How To Thrive While Social Distancing

Social distancing is a new buzz-word in recent weeks.  It"s not a term, or a concept, that society is familiar with yet it"s something that needs to be embraced because we hear over and over again that creating distance between us and others is the best way to “flatten the curve" and slow down the trajectory of this ugly virus.

We"re not going to re-hash all the information that is already present in the media. Instead, we have ideas on how to survive & thrive while social distancing.

Spring Clean
Why not spend a few hours a day sprucing up your home?  Since you"re probably already cleaning and disinfecting everything, go a little deeper.  You were probably going to do this anyway – just start a little earlier than planned.

Declutter / Downsize
So many people have mentioned that they are cleaning out closets and reducing the amount of “stuff" they have.  It"s been said that if you haven"t used something in a certain amount of months or years, you should get rid of it.  What"s that time frame look like for you?  Look at everything with a critical eye and decide if you ever really will use it again. If not, out it goes!

Exercise
Many people eat when bored or stressed.  This, combined with a lack of exercise can lead to weight gain.  Since most, if not all, gyms are closed, find a way to exercise at home.  Take walks around the neighborhood.  Lift weights (use cans of food if you need to). Look on YouTube for exercise videos. Use this time to get, or stay, in shape.

Start or finish a project
Has there been something you"ve been wanting to do but just haven"t gotten to it? Now is the  perfect time to distract you from all the news and isolation and get some things done you"ve been thinking about but haven"t gotten to yet!

Try cooking or baking
Have you wanted to try new recipes?  Next time you make a trip to the grocery store, try to find  all the ingredients needed to bake or cook new dishes.  We bet that your culinary-self will shine with a little effort.

Learn something new
You"re never too old to learn something new and you can never know too much so find ways to learn!

1. Read digital books
2. Watch classes on line
3. Watch documentaries on Netflix or Hulu
4. Find videos on Yahoo that interest and inspire you
5. Listen to podcasts

Play
Download games on your smart device. Play cards or board games with family members. Take your dog out to play fetch. Find that inner child and simply play.

Meditate
There are many apps that provide guided meditations to help you relax and rejuvenate. If you"re a bit stressed, try meditation as a way to soothe your inner being.

There are many more things you can do to while-away the time while distancing yourself so this is just a way to jump-start your thinking.  Whatever it is you do to keep yourself occupied, make it enjoyable!