Day 5 was rough. Work was crazy busy, it was the end of the first full workweek while social distancing, and I did not get any fresh air all day. Sounds lovely, doesn't it?
One of the good things that have come from all of this social distancing: Cooking some delicious meals! While I wasn't able to get out and get some fresh air, I was able to do my second favorite stress-reducer (after fitness, of course) - cooking!
Cooking is so therapeutic for me. There's something about chopping up vegetables and stirring things in a pan that is just like sitting under a tree and breathing in the fresh air. It just does something to me mentally that causes me to relax. It's an incredible feeling!
I know it sounds a little hippy-dippy, but it's true. I think it's the main reason I kick John out of the kitchen 9/10 times he's in there when I'm cooking. I just need "Me Time," daggone it!
I decided to head to bed early again tonight. I had a late night last night, and early morning this morning, and another early morning and a nearly-full day's work tomorrow. On Sunday (aka Day 7 of social distancing), I am finally going to take time away from work so that I can reset, spend some quality time with John, and figure out how I'm going to set boundaries for myself around my work schedule.
When you work from home, things can get a little tricky. You never really leave work since you're technically at work when you're at home, and it's even harder when you can't escape to the gym or a restaurant when the workday is through. The other challenge, of course, is that I'm constantly receiving emails throughout the day and night, so there's always something to respond to. And therein lies the problem. I have got to disconnect from the workday. I'm definitely going to brainstorm ways to set these boundaries in the weeks ahead, especially since there is no real end in sight for this social distancing. I mean, is it going to end in May? June? Only time will tell.
In Other News...
The Fit Black Queens Podcast, of which I'm a co-host, is holding its first-ever Power Hour! Every 10 minutes, one of the show's co-hosts will lead an activity. I'm leading an adventure walk, where we'll go on a walk for 10 minutes, with some exercises thrown in along the way. I'm really excited about the Power Hour because it's so different from what I've been up to all week, and it's a great way to connect with folks on Social media while social distancing!
Update: Now that it has aired on Instagram Live, you can watch the Power Hour on YouTube!
Final Thoughts
I'm almost a week into social distancing, and it feels like it's been at least twice as long. As more information gets out, the more I learn that COVID-19 is not the same as getting a cold or flu. It sounds absolutely awful, and I would feel a tremendous amount of guilt if I learned that I'd infected someone with it! Yes, it's tough staying home and not being able to go about my normal routine, but things could be a heck of a lot worse for me. I definitely feel fortunate that I am feeling healthy, as are all of my loved ones.
How are you faring with social distancing? How are you managing stress and anxiety?
