I’ve spoken before about accepting the uncontrollable aspects of your life while really nailing the controllables.
When life is going your way, you might be able to get away with being disorganized and just wing it. At least for a while anyway.
But it works out, that in isolation, being disorganized just doesn’t cut it. Adding disorder to a high-anxiety environment only makes things worse.
So I thought it might be useful to explore some ideas around creating ‘organized isolation’.
At the most basic level, keep your home and work area clean and functional. Having a tidy environment reduces anxiety and allows you to move through your daily routine more freely.
And speaking of routine, keep one. A drift into moving your sleep patterns and start time is understandable, but it won’t serve you. Keep your alarm set for normal time, whether you have meetings or not. Keeping the same weekday schedule will improve sleep patterns and sharpen daytime focus.
Look after your body. Physical health shouldn’t get kicked to the curb. Schedule daily walking (10,000 steps), a home circuit or run/ride. Put it in your diary and log it as completed to acknowledge your efforts.
Nurture the mind. Mental health is paramount. Schedule meditation, pauses or breathing exercises on a regular basis. Sleep is also a great antidote to dark thoughts, so add some naps or longer sleeping on weekends.
Stay connected to friends and family. They need you and you need them. A 30-minute call can really lift spirits.
Turn off or turn down ‘Radio Doom & Gloom’. Don’t be permanently plugged in to endless media coverage. High consumption of content does nothing to help. To stay informed, just have a daily serve from your trusted media source.
Support local business. Buy that coffee each morning from your local coffee shop. Those people are staying open for you at no margin. Your smile and custom is acknowledged and appreciated.
Consume online goodies. Feed your mind with articles, blogs, podcasts and live concerts. With endless content, there is so much to enjoy to elevate your mood.
Spoil yourself with little rewards. Try and mix up your life with little pleasures. Film of the Week, Online Concert Night, Takeaway, Books, Magazine and even buying a showbag for you and the kids (www.showbagshop.com.au) puts a smile on your face.
Organized isolation is about finding some certainty within uncertainty. Some calm within the anxiety. It’s not about perfection or finding a Zen-like state. Organized isolation is about trying to influence life and find moments of calm, order and happiness.
And finally, but most importantly, be kind to yourself. I’ll never forget being told by an experienced psychologist that the most important thing to do every day is ‘to do 1 thing just for you’. This suggestion deeply impacted me and I try and honour this little commitment to myself. Try and find a tiny thing that brings you joy on a daily basis and acknowledge it. It helps.
What are you going to do to create Organized Isolation?
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Email me at darren@darrenkbourke.com to schedule a meeting (at no cost or obligation) to discuss how I can help you re-platform from crisis this year.