Finding Peace During the Madness of Coronavirus Quarantine

It’s been about two weeks of quarantine. To be honest, it feels like two months. Not only was our Spring Break trip to Disneyland canceled, but our whole world was turned upside down. Schools are closed, which means my 8-year-old daughter is now being “homeschooled” and my husband has taken over my tiny desk in our room since he’s now working from home too.

As an introvert and homebody, being home with my two favorite humans isn’t so bad. However, our routines, schedules, and responsibilities have taken a hit. While I love my daughter, I’m not a good teacher, and although I adore my husband, I’m easily distracted by other humans in my home office.

Adapting to this new normal has posed many challenges to people around the world. While we’re living through unprecedented times, it’s helpful to remember that everyone around you is fighting their own battles.

I was hesitant to share my tips and insights into how I’m surviving the Coronavirus quarantine because I know we all deal with hardships differently. Your methods might be completely different than mine, but you might be able to get a thing or two and apply it to your current routine.

Below are my methods for finding peace during the madness of the COVID-19 quarantine.

Stick to Routines

It can be tempting to sleep in until 10 a.m. because you don’t have a specific time sheet to fill out (I’m talking to all of you, freelancers and entrepreneurs). However, sticking to a routine can help you keep some normality in your lives. As a mom, keeping my daughter on her regular morning and evening schedule ensures us she’ll be able to return to “normal” life when all this is over.

Keep your alarm to your regular wake-up time and try to go to bed at your regular bedtime. While I’m a huge fan of time blocking my schedule, I understand that sticking to it might not be possible during these times of uncertainty. Instead, I keep a daily to-do list to keep me on track even when things change daily.  

Get Clarity on What Matters

Between constant news stories from the media, empty grocery shelves, and endless opinions from outsiders, it’s no wonder why we’re all so overwhelmed. Unfortunately, stress and anxiety don’t serve us during these tough times, so focusing on your priorities is essential.

For me, my family’s health and wellbeing are at the top of the list. As long as we’re healthy and strong, everything else comes second. One of the most lifechanging habits I’ve instilled in my life has been practicing gratitude daily. Although I’m not the best at updating my gratitude journal, I focus on my blessings throughout the day. This not only puts things into perspective, but it reminds me that I have so much to be thankful for.  

Give Myself (and Others) Grace

As a mom, wife, and entrepreneur, I’m always on the go. I love being productive and crossing things off my to-do list. Unfortunately, this means that when I don’t get things done, I often beat myself up about it. During this quarantine, I’ve learned to give myself grace during this difficult time in our lives.

Giving others grace during this period is just as important. It seems like kindness and respect fly out the window as soon as uncertainty strikes. Remember to consistently be mindful of your words and actions, especially as we all try to navigate this new normal. We’re all going through challenging times and giving yourself and others grace can make a big difference in our moods.

Find the Good in the Bad

When was the last time you did nothing? Like, actually nothing. You probably can’t recall, because we’re always on the move. We’re running from drop-offs to meetings, appointments, and errands. While living through this pandemic isn’t fun for anyone, it’s our current state of living, and the only thing we can do about it is to isolate and make the most out of it.

For you, this may be spring cleaning your house, to others, it may be reading that book that’s been accumulating dust on the shelf. Whatever your good is, do it. You don’t know when you’ll have this amount of “free time” again, so make the best of it and do things you’ve been putting off. For me, spending quality time with my husband and daughter have been the silver lining to this insane time. I get to spend all day with them, and I couldn’t ask for better roommates.

Limit Social Media Use

If you follow me on social media (Instagram), then you might have noticed my absence from the social media app. While the quarantine has allowed for more downtime, I’ve chosen to stay away from the app as much as possible. Not only does constant social media use spark my anxiety, but I can quickly turn a 5-minute scroll into an hour rabbit hole.  

Throughout the last few weeks, I’ve also noticed that content has revolved mostly around the Coronavirus. While I completely understand why (I mean, this is a pandemic after all), I’ve noticed that my overwhelm spikes as I sit there and listen to everyone’s opinions. Seeing empty grocery shelves triggers my anxiety and can quickly impact my mood.

Again, we all deal with challenges differently. While some might thrive under pressure, others find it difficult to keep up. During these tough times, remember to do what lights your soul. Do as little or as much as you need to keep pushing through these hardships. No matter what you do, remember to learn from these times. Let this be a lesson that absolutely nothing in life is promised and cherishing all that we have is instrumental to a fulfilled life.

xo,

Elizabeth