Simple Sustainability-8 Tips for Thriving in Uncertain Times

• By Sky Trombly –

We are living in interesting times. Most of us are experiencing significant changes to our daily lives. While I have no wish to trivialize the risks and consequences of the current pandemic, I do think that we could all benefit from a change in perspective.

We would do well to focus on the positive aspects of our situations in order to fortify our health and our relationships and to make ourselves more resilient in the face of stress or loss. 

Set Up Routines

Many people are working from home for the first time in their lives. It may seem like a glorious opportunity to set your own schedule and … dress code. You may decide to work late into the night or to skip wearing pants altogether. Basic hygiene might even seem unimportant. Take it from someone who has been working from home for some time now: embrace routines. 

At a minimum, include basic grooming and dressing. It doesn’t have to be fancy or uncomfortable but you’ll find productivity and mood benefits from wearing something better than a bathrobe. 

My perfect schedule will look nothing like yours, but you might consider hanging onto the routines that worked for you prior to this shift. If you worked out before work, for example, try to workout before going to your desk. When we do something at the same time or place, our brains and bodies learn to expect the activity and we don’t have to fight inertia. 

Exercise

I can hear the collective groans as I write this, but mild to moderate exercise has proven benefits for immunity and mood. Engaging in a little exercise may also improve your sleep quality, which is crucial for the rest and repair of your body. 

When I say mild to moderate, I want to stress that some forms of rigorous exercises, like training for a marathon, can be a blow to your immune system (especially if you weren’t already training so hard) so we might want to keep our practices light but regular to ward off disease. 

Exercise doesn’t have to happen at the gym. If you have exercise equipment at home, it’s a great time to dust it off (if necessary). We might also have a collection of fitness DVDs. But even avid minimalists have resources at our fingertips that we can access from home. There are many fitness videos on YouTube and there are many apps downloadable to a smartphone to enjoy. 

If you’re able, getting outside for a hike or to tend to your yard are great ways to get some fresh air. 

Eat Well

Another groan? I promise I’m on your side, here. Eating healthfully can boost your immune system. There are some foods that are especially good for you and some that you should eliminate or cut down at this time. 

Nutrition science is complicated and frought with contrary advice, but some things are common sense. During this outbreak, I intend to eat my fruits and veggies, get plenty of water to drink, swap out coffee for green tea, keep my meals more whole than processed, and to eat plenty of garlic and spices.

I am going to hold off drinking alcohol (which can wreak havoc on my gut microbiome) and coffee for the mean time, as well as limiting sugar and processed foods. 

Positive Outlook

While we may want to stay abreast of the progression of COVID-19 and keep our ear to the ground on the best practices going forward, I would suggest keeping this kind of media to a minimum. There is a point of diminishing returns where our stress and anxiety over current events is more damaging than the benefits of keeping up-to-date. 

I would recommend cultivating a positive outlook. Emotional resiliency is as important as physical resiliency. Bring humor into your life to balance the bad. If you like comedies, this is a great time to indulge, guilt free. 

Make sure you’re engaging in fun activities such as board games, reading for pleasure, hobbies, listening to or playing some (upbeat) music. Find things that bring you joy and indulge daily.

Stay Connected

For many, socializing is largely tied with going to work. For those social beings now working from home, it can be a challenge to adjust. Here again the internet can help. Leveraging technology for social benefit is a great strategy. Maybe that looks like video chatting with your parents or getting on a group chat with a bunch of friends to craft or to play games together. 

The internet isn’t your only means of indulging the social impulse. You can call friends or family or bond with housemates. 

Disconnect

Ironically, I am feeling over-socialized in this self-isolation climate. My three kids are home from school and the two other adults are home from work. This means we’re stuck together around the clock. 

The challenge of balancing everyone’s needs and frustrations can be pretty daunting, which is why I recommend scheduling time-outs where people can sign off and go somewhere to rest and recharge alone. Everyone deserves a little space. 

Grow

You might not have considered that this time presents an interesting opportunity to change and grow. If you’ve wanted to learn something new, you might now have the time to try it. If you wanted to test your cooking skills, instead of buying from the company cafeteria, you have the opportunity to roll up your sleeves in your home kitchen. The possibilities are practically endless. 

Feeling like you’re growing or improving your knowledge and skills can help you feel positive. 

Be Forgiving

We’re all juggling a lot right now. We might not be as productive at home as we’ve been at work – but neither are our bosses. We might be trying to home school our kids without the benefit of a degree in education. We may be struggling to use technology we hadn’t even heard of a few short weeks ago. We might be adjusting to seeing more of our housemates than we normally would. We may be feeling more alone than ever. We might be struggling with sickness or grief. 

My point is, we should consider our adjustments as a rough draft. We’re moving forward, even if at a slower pace, we’re making changes, we’re learning what works. We need to go easy on ourselves and to nurture our relationships and to not stress over the mistakes we will inevitably make. 

Tend to yourselves and your loved ones and keep on moving. 

Until next time, live lightly!