Life and dealing with the impact of COVID-19 continues to unfold as many of us are coming up on 3-4 weeks of sheltering at home. In continuing provide offerings in the form of ideas, practices and insights, here are a couple more of the questions to explore:
- How does structure and routine protect my well-being?
- How much news is too much news…and how do I know?
For many of us at the beginning of the pandemic, the need to practice “social distancing” and work from home felt good from the perspective that life slowed way down; more freedom and less to do, giving us that “pause” that we don’t give ourselves often enough. But in the ongoing reality of navigating a pandemic, the need for structure and routine is increasingly clear. And since we don’t know where we are in the process, like being in a tunnel with a light at the end but not knowing how long the tunnel is, we need to have sustaining practices that offer wellness for however long this goes. That is how powerful having structure and routine can be….it is what will see us through, especially if we are wise about what we put into our routine.
Even outside of COVID-19, structure and routine give us an important scaffolding that contributes much to our well-being. A routine offers predictability and a sense of control and ensures that each part of our life, from quality time with others to physical exercise, is more apt to happen. In times like these, with uncertainty and a sense of loss present, predictability and and having a sense of control are huge in staying emotionally and physically well. Our human system thrives with organizing around routines that keeps life feeling closer to normal, which is in contrast to days blurring together, stuck in an eddy and feeling like we are living in a fog. Remember that it is really easy to have practices of self-care go by the wayside without a plan. And consistent self-care is an essential part of protecting your emotional and physical self. Keep in mind also that without self-care, we are less resourced not only for our own well-being but compromised in our sustained ability to be a resource to others.
Some people have a difficult time with structure no matter how much we hear the message that it is good for us. Often that is because routines feel contrictive and lack spontaneity. With the importance of it now, it is an opportunity to change one’s relationship to the idea of structure. Here are a couple of ways that can offset any resistance to structure you may have.
- Keep the structure flexible;
- Build in non-structured time;
- Picture it as a way that you are nourishing all parts of your life, like a garden;
- Notice who in your life has a structure that you would want to emulate;
- Reflect upon your resistance more deeply….asking questions like “Was structure too rigid in my family growing up?” or “What are the consequences for me personally when I don’t have enough structure?”, which can help with motivation.
The second question, how much news is too much news, is a great one at anytime but a necessary one now. Staying informed perhaps has never felt as important as it does now. “When will the kids go back to school” or “Where are we in the curve?” is the kind of information that we need to successfully take care of our lives and know where we are in the process. But more of a good thing is not always a good thing, and Western culture seems almost addicted to information. The more I know the better it is, when in fact there is a satiation point that is best to be honored. So how do you know how much is too much? I invite you to listen to your body and track any sense of anxiety. Without information, we feel anxious so fill your cup up. But stop at the point where you start to feel worse, not better. Tracking anxiety and how it feels in your body can help you to know where that line is.
Lastly, for some of us, it has been very important to separate the news from the politic as well as to have boundaries of how many times a day I check the news. I encourage you to find a source of information that resonates and empowers you with the information provided and put your touch points in the structure of how you are living day to day.
I will continue to offer ideas and practices as we journey forward together….
Be well, safe and kind,
Katherine