My Sanity Plan for COVID-19
At the end of February/beginning of March, life felt pretty normal for me.
Coronavirus was but a blip on the radar. I was setting up our Airbnb house, hanging out with friends, starting to work out at a new gym, and generally enjoying the sights and carnaval festivities of Mexico.
I was planning an in-person gathering with my mastermind group, who would be coming to our house in Pátzcuaro.
Governments around the world started issuing major travel warnings.
Conferences that my mastermind members had planned to attend were canceled.
Then our own gathering got postponed to an unknown future.
As we entered the second half of March, borders were closing, airlines had canceled flights, and more people around the world were ordered to stay in their houses. I'm sure I'm not the only person who was left scratching her head saying, "What is going on here?"
Things in Mexico still felt relatively normal, but news of the frenzy-shopping, toilet paper-hoarding, panic-driven Americans was drifting down to Mexico.
The Choice
Keith had left in February to attend a conference and tentatively planned to rejoin me in Mexico, but his old company called him, desperate to have him back at work, and we needed the income. So I was left with a choice:
1. Should I risk being stuck in Mexico, separated from Keith for an indefinite period of time and just wait it out in my favorite place in the world, surrounded by a community of friends? Or…
2. Should I return to the States ASAP before all flights are canceled and get back with my favorite person in the world (Keith, if anyone is wondering) to wait this out with him?
Given the choice between my favorite place and my favorite person, I picked my favorite person.
Keith is working in Massachusetts this year, so I finished setting up the Airbnb as fast as possible, trained in my friends who will be managing it in my absence, packed my bags and reserved my flight to Boston, hoping it would not get canceled.
The trip went off without a hitch, except for how eerily empty things felt at DFW Airport and on the planes, and Keith was there to pick me up in Boston a little before midnight on March 24th.
I'll admit I've felt a bit disoriented since landing back in the States, struggling to get into a good, healthy routine. I mean, it's not like things have changed a whole lot on the physical level. I travel around all the time and have worked remotely for years, so this is not as huge of an adjustment for me as it has been for many others.
It's more a psychological thing, I think, picking up on the general energy of nervousness, panic, frustration, disappointment, fear, and suspicion of so many people all at once, in nearly every podcast, email, social media post, news story, conversation, and passing glance I see these days.
So right now I'm sitting down and writing out my action plan for staying productive and sane during this unique moment in our history. Here goes:
Lily's 7-Point Sanity Plan for #coronalife
I will…
- keep a regular daily schedule that includes specific times for a good morning routine, exercise/stretching, reading, healthy meals with Keith, meditation, writing, and client work.
- get outside and walk in the fresh air every day for at least a few minutes, no matter what. I have a rain jacket, so I can even go out if it's raining.
- stay connected (or reconnect) with friends for a few minutes each day, and make use of technology like Zoom calling and WhatsApp video calls so we can chat "face to face."
- cut way down on news and social media, limiting myself to a specific time frame in the middle of the day (after I've done something productive), and get off the computer and smartphone altogether well before bedtime, except perhaps to watch a movie with Keith or call friends and family.
- go for hikes and picnics with my husband in parks, beaches, forests, etc. whenever we have the chance on his days off.
- keep learning French every day…maybe even find a live teacher to practice with (I'm currently learning via Duolingo and podcasts).
- work on some new skills and habits for business and life, such as better bookkeeping habits, marketing skills, etc.
I'm going to set up some reminders and triggers for myself and start with this tomorrow. Feel free to check in with me later to see how it's going!
What about you? How are you doing? What things are helping you stay sane and productive right now? Do you have a plan? Feel free to share in the comments!
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