9 Ways To Balance Your Life During Social Distancing Due To The Coronavirus Pandemic

Last updated: Jul 17, 2023

In the current complicated situation of coronavirus, many companies have to consider backup operation plans, to ensure the quality of work and personnel.
People have begun testing alternatives for employees to work alternately (for example, one day at work, one day working from home), both to test remote working plans to see if they work and minimize the likelihood of being infected.
If the Covid-19 epidemic spreads more and more, you may feel uncertain or afraid of what is to come. When such anxiety is combined with a sudden decrease in "social interaction", this can lead to negative emotions in humans. If this condition persists, human psychology and health can also be seriously affected.
"Usually people will not realize that we are creatures that need to communicate, need to exchange and share emotions, until that interaction is reduced because we cannot leave our homes." - said Dr. Laura Hawryluck, Professor at the University of Toronto.
Immediately after the end of the SARS epidemic in China in early 2000, Dr. Hawryluck conducted many psychological studies of people isolated from SARS and found out that these people were more prone to psychological illness than normal people.
Being isolated and lack of access to accurate information can lead to a lot of invisible fears, causing stress, sadness, anxiety and anger. Consequently, many people will feel depressed and may have nightmares.
Therefore, you need to be well prepared for every situation when you have to isolate yourself for some reason. Here are the methods that we think you should pay more attention to than just hoarding a few boxes of instant noodles and praying to the heavens to stop the epidemic.

Adopt Healthy Eating Habits

Not because you need to store food that food such as dry foods, pastas or instant noodles ... are the only things to store. People usually stock them because those are the first coming into our mind because of their convenience.
In fact, you can store richer food, especially green vegetables. Keep in mind that, even if there is a pandemic, you can still cook normally. You can buy lots of fresh foods like meat and vegetables, then put them in the freezer. Before cooking, you just need to wait 10 - 15 minutes so that they can defrost.
And remember, food is not only meant for survival. You also need to stock up on your favorite foods (even if they're not very healthy), but with a situation where you don't know when you can get out of the house, these favorite foods can be a life saver, helping boost your spirit and make you feel happy.
Don't forget to put on your shopping list some tea and coffee, or even beer/ wine. Mineral water is also something to buy if your area is affected by water scarcity.

Avoid Isolating Yourself From Your Loved Ones

Being forced to stay indoors seems to be a dream that comes true for introverts, but in the context of an epidemic spreading around the world and people panicking, this is not really a time to have fun and relax.
Get in touch with your friends on social media, video call / facetime with family members and friends on a regular basis. You will definitely need it and so will they. And if you know someone who is in quarantine, always encourage them and cheer them up, don't try to distance yourself from them.
You can simply share a song, an interesting article or a funny photo with them, or even cook them a meal and find a way to deliver it to them.
In addition, you also need to know who to call when you start having the symptoms. You also need your friends and family that they will not be left behind.

Be Active And Improve Your Health

There are many ways you can do exercises at home without having to go to the gym. Try searching on Google or Youtube, you will get a bunch of results. Taking it seriously will help your body become healthier, both physically and mentally.
And if you can still go out on the street, a short run or walk can't kill you, right? However, remember to wear a mask and avoid gathering in places with too many people.

Clean Your Living Space

If you have to stay indoors for days or even weeks, don't you want to live in an unhygienic space? Living in a clean, hygienic house not only prevents the spread of disease, but also makes people feel healthier and more comfortable.
You can start by making a large list of things that need cleaning. You should subdivide the areas to prioritize cleaning up and proceed gradually day by day so that you won’t feel pressured. For items that are no longer in use, you can get rid of them to make your home more minimalist.

Keep An Eye on Fake News

When SARS broke out in 2002, social networks such as Facebook and Youtube were not as popular as they are now. Now everyone can be online, connect digitally to each other, communicate with each other via video calls ... the distance between people can be shortened, and helping isolated people’s mental health.
However, in contrast to the COVID-19, in the SARS epidemic we did not see a problem called: spreading false information. Everyone has their own fears, no one is alike, and when there is so much false information posted, people can feel suffocated and not know what to believe, which leads to excessive anxiety.
As a knowledgeable netizen, keep an eye out for official speech channels from the government and reputable press agencies. Thus, you can protect yourself from the flood of daily news.

Find Ways to Entertain Yourself

See the daily news - that's what you need to do to keep up to date, but don't just keep an eye on the numbers of people infected and dying. That only raises the unnecessary fear. You have so much to do in this life!
Maybe during this time, you will have the opportunity to watch shows and movies that you have never watched. You can also read books, do puzzles, learn an instrument, bake, or learn a new Tik Tok dance… (Why not?)

Seek The Help Of Experts If You Find It Difficult

Whether you've been on therapy before or you begin to realize you need someone to give you advice on what to do with your mental health, don't hesitate to seek help. Many psychotherapists now have video or telephone chat solutions to advise their clients. Calling friends and relatives for advice - sharing is also a way to help you become less negative.

If You Must Work From Home, Do It The Right Way!

Working from home may sound like a dream for many people when it comes to thinking like wearing comfy pyjamas while working, lying on your bed ... but the above can become gradually boring and not really effective at all.
You need to have a serious attitude to work at home like when you go to work at the office. Wear suits and groom yourself like when you’re about to go to work, then have breakfast and have a walking ritual (to feel like walking to work), then turn on your computer and work with as much concentration as you do at work.
In meetings with coworkers via video calls, you should turn on your camera to prove to them and how serious you are at home. In addition, you should also note to prepare yourself full tools when working at home such as computers, good internet connection.

Remember To Stay Clean

You do not need to study too much about this disease, but knowing the basics to prevent viruses is something you need to protect yourself, such as how the virus spreads, how to wear a mask or wash your hands properly ...
While the whole world is looking forward to vaccines that can cure this disease, the only way we can do this is to improve our health and immune system. You do not have to wear a mask too often (unless you are sick), but you should wash your hands with soap often to minimize the risk of infection.
Please refer to the national recommendation.