16 Practical Do’s and Don’ts for Advanced Social Distancing
by Lee St. Clair
March 18, 2020
- Just go with it – Accepting the new social norm and rolling with each sucker punch individually is perhaps the most important tactic. It allows you total flexibility to react to a variety of situations whilst keeping the virus at bay.
- Don’t believe the hype – Decipher information with a critical mind and base your decisions on facts… not paranoia or mass hysteria. You should already be practiced at this.
- Be ok with being ok – If you’re doing ok right now be thankful for that. Things can almost always get worse. (Skip forward to rule #5 to help ease fears if needed)
- Accept your surroundings – Wherever you are is where you are, so get used to it. (Refer to rule #1)
- Stay in the moment – No sense getting caught up in regret or trying to guess what will happen next. This very second is where all the living gets done anyway so get into the now.
- Stay off your phone and kill your TV – Too much of either and the brain gets hazy. Seriously, thank you for reading this but when you’re done, cut it off.
- Leave the outside stress, outside – Don’t let outside sources fire you up or bum you out. That doesn’t serve you. Relax. This is your sanctuary. (Refer to rule #4)
- Get Some rest – We all could use a good nap from time to time. Now is the time.
- Get some exercise – Last I checked we’re not living in a police state yet. Go for a walk or ride your bike. (Combine with rule #15 when it applies)
- Have a go at something new – Now would be a great time to learn how to do something you’ve always wanted to learn how to do. Maybe it’s time to get a drum-set or learn how to cook Thai food at home. Maybe you’ve always wanted to draw with the other hand. You’ve got the time, so do it.
- Keep Personal Demons at bay – Don’t give in to the inner voice unless he/she/they have your best interest in mind. Most of the time they don’t.
- Investigate new tools to stay in touch – There are lots of apps and different ways to group chat or video conference. Being virtually social is the new social. (Disregard rule 6 as needed)
- Remember we’re all in it together – all the local businesses are suffering. Lots of people including you are most likely facing some sort of economic woe. Throw a bone to someone who needs it if you have the means. Accept bones being thrown at you with grace, thankfulness and class. Pass good fortune on to others when possible.
- Take great pride in knowing this is actually helping the environment – As the factories sit quiet and the smog clears many people in China are seeing blue sky for the first time in years. If there’s no reason to go anywhere… don’t. Let your car just sit there. Enjoy the blue sky and let mother nature have some downtime.
- Keep your distance – It’s really nothing personal but it’s what we’ve got to do.. so no high fives or hand shakes. No pick up games or huddles. No celebration hugs or chest bumps. No congregating at the local spot. No house parties etc.
- Don’t panic – A worried mind is a troubled mind. (Relax and see Rule #1)