This is a collaborative post.
The pandemic changed life as you know it. Lockdowns prevented many businesses from opening, children from attending school, and family and friends from visiting. While challenging at times, you can come out of the pandemic on top.
Feeling Isolated
Most people need social stimulation daily. They get it from their co-workers, family, and friends. However, with the virus still here, recommendations and restrictions remain in place. This limits the time you can spend with others. Getting past social isolation is important for your mental health and the ones you love. Thankfully, technology provides many platforms that allow you to see family and friends, helping to reduce feelings of loneliness.
Loss of Income
During the lockdown, many companies made it possible for their employees to work from home. Unfortunately, industries such as restaurants, hotels, and airlines need people present to survive. Restaurants enhanced their takeout services, but it’s not enough to keep the entire staff on the payroll. This leaves millions of people unemployed. Dealing with a loss of income presents challenges to paying your bills. Thankfully, many lenders understand that it’s not your fault and are working with people to prevent large sums of money from piling up at the end of the loan. Cutting back on takeout and non-essentials will help reduce the amount you’ll owe when you are able to return to work.
Tutoring Children
Many parents of school-aged children now act as a second teacher. With no degree, it can become challenging to help kids in middle school and high school. One way around it is to ask for help from the teachers if you feel your child is falling behind. Extra work and studying on their own will allow them to catch up. If extra help is not available through the school, consider using an online tutor.
Working from Home
If you are among the millions of people who now work from home, you know that it isn’t always ideal. Home can be a distraction. If you have children and pets, this will only compound the problem. The good news is there are ways to create a work environment and reduce distractions. Set up a makeshift office in a quiet location of the home, preferably a room with a door. When you are at work, put a sign up that says you are working and close the door. If you have younger children, you may need to hire a sitter to tend to them while you work.
Keeping Busy
Stores and restaurants close earlier and many entertainment venues remain closed, limiting activities to keep you busy. Thankfully, many simple outdoor activities remain available to the public. Pick apples and make homemade pies. Take a walk through the park along a path and collect leaves to bring home and preserve forever. Have a small gathering for holidays like Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas and deck the home from top to bottom. Watch a meteor shower and bring back good old-fashioned fun with a family game and movie night. Crafts are something that keep children and adults entertained. Head to a local craft store or order your supplies online.
Remain Positive
It’s easy to feel doom and gloom. However, remaining upbeat will create a flow of positive energy throughout the home. This is a temporary situation and life will return to normal. If you can’t shake feelings of anxiety and depression, talk to a therapist who can help you work through challenging times.
The virus is still here, and restrictions remain in place. However, you can come out of it virtually unscathed. Remain positive and focus on keeping the family happy and healthy, and the rest will fall into place.
