Bringing Structure to the Chaos

Working, homeschooling and being stuck in your home can be daunting. With all of our normal structures for routine and organization being taken away, life can feel unstable and scary. Our temptation during these times are often to go to the extremes; to give up and do nothing, or to try to do everything at once. Neither of these are sustainable ways to live. By putting in a structured routine in your life you can regain a sense of balance and control. Here are some ideas to help you do that.

Make a Schedule

Creating a visual plan for how the upcoming week will look can help ease a lot of daily anxiety for the whole family. Decide on a regular timetable for when you will get up, have meals, get work done, and also when you’ll have fun.**

Be realistic! You are not going to get the entire house cleaned, get the kids to do all of their work, make 3 healthy meals, take on a new hobby, do a full workout and do your job from home all in one day.  Give yourself a few tasks for the day and give yourself some grace.

Schedule Break Time

Make sure you schedule times to take a breather from your work or your homeschooling. Go out for a walk with the kids. Do some breathing exercises. You may even proclaim a house wide nap time! Just make sure you give yourself some time.

Try to Eat Balanced Meals

Nutrition is key to your physical and mental health. Oftentimes when we only eat junk, we end up feeling like junk. Although it can be hard, try to still incorporate as many fruits and vegetables into your diet as you can.

Stay Physically Active

One of the best ways to combat stress, depression, and anxiety is through exercise. Unfortunately, being confined to our homes means many of us are now much more sedentary than we are used to. Thankfully, there are lots of options to keep ourselves physically active. Many gyms are offering free online courses to help keep you healthy at home. There are also plenty of free youtube videos with quick workouts and relaxing yoga videos. You may also go outside for walks as long as you are still social distancing. If the kids are going crazy, it might be time for a nice long walk or bike ride to get some of their jitters out! Just getting a bit of fresh air can be a relief for everyone.

Plan Something Fun!

Set aside a specific time in the week to have a fun night/day. This can include any at home activity you and your family can all look forward to. Plan it! Having something to look forward to makes rough days better. You could have a family balloon sports day or a day of baking followed by a movie. Just do anything you know will get you excited and keep you going!

Keep in touch

Although we are meant to be physically distant from one another, there is no reason to be relationally distant. Let your kids video chat with their grandparents, call up your friend, and write letters to your neighbors. Whatever you do, stay in contact with those you love.

Reach Out for Help

No matter what, remember that there are people around that are ready to help you. If you are overwhelmed, call or text the Crisis Text Line to speak with a free counselor. If your child is sick, call our 24/7 Nurse Advice Line. Whatever you do, know that you are not alone. We are in this together!

** A great resource to help schedule your kids is the website based in the UK called Twinkl **