I saw a caption on Instagram from one of my favourite performance poets: Jackie Hill Perry. She said “As an introvert, I may get energy in silence while the extrovert gets it through conversation but the truth is, we all get some kind of energy and life from the community. Before we are a personality type, we’re human beings and it has never been good for any of us to be alone.”
This hit me because I consider myself a typical introvert. I’m ‘indoorsy’ and have a quota for the days I have to be sociable. Plus I already work from home, so I honestly thought being under quarantine would be easy. I was wrong. I’ve realised there’s a difference between choosing to be indoors and not interact with other humans and having that choice taken away from you.
I actually miss the option to be sociable when I feel like it. And I realize that for those who are more inclined to be sociable a lot more, the extroverts basically, anxiety may begin to set in. Beyond getting used to working from home, many of us will have to make important adjustments to our routines and even mindsets, to ensure we remain sane.
Try to create a routine
Honestly, creating a routine will help. If you have to work from home, we wrote an article here to help. Basically, give some purpose or shape to your day by planning ahead, Yes, you can seize the opportunity to rest, but don’t stay idle for too long. You could explore activities as simple as making a list of friends to call, or online stories to read. It could even be as simple as Monday, hair day. Tuesday, cleaning. etc. When you have something planned, no matter how simple, it gives you a reason to get out of bed.
Stay connected online
If offline activities are not working, then go digital. Online doesn’t necessarily mean social media either. A few companies are doing free online courses and free 30 day trials for e-books, so take advantage of that. You can also still have a sense of community online, especially if you’re home alone. Like I said earlier, make video calls with your friends and family and have those long intense conversations, you’ve been wanting to have. Catch up on your Whatsapp groups and get involved in the conversations, if you want to. Of course, there is always Netflix and you can indulge, please. Who knows, you may even decide to pursue that digital passion project in the midst of all these.
Remain positive
Easier said than done, I know. Especially when the news is inundated with all the worst-case scenarios about Coronavirus out there. But, there’s still a lot of positive stuff online. From the trendy to the inspirational. So if you feel a bit overwhelmed, at least be overwhelmed with the good stuff and not the negative stuff. Stay updated with relevant news from reliable sources but don’t dwell on the negativity of it.