Quarantine Sucks….but it doesn’t have to!
By Colleen Sager, M.S., Sport Psychology Consultant
For many of us, we have been in some version of quarantine for the past few weeks. No doubt this has caused a roller coaster of emotions for all of us. So far, we don’t know how long these quarantine phases will last. To help you get through the grief, loneliness and extra time at home during the coming weeks, Mind Games Pro has put together this diagram.
- Of course, there is homework involved with this blog (you’re bored at home, right?) The bullets bellow each paragraph is your homework assignment for the week. Feel free to post your homework on social media so we can see your accomplishments.
Boundaries are a must!
Setting boundaries is an important part of any relationship, yet can also be one of the most difficult to establish. While in quarantine, it is especially important to set boundaries with those you live with. Probably the biggest change most of us are facing is the amount of “alone time” we are getting. Having those precious moments of listening to your favorite music in the car after the kids are dropped off at school, the meditative state your brain goes to while swimming, allowing your brain to work through the days problems while running, are on pause for now, yet having alone time is an important aspect of mental health. It is important to set time for you and the members of your household each day.
Boundaries aren’t limited to alone time. Discuss boundaries needed concerning other issues that may have come up during this increased time together. Perhaps there needs to be a compromise about who is on the Zwift group ride tonight, or what new series you’re going to watch on Netflix, whatever the issues may be, make time for the conversation.
- If you haven’t already, make time in the next few days to chat with other members of your household about the boundaries necessary to get through this quarantine period. Be willing to listen to what your housemates need as well. Remember, everyone’s lives are being altered dramatically, not just yours.
Communication:
Not only is communication increasingly important with your friends and family who you live with, it’s also important to keep in touch with those you aren’t stuck under the same roof with. Take this time to keep in touch with the people you love. Call those friends and family members who you’ve been in communication with only via text for the last few months. Keep in contact with the friends and family members who you normally see often.
Don’t forget your coach. Schedule a time to talk about your training. What’s working with training from home? What’s not working? We posted a blog a couple weeks ago about reassessing your goals for 2020, have you communicated with your coach about those changes?
- At least once this week, call, FaceTime or Zoom with someone in your life that you don’t get the time to chat with otherwise. Even if only for a few minutes, just to check in. It’ll do you both some good.
- If you haven’t checked in with your coach, make it a point to touch base with them this week.
- Coaches, this is a great time to reach out to your athletes.
Stick to your routine:
If you normally wake up at 4:30 in the morning to get a workout in before work, continue to get up at 4:30 and get your workout done. If your normal work day is from 8am – 5pm and you workout during your lunch hour – stick to that. This may mean you have to change your workout, which is fine – stick to your routine of moving. Keeping a routine will help you feel a sense of normalcy.
This includes your eating habits. Yes, try those recipes you’ve been saving from Instagram and the Food Network, but don’t deter too far from your normal habits. This may be hard especially for parent’s home with their kids all day.
- Everyday this week, try as best as you can, to get back on track to the schedule you had before quarantine life. For many people, this is going to be hard – do your best, and what you can’t get done today, maybe you get done tomorrow.
Make today an accomplishment:
Many of you will accomplish PR’s on indoor training equipment that you never thought possible, there will be other days where simply making you bed is an accomplishment – and that’s OK. Do something everyday, that when you close your eyes at night you are proud to say, “I did that”. As part of your “homework” you can combine, boundaries, communication, and your kitchen routine with a slight spin…
- For those of you at home with kids – take a day or two in which you sit down as a family, pick a new recipe for all of you to try. Prep and cook the meal, set and clear the table together as a family.
- Family or not, you can always try new versions of your favorite recipes. Are you a fan of Taco Tuesday? Every week make a new version of tacos; vegetarian, pork, seafood, flour tortilla, corn tortilla, lettuce instead of tortilla – the list goes on.
Learn and move on:
At the end of this quarantine, what lessons are you taking away from it all? What has the increased time with your family taught you? How can you all grow from this experience? Perhaps you’ve realized that your savings account isn’t as plentiful as you thought, make a plan to build your savings. Maybe you’ve started doing more yoga at home and it’s something you’d like to add more of into your training once you are racing again.
- By the end of the week, create a list of the things you want to take away from this pandemic (besides being a better hand washer). Doesn’t have to be a long list – just something to remind you to strive towards something positive everyday.
If you have specific questions for Colleen, or would like more information about working with her, she can be reached at sagerkcolleen@gmail.com