Are you finding it’s difficult dealing with quarantine, remote working, homeschooling and all the other new challenges that we are facing during this pandemic?
The goal of this article is to help you to find ways to structure your day and your life to minimize stress or sadness. A lot of people are feeling isolated…rightfully so! We are experiencing uncharted waters. If you are finding that you need more control in life, finding structure in your daily routine is the first step. Let’s face it, most everything in life is out of control or uncertain. This article helps you to have a sense of control that is meaningful and will boost your mood.
The Importance of Keeping a Routine During Stressful Times
Some people love to have a solid daily routine, while others shudder at the thought of having a predictable schedule. During times of great stress, however, maintaining structure and routine can help you feel more organized and in control. Having a routine helps you especially when you feel uncertain in your life. Having a sense of balance in structure is also important because if you find yourself trying to overly control situations, you can actually do more harm than good.
The disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have dramatically altered many people’s normal routines, which makes it that much harder to cope with the stress that people are feeling. A Sudden Lack of Structure Due to the impacts of COVID-19, many people are either working from home or faced with an unknown period of unemployment.
Those who are stuck at home may quickly discover that the constant isolation and lack of a normal schedule can be mentally taxing. Not to mention people are beginning to overeat out of boredom which causes weight gain, unhealthy bodies, and unhealthy attitudes towards self. As for adults who are also parents, they are finding it very challenging to focus on working remotely while attempting to home school their children. These folks are also feeling a different level of stress and anxiety.
Finding a new way to structure their “new normal” is key. Without structure and just sitting around the house with less to focus on, you also may find yourself thinking about the stressful situation more, which can also lead to additional stress and anxiety. One way to get out of this cycle that promotes ruminating over the source of your stress is to maintain some structure and routine throughout your day. Setting small goals throughout the day and being flexible with time frames of completion is important.
The Benefits of Having a Routine
Having a regular routine can help you: Lower stress levels Form good daily habits Take better care of your health (mentally & physically) Help you feel more productive Help you feel more focused Prioritizing tasks can help you find more time for healthy behaviors like exercise, cooking healthier meals, or leave you more time to enjoy fun activities and hobbies.
Some things that you can do that will help you maintain a routine when you’re stressed:
1: Focus on Things You Can Control
Managing your own behaviors can help you feel more in control of the situation. Start with creating a new routine during wake-up and bedtimes, meal time, and activity times. The key is to create a routine that adds structure and a sense of predictability to your day. Adults with children also need to set this structure for the children as well, that way they also know what to expect, when to expect it, and why it is happening the way it is.
Being flexible with your schedule is also important. There may be items throughout the day that come up and you are not able to meet a certain goal or task that you set for the day. It is okay if you don’t get to the entire list!
Also, balance your list of activities. Ensure you leave enough time for mindfulness or downtime, so you don’t overwork your routine. Structuring your day also ensures that you accomplish those basic tasks that be done, which will leave you with the time to schedule in other things that you want or need to accomplish.
You’ll feel more organized and productive with a regular routine, which will help you feel more proactive and in control in the face of a stressful situation.
2: Follow a Routine That Supports Your Health
There are some things that you can make a part of your daily routine to help manage stress levels. These include:
Staying active and getting regular daily exercise
Making sure that you are well-rested
Eating healthy meals on a regular schedule
Setting realistic goals
Trying to stay positive
Preparing for challenges but not ruminating on things you can’t control
Staying in touch with friends and family members
Setting aside time for activities that you enjoy
It’s important to find things to fill your time so you don’t end up engaging in unhelpful or unhealthy behaviors. This is also a great time to reconnect with family and loved ones. Pick of the up the phone and give them a call. Go for a walk and greet your neighbors from a distance!
3: Make Your List
One helpful activity is to make a list of the things that you normally do during the day. Include everything from work to meal preparation to household chores. Once you have an idea of the basic tasks you need to accomplish, you can start creating a general outline for what you might need to accomplish each day to stay on track.
Stress can make it hard to concentrate, so outlining these daily activities can help you better focus on what’s important.
Find What Works for You Is it better to have a structured daily schedule or just a general to-do list for the day? Some people might thrive with a highly structured daily schedule that outlines activities in specific blocks of time, while others might do well with a loose list of things they need to get done in the day. In other words, deliberately schedule a specific time to take care of those high priority tasks.
Knowing that you have that time set aside for those tasks will leave you free to focus on using the rest of your time effectively.
Find the things that motivate you. When you don’t feel motivated, it is easy to procrastinate. Set reminders in your phone that are fun and quirky to help remind you of what needs to be done. Try doing the not-so-fun tasks first, so that way you can enjoy the rest of the afternoon or evening doing the things that bring you the most pleasure.
When you find yourself in moments of feeling unmotivated, think about what you might need to feel better in that moment. Maybe take a break, go for a walk, have a healthy snack, or spend some time working on a hobby.
Remember It Takes Time and Practice Remember building new habits take time! When something becomes stale, seek new and fresh ways to get work done. You’ll never know how great you can feel with a structured routine until you try it. Write it down.
There is research that says people who write down their goals are most likely to commit to them. Grab a calendar or a planner and write down your goals and tasks. For those folks who have children, take some time and work together on a plan for them too. Have them to view their activities or homework assignments on a calendar. Share with them what you are working on, when you need quiet time, and have them to share theirs as well.
While having a routine is important, give yourself some flexibility and don’t beat yourself up if you have trouble sticking to your own schedule. Everyone copes with stress differently. Having a routine can help you maintain a sense of normalcy and focus through tough times, but don’t stress yourself out more if you sometimes deviate from your plans.
Have Fun! This is probably the single most important advice ever! Have fun! We cannot live life being bogged down by this pandemic. There are ways to have fun during a pandemic, just use your creativity and sense of humor to make that happen!
Go take a look at your old yearbooks or old photos and share your story with someone. Or if you are single, go back and look at them anyway. Recall the stories that make you smile and take time to reflect back on the good parts of your past. Go online and watch funny videos, or search for funny meme’s. Those are always great!
Basically, do anything that puts a smile on your face. Go outside with the kids and do some gardening, or just water the flowers. Give them a little sprinkle along the way too. They may hate it or love it, but either way it brings a smile.
Finally, do the things now that make you happy. At this time, in this place, you now have the freedom to do the things that you want to do…even in a pandemic. You just have to change your mindset and see things differently.
Show gratitude for your health. Be thankful for what you do have. It may not be perfect, but it is something.
Most importantly, stay safe! Do what you need to do to protect yourself, and your family. Love on them. Hug them. Spend time with them. Laugh with them. And for folks who are single or living alone, you can reach out to friends…or talk to your pets!
