Making sense of days that make no sense requires new patterns, habits, and routines. For me, trying to muddle through the cacophony of work and children and non-stop days at home is very, very challenging to my brain. So, to help, I’ve been building small rituals into the day to start to cue myself that yes, work is happening now, and yes, it’s a new day. These are some of my favorites.
It’s okay not to have it figured out. It’s okay to not be productive. You’re allowed — I mean, even expected — to not be okay right now. It’s okay to be feeling whatever it is that you are feeling—grief, confusion, rage, fog, happiness, joy. Your life is your own, and it’s yours to feel.
On Sundays I’ll share with you four things to enjoy—things of beauty, things of note, or things I’ve stumbled across that have given me delight. This is the Four Things Sunday newsletter.
Every morning lately, I’ve been posting a selfie to my Facebook page and my Instagram page. Right now it feels like going to the coffee shop—I get to pop in, say good morning to people all around the world, check-in with my neighbors and parents and friends, and then start the day. In any other moment of my life, I would not have said that going on social media first thing would help me be more productive, but right now is not a normal time.
This time we’re living in right now is exhausting, and I’m baffled by all of the extra zeal towards getting more done, and being extra productive, and “making the most” of our quarantine time. I don’t think this is the time to make the most of it. Sure, if you have the energy and the drive to make things, do it. If you’re struggling and scrambling to put things together and pay bills and keep your jobs, I completely understand. But that’s not what I’m hearing from people. People feel vulnerable, they’re struggling to focus, they’re zombied out on their phones, they’re completely overwhelmed by childcare and jobs.
Whether it’s for you, your family, or your company, create small rituals that help you get through your new normal. Pick a few things to look forward to, even if they are small—just make sure they are within your control and not subject to wild external forces.
During times of stress, everyone responds differently. Some of us laugh, some of us go into denial, some of us get agitated, some of us panic, some of us get to work. If you’re feeling a bit all over the place, I want to talk about how stress affects each of us differently and why these reactions are coming up.
These last few weeks have been long and tumultuous. As we move forward collectively we will go through some phases in our journey. In the beginning, there’s a dawning realization, awareness, and information gathering that happens. We begin resourcing and preparing and responding—however we each respond.
Don’t forget to exhale through all of this. If you’re tired, scared, stressed, overworked, or feeling all the feelings, this episode is for every one of us. It’s a short method to help catch your breath, tap into your body, and exhale away some of the tension.
The coming few weeks are going to be tough. Potentially tougher than what we can imagine. Here’s a short list of things I journaled to myself — reminders for how to stay sane in the coming weeks and months.