On Staying Sane, or How to Survive the Quarantine

Well, it’s truly happened. I know that most people never thought we’d see this dastardly day, that it all seemed incredibly impossible, that even a week ago it was all so unmitigatedly unthinkable.

The stores have run out of toilet paper.

NNNOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

How will we survive without paper to clean ourselves with? I myself have given up my daily routine or scouring my skin with sandpaper, trying out this new thing called a, shower. It cleans you off with water, and so far it seems to be working well.

In other words, panic-problems often have simple solutions. The issue is training your mind to look for them. It’s not always easy. Everyone, many times in their lives, gives in to the group think. Whether it’s peer-pressure in school, an unwillingness to stand up to the boss when need be, or buying toilet paper in the apocalypse, everyone has their moments when its easier to just give-up and give-in.

Unfortunately, I wouldn’t recommend that for the Great Quarantine of 2020—and just think, if it’d happened a year earlier, that would have rhymed. The natural view is to see the Quarantine (and yes, I do think it deserves the capital Q) as an extended vacation. General habits will fall by the wayside, the excess free time will be eaten up by YouTube and Netflix, and a return to normal life will be seen as either an impossibility or an unwelcome distraction.

But, if you’re like me, you’re looking for ways to stop that from happening. Your goal is not just to survive the oncoming changes, but to thrive during them and plan for the future. Here are some tips on how to make that happen.

1) Set a schedule

We humans are creatures of habit--not routines, habits. There’s a wealth of research to back this up: we fall into ruts, and we like it that way. So, if you fall into the habit of watching Hulu (occasionally switching over to Disney+ in order to, “mix things up”), then your body will get used to it and rebel if there’s a change.

If you get into the habit of having no set schedule, then any schedule will feel like an imposition. If you fall into the habit of a productive schedule, then MOOLAH-MOOLAH!

As such, give yourself a schedule and stick with it. Make it specific yet meaningful, and make it a seven-day schedule. That way, when you get back to the usual week-day thing it’ll either feel like you’re giving yourself a break or still give you time to continue the routine. Here’s mine:

5:30 (When I naturally wake up)-Read the news.

6:00-Light workout

6:30-Breakfast

7:00-Shower & brush teeth

7:30-Walk

8:00-Work block 1 (writing)

11:30-Lunch

12:30-Work block 2 (prep)

3:00-Work block 3 (TBD)

6:00-Dinner

7:00-Free time

9:00-Get ready for bed.

2) Set Goals (and make sure they’re specific)

Humans like to feel as though we’re working towards something. It’s one of the reason politics works, and why social movement function. Give yourself a goal for the Quarantine: in two weeks, I will learn 200 Spanish words; in five days, I will be able to juggle three balls at once; I will edit all of my chapters in book one by April 5^th.

By giving yourself a specific, measureable goal, you are encouraging yourself to stay active and engaged in some way. Yes, you might end up feeling guilty if you don't finish, but I’d rather my brain look at that as a reason to stick to the goal than to not set one at all.

3) Stay connected

We have a thousand different ways to communicate these days. Text, video, YouTube, Twitch, flames, bodies, text burned into the skin of squirrels—take your pick. At the end of the day, the Quarantine will be isolating. Find ways to connect with others, and make it a part of your routine. Maybe you’ll all come together in a chat. Maybe you’ll have dinner virtually with friends. Use this time to talk about how you’re doing with your goal, or the hardships you’re facing, or the fact that you’re finally getting around to cleaning out the back closet (and you found Mr. Whiskers, and you didn’t know that cats could mummify in this climate). No matter how much of an introvert you are, there’s a huge difference between choosing isolation and being forced into it. Setting up these connections now—even if it’s only once a week—could be a life-saver.

4) Remember that Nothing is Forever

The Quarantine will pass—either because we get everything under control, or everyone dies. Either way, nothing is going to last forever. There will be a world after quarantine, and it will be filled with all the usual wonders and sadnesses. If you live as though that day will never come, then the shock to your system will be greater. But, if you live life like you’re preparing for the day that you’re able to return to normal, then you’ll be able to do so in a much better way.

So, there you have it: some tips to survive the Quarantine. Currently, grocery stores are still well stocked, panic is high, and who knows when we’ll come back. But I’m choosing to look for the opportunities, and I know that I’ll come out of this the better for having lived through it.

This has been another adventure of the austentatious. If you liked it, tell your friends; if you hated it, tell your enemies; and if you don’t care either way, then tell everybody. Peace out, happy Quarantine.

And stay healthy.