Dealing with the Daily Grind

In our current situation requiring close proximity to our families, there are challenges that we may not expect.  While many of us think we would enjoy time to be at home with our kids or our spouses or just to be alone, “forced togetherness” can change our perspective. Time together without a plan can leave us with frayed nerves, hurt feelings, frustrations and unmet expectations.  

One idea that will be beneficial during this time would be for every person in the house to understand their individual responsibilities. Whether it is children with a school schedule who need planned activity breaks or a parent who is working from home who requires time to organize their thoughts or make a plan for the house to run smoothly, everyone needs to prioritize. This may look different for each family.  

For children, if strict adherence to an academic schedule is stressful, take breaks.  Most parents are not professional educators.  That is OK.  Do what you need to in order to survive this time with your family and sanity intact. 
~Do something creative.  Finger-paint, play with play doh or make a picture out of beans and macaroni with glue.
~Have them collect pine cones, leaves and twigs, small rocks to incorporate into a craft later.  
~Let them do a scavenger hunt around the yard or house.  
~For younger kids, let them move with Born to Move by Les Mills on Demand. 

For adolescents or adults:  Everyone needs time to breathe and relax.  
~Find a new hobby.  
~Be creative.  Draw, paint, or write.
~Stay off of social media.  Comparing what you are doing during this time with what others do is not enlightening nor is it productive.  For many it makes them feels like they are somehow missing out or are in some way inferior.
~Take an online yoga class. Surrender & breathe deep.
~Watch videos of historical, successful people. Albert Einstein, Emily Dickens, Frederick Douglas, Helen Keller, J.R.R. Tolkien, Jane Goodall, Leonardo da Vinci, Malala
~Write a letter to yourself in the future.  Put it somewhere and give yourself a reminder in your calendar to look at it in 5 years. ~Reach out to the people who inspire you.  You can write to them, send them a text or email saying what they mean to you.
~Write the birthdays of your personal heroes in your planner & work out a way to honor them on that day.
~Take a free class online.  There are thousands.  Learn something new.  Cooking, art, knitting, woodworking, photography, etc. ~Cook a new recipe.  Present it to your family as if you are on a cooking show.

Trying these or other ways of relaxing and redirecting one's attention can decrease stress and help families adjust during this time of isolation.