5 Tips to Stop Feeling Lonely While Sheltering In Place
How are you handling this pandemic? I am not going to lie, even though I work at home, it has made me a little lonely. It is not like I went out every day, but I do miss that human contact. You know that place where you can text a friend and say want to do lunch this week. But with restaurants being closed and while sheltering in place orders are in effect, you can’t do that. Honestly, feeling lonely doesn’t just make me feel bad and make binge-watch all the seasons of Hart of Dixie on Netflix over and over again. It has had a significant impact on my productivity and motivation.
Feeling lonely can be particularly hard to deal with right now, especially if you just moved to town. Or maybe you’re just a natural introvert, and that can be tough in a world that favors extroverts.
So, how can you deal with feeling isolated at home?
Accept Your Feelings
Start by acknowledging and accepting your feelings. I know it is not a good feeling, but once you accept those feelings, you are ready to move into a healthy mindset. Give yourself time and know that hopefully, this pandemic won’t be around forever. But keep in mind that you might also have to adjust to a new normal once things are opened back up.
Be Kind to Yourself
Don’t blame yourself for feeling isolated. Give yourself some slack and time. You really don’t have a choice, so try to find things to keep you busy even if it just finally getting around to reading that book that has been on your kindle for months. This is a high-stress time for all of us, so please remember to be kind to not only yourself but to others.
Reach Out to Other People
Text, call, or even send a letter to a friend. I actually wrote a post about ways to encourage a friend during this time. I started doing Facebook live videos as a way to cope with everything that is going on. And wouldn’t you know it my first Facebook live was with a friend talking about just this topic?
Play Online Games with Casino Talk
There is something to be said about going online and just spend a few minutes a day playing games online. Casino Talk is undoubtedly the answer if you like to spend some time online. You can’t go to Las Vegas, so this is a fantastic option. This reminds me of a joke I heard the other about the Covid19, which said: “ Wish Covid19 started in Vegas because what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” 😉 ( Hope this made you laugh, I totally understand how severe this pandemic is, but sometimes we need to laugh instead of crying.)
Adapt
Honestly, I think this is the hardest thing for me to do right now, it is hard getting used to both of my younger girls at home. Internet is lagging- sometimes nonexistent, and the food bill is going up. But you know what I have learned to adapt. I am currently looking into getting separate internet for the blog cabin. I also have learned that even though our food bill is going up, I actually enjoy cooking every day. I feel so accomplished when I have a meal plan set for the week.
But make sure you realize that everyone is adapting to this pandemic in their own way and to be kind. But you also need to remember that what works for someone else may not work for you. Give yourself grace. It will all work out.
