfor the time being\u201d. <\/p>\n
Before we start this lesson, I do want to acknowledge that not everyone is experiencing these times the same way. Like me, many of you are probably working from home. But I do want to acknowledge that a lot of people still have to work\u2014doctors, nurses, and their colleagues in the healthcare field; those who work at grocery stores; and those of you who work in essential services like electricity, transportation, and things like that. So while we talk about how to stay sane at home in quarantine, it is important to acknowledge and thank all those people who brave the streets and don\u2019t have the luxury of staying home.<\/p>\n
Millions of people around the world are facing an uncomfortable new reality, at least for the time being: we need to spend the vast majority of our time at home. Here in the US state of Illinois, our governor gave the order to \u201cshelter in place\u201d from March 21 through April 7. Most other states in the US are under similar orders now. We were about two weeks behind Italy, a week behind France and Spain in these types of restrictions, so many of you listening have been living like this for almost a month now.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s a lot of talk about protecting our physical health, but it\u2019s also important to concentrate on our mental health in times of crisis, as well. Humans are social animals\u2014we like to be out interacting. Spending all our time within the four walls of our homes can be disconcerting. So I searched online for some of the best advice for staying healthy mentally, and I wanted to share some of what I found with you.<\/p>\n
The first thing that comes up: stick to a personal routine. So much of the structure of our lives comes from the need to get up and go out and do what we have to do\u2014study, work, whatever. Now that we\u2019re working from home, or studying independently, we face the temptation to let our personal routines slip. Why shower in the morning, when we can do it any time during the day\u2014or even skip a day or two? Why put on a nice shirt if nobody\u2019s going to see me?<\/p>\n
But experts say that sticking to a routine is important. These little rituals we go through\u2014setting an alarm, getting up at the same time, showering at the same time, putting on decent clothes\u2014these help give us a sense of security. Our bodies have to cope with so many changes these days. Keeping with a routine can help keep our anxiety in check, help us organize the parts of our day, and calm our nerves, even if we don\u2019t realize it.<\/p>\n
Another good piece of advice is to limit your screen time. This is one that I\u2019m consciously trying to do. I now have several extra hours each day that I won\u2019t spend out doing errands, socializing with friends, or commuting to the office. I can easily fill those hours working on Plain English, working extra hours at my job, or watching television.<\/p>\n
But it\u2019s important not to fill all the extra hours of the day with screen time. I think most of us will be grateful to have the TV on, catch up on movies or shows, and get a few extra hours of work. It probably isn\u2019t possible to put strict limits on TV time. But it is all too easy to fill the entire space at home staring into a screen. Plus, watching the news all the time can easily take up all your attention and just add to your anxiety.<\/p>\n
What can you do that\u2019s not screen time? One thing I\u2019m committed to doing during these times is focusing on the stuff in my house. I look at my closet and I think, I\u2019m not going to be Marie Kondo, but I need to make some progress here. There are a lot of clothes I need to donate; a lot of things to throw away; a lot of things to simply organize. I\u2019ve known this for a while, but I never think, okay this weekend, I\u2019m organizing my closet. That\u2019s just never a priority. But I find myself now, mid-day, looking for something physical to do to take my attention away from the screen. So working on these little home organizing and home improvement projects is a big help.<\/p>\n
I mentioned the need to do something physical. I usually like to get some exercise, but that\u2019s hard because fitness centers are closed and the weather, at least here in Chicago, is still pretty cold. I\u2019ve never liked working out at home, but I\u2019ve resolved to try it. I\u2019m kicking myself for not ordering the pull-up bar that I wanted\u2014it\u2019s now sold out. But I did order a medicine ball, a stretching mat, jump rope, and push up handles, so I can at least get my heart rate up without leaving the house. Stairs can be your friend, and an easy way to get the blood moving. I\u2019ve never been a fan of yoga, but I might try stretching and I might\u2014I might\u2014try some introductory yoga videos online. If any of you have some suggestions, feel free to send them my way.<\/p>\n
Here are a few more quick pieces of advice. Make your work space comfortable. This is something I\u2019m so glad I did. I knew that I\u2019d be working at home a lot with Plain English, so I made sure to carve out a section of my apartment just for work. That\u2019s easier when you have some advance notice, but even if you live in a smaller apartment, try to find one spot and make it comfortable and productive for work\u2014and dedicate that space for work. Trying to work on your bed is sub-optimal, as we say in consulting.<\/p>\n
And finally, if you\u2019re sharing your space with your family, don\u2019t forget to let everyone get some alone time. It can be hard to get some personal space in a house full of people, so make sure everyone has a chance to decompress and just be alone, even if it\u2019s just in one room.<\/p>\n
Before we get to the expression, I want to extend an invitation to you all. I\u2019ve wanted to do this for a while and now the coronavirus and quarantine has given me the perfect excuse to finally do it.<\/p>\n
JR and I will be hosting a series of group video calls by Zoom, where we\u2019ll be able to get to know each other and talk about various topics. We will be sending invitations out to Plain English Plus+ members and to anyone on our e-mail list. So if you want to get an invitation to these calls join our e-mail list at PlainEnglish.com\/mail<\/a> and you\u2019ll get an invitation in the next couple of weeks.<\/p>\n