Things to Do to Help Your Community During the Coronavirus Crisis

Looking for a way to make a difference during the Coronavirus crisis, but not sure exactly how? Here are a few simple things you can do to be a positive force in an increasingly negative world.

On Social Media

• Avoid posting about the Coronavirus crisis.
• Reach out to someone and see if they’re okay.
• Share recommendations for your favorite books, movies, television shows, and music.
• Post positive quotes of encouragement. We’re all going through a rough time and a few words can really go a long way.
• Two words: Funny videos. No one can resist a laughing baby or a skateboarding dog.

To Help Out Local Businesses

• Order takeout from your favorite local restaurants if they are offering it.
• Buy some gift cards for later use for your favorite restaurants and stores to use later. This gives them a bit of cash flow now even though you can’t patronize them for a few weeks.
• If your favorite local store has website, do some online shopping and order a few things.
• Shout out your favorite store or restaurant on social media. It gives them much needed press, and let’s them know you care and they are not alone in this.

If You Still Have to Go to the Office

• Bring in prepackaged single-serve snacks like granola bars, pretzels and cookies for your team so no one has to trek to break room or touch germs vending machines. Plus, people love snacks.
• Share your wipes, hand sanitizer, and other cleaning supplies.
• If you have a little time, take a minute to wipe off a couple communal spaces like the break room counter. Every little bit helps.
• Start conversations about things other than Coronavirus.

Staying Connected During This Time of Social Distancing

• Call your family and friends and talk instead of text.
• Send a card or an old fashioned letter. Everyone loves getting mail.
• Check in on elderly family, friends, and neighbors. See if they need groceries, bring over takeout you know they like, or leave a note just letting them know you’re thinking about them.
• Start a long distance book club with a friend. You can also do this with movies or television show too. It’s a fun way to bond with your bestie and gives you something to talk about other than current events.
• Send a care package. It can be homemade or through a company like Cheryl’s Cookies. You can even order books through Barnes and Noble or an activity kit through Amazon and have it shipped directly to a loved one’s home.

9 Ways to Stay Sane During the COVID-19 Crisis

I think we can all agree the world is a pretty scary place right now thanks to the COVID-19 virus. People are getting sick. Governors are closing schools and businesses for two weeks to a month instituting all kinds of restrictions on daily life. Social distancing is a thing. Hell, you’re lucky if you can find a roll of toilet paper.

With all of the uncertainty about everything going on, it is so easy to become overwhelmed with each new news report. You may feel like you’re drowning in loneliness, anxiety, and fear. Right now, it is vital to take care of your mental health in order to keep your immune system at it’s best as it has been shown that lots of stress can make you more susceptible to illness.

The good news is there are tons of ways to nurture your mental health and indulge in some serious self care to soothe your anxieties. After all, half of the battle of getting through this is keeping your spirits up when your life is on serious lockdown.

Here are some great ideas for keeping yourself sane during the COVID-19 crisis.

Find the fun in hand washing.

We all know that one of the best way to quell the spread of illness is to thoroughly wash your hands. However, this doesn’t mean it has to be a chore. Sing a television show theme song instead of “Happy Birthday” and use your favorite scented soap from your Bath and Body Works stash. The more you make it enjoyable the more likely you’re likely to do it right.

Limit your news exposure.

It is so easy to get sucked into the rabbit hole of doomsday scenarios, especially with the 24 hour news cycle and social media. It can really take a serious toll on your mental state, which can in turn effect your physical state. I really recommend taking s big step back and limit yourself to one or two COVID-19 updates per day. Other than that, try to take yourself offline or stick to happier corners of the internet like Pinterest. I’m not saying to live in ignorance, but don’t drive yourself crazy with over information either.

Practice self-care.

One of the best things you can do for your mental health and your immune system is to lower your stress levels. Take a long bath. Exercise regularly. Eat well. Stay hydrated. Treat yourself to some luxe beauty rituals, especially your over washed hands. Do whatever you need to do to take care of yourself, so you can be your healthiest self mentally and physically.

Escape into a fictional world for a while.

Let’s face it. Reality sucks right now. Like really really sucks. What better way to cope with it all than to slip into another one for a little while? Binge a show on your favorite streaming service or curling up with a good book, and just shut out the real world for a bit. Hey, we could all use a little escapism right now.

Put together an upbeat playlist.

Music can do wonders for your mood. Right now, I’ve been blasting Cimorelli, Lucy Hale, and my Gilmore Girls and Everwood soundtracks on a constant loop. A good upbeat or even mellow playlist filled with your favorite artists can be a great way to keep your spirits up during these uncertain times. Plus, no one can be sad after an epic solo dance party.

Reach out in an old school way.

One of the hardest parts of this whole crisis is that we must segregate ourselves from others. People by nature,even introverts like me, need some level of sense of community. Yes, there is social media and texting, but those both can pretty sterile. I truly believe these trying times require something much more personal. Pick up the phone and call family members and friends just to talk and check in. Write letters and send cards. Maintaining personal connections with others is vital for your mental health during this difficult time.

Pray.

I am a big believer in the power of prayer, especially during times like these. Sometimes, you just need to close your eyes, take a breath, and give all your worries and frustrations over to God. If you have a beloved rosary, medal or cross, wear it or carry it in your pocket or purse as a physical reminder of God’s unwavering presence. Take time every day to journal or meditate. Take care of your spiritual health.

It’s okay to acknowledge you hate this.

It’s okay to hate that you have to upend your life for COVID-19. It’s okay to be upset over cancelled plans, to be pissed you can’t go to your favorite restaurant or to the mall as you please, or to be angry that you really can’t do anything fun for at least the next few weeks. It doesn’t make you a bad selfish person. It doesn’t mean you don’t care about others. It just means your human, and you are completely entitled to your feelings about how this is impacting your life.

Remember this won’t be forever.

I know right now it feels like the COVID-19 crisis and social distancing and every restriction and regulation that has been implemented will never end. However, keep in mind that this is all temporary. In a few weeks (hopefully), we will all be able to resume somewhat normal lives with a much stronger return to normalcy in a few months. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. It might feel pretty far away, but it’s there. Just keep your focus on that.

COVID-19 Crisis: Tips For Staying Healthy in the Office If You Can’t Work from Home

Just work from home.

Ever since COVID-19 cases have started cropping up across the country, we’ve heard this as one of the go-to suggestions to help cut down on the spread of the virus. It makes sense, right? Everyone stays home for a few weeks, and this virus  is spread around a lot less, making it go away faster.

Yet, as much as we wish it weren’t so, not everyone who works in an office has the luxury to work from home. Sometimes, it’s lack of laptops, or it’s not a part of the workplace cultureI am one of them, and it absolutely sucks, especially when the rest of my PA county is shut down. You don’t want to get sick, but you don’t want to lose money or waste PTO time that you may need later.

However, there are some simple things you can do to protect yourself from illness and to promote a healthy workplace during this turbulent time.

Here are a few tips to help keep you and your fellow coworkers healthy and safe during the COVID-19 crisis and for flu seasons to come.

Wash your hands when you arrive and right before you leave.

We’ve all been inundated with how important it is to wash your hands, but the timing can be just as important. Wash your hands in the morning as soon as you arrive to help cut down on the germs being brought into the office and wash them right before you leave to help limit what germs you are bringing home.

Wipe down these surfaces.

I know you don’t want to use up your whole wipe stash in a week deep cleaning your desk especially when they are so hard to find right now. Plus, it’s a pain to move everything around every day. The good news is you don’t have to. All you need is one wipe every morning on the following most touched surfaces and you are good to go.

• Keyboard
• Mouse
• Phone
• Exposed desk surfaces especially if you eat off of them
• Armrests on your chair
• Drawer handles

Avoid getting up as much as possible.

One of the easiest ways to prevent spreading and picking up germs is to avoid unnecessary contact. Call or email coworkers instead of going over to their desks. Bring in snacks, so you don’t have to use the vending machines. Limiting yourself to only getting up to trips to the bathroom or to grab your lunch from the communal fridge in the short term really will help immensely in the long run.

Use this trick to keep your phone clean.

Put a drop of hand sanitizer in a tissue and fold it over to create a DIY wipe to keep your phone germ-free. Plus, it’s a great way to get rid of those pesky fingerprint smudges.

Consider altering your lunch habits.

Avoid large break room crowds by eating lunch at your desk or in your car. Not a option? Take the time to wipe down the table before eating to minimize exposure.

Avoid touching communal door handles if possible.

Okay, I’m not saying do some crazy gymnastics to avoid using door handles, but there are small ways to minimize contact. Use your elbow or shoulder for doors that push out, and create a paper towel as a barrier for doors that are pulled open. Is touching the handle inevitable? Use a little hand sanitizer when you get back to your desk.

Put on your headphones.

This more for your mental health than your physical health. No one wants to listen to their coworkers complain about not being able to work from home, give a running doomsday commentary, or, worst of all, spread crazy rumors based on something they heard from their brother’s girlfriend’s best friend’s cousin. Drown it all out with your favorite upbeat playlist, podcast, or audiobook.

Skip wearing your jewelry for now.

It’s pretty well known among healthcare workers that jeweled rings can harbor s lot of icky germs. With everything going on right now, it’s probably a good idea not to wear jewelry to the office for the time being. Not only are you minimizing what germs you are carrying into the offices, you are minimizing what germs you are bringing home to your family.