July 14, 2020
We can probably all agree that this year has been a LOT.
No one saw a worldwide pandemic coming. On New Year’s Eve we were all SO stoked for the year 2020! People were saying “we’re in the roaring 20’s! Get ready for the best year yet!”
People say this every New Year, but for some reason 2020 seemed, even more, promising with it being the start of a new decade. Then COVID 19 hit and for the majority of us, we’ve been more or less in quarantine since mid-March. We haven’t been able to go out to eat. We haven’t been able to see friends as much. And now, halfway through summer, you’re WAY over it. You’re starting to FEEL the slump of quarantine REAL hard.
This year has been really rough. We as people were not made to live our entire lives in a box with no in-person communication. We were NOT built that way, and we can see the affects this quarantine is having on our emotional, physical, and mental health.
We wanted to spend an episode chatting with you about how to get through the continued slump of COVID 19 and the quarantining that comes with it because there IS hope. Things are starting to open again. Life will not always be this way. Now, more than ever, it’s vital to cling to that hope and not give in to hopelessness or despair.
Today’s episode we’re making it super conversational, sharing our real, raw thoughts, and giving you some tips that have helped us keep going through quarantine. We hope this episode gives you encouragement and brings joy and life to you wherever you are today.
After tons of conversations, it’s pretty clear that across the board almost everyone is feeling some kind of frustrating or heavy emotions. We all seem to be experiencing overwhelm, anxiety, hopelessness, and fear. Today we’re going to talk about our personal experiences and strategies for how to navigate such an unusual time.
Sleep. Sleep is so necessary and vital for mental, emotional, and physical health.
It’s so important to continue to get a good nights sleep when you are out working every day, and also when you are experiencing a very abnormal schedule. Go to bed at a consistent time and keep a routine with it. Your body will sync with the patterns you create and you will be able to have sharp brain function and a rested body and mind through the next day.
When there are so few rules around our quarantined lifestyle, it’s vital to keep sleep as a regular routine that is going to help us mentally and emotionally get through this.
Get dressed.
The days that we do get dressed, we feel so much better. There are days when we don’t feel like getting dressed and stay in our pajamas, but days we do get dressed it is a night and day difference.
Getting dressed doesn’t have to mean putting on a full face of makeup and heels. Getting dressed can mean putting on a nice pair of loungewear leggings. It doesn’t have to be fancy, it just has to be different so that when you put it on you send signals to your brain that it is time to work.
Do what you need to do to feel “ready”.
Eat well and consistently.
We are both the worst at this! We are both notorious for forgetting to eat during the workday.
Eating well and consistently throughout your day is a game-changer. We are both working on this! If you fail to do this you end up running on empty!
If you struggle with this, it is helpful to set alarms around lunchtime and dinner time to remind you to pause work and eat.
In addition, try not to keep any snacks or junk food around your house. It has helped us to remove these from our pantry and fridge because we tend to grab these first, rather than reaching for nutritious snacks and meals.
Meal prepping is really helpful! Another alternative is to have prepared meals, such as Freshly and Hello Fresh on hand.
Move your body each day.
The ramifications and benefits of moving each day are incredible. It is so helpful and refreshing for your brain and your mind, especially during a workday. A quick walk can even give your brain the rest it needs!
A simple workout every morning, or a walk in the evenings seriously impacts our mentality and emotional space and health.
Add movement to your routines and schedule every day. Morning, afternoon, and night.
Work normal hours as much as possible
Even if you are working from home and your schedule may be topsy turvy due to COVID, try to maintain your work hours. Establish a routine every single day and keep that sense of normalcy.
Trick your brain into some sense of security and normalcy in spite of everything going on.
Create new routines if your old ones are shot to pieces!
Evie used to wake up at 5 am before the quarantine. During most of quarantine, she started waking up at 6:30ish. Don’t be afraid to adjust your routine if needed and find a new rhythm that works well for you.
Stay off your phone morning and evening
This has been incredibly helpful for both of us! If you are using your phone as an alarm clock, we recommend going old school and getting an actual alarm! Then, keep your phone outside of the bedroom.
Your mental health will be so much better if you can just stay off your phone until you actually start your workday. Don’t go to your phone first thing in the morning!
In the evenings, don’t be afraid to turn your phone off or put it on airplane mode.
There is so much information being poured into our heads right now. Since we are in quarantine, we have more capacity to absorb it, but we are not designed to absorb that much information that quickly. It can overwhelm us and leave us anxious, depressed, and exhausted. It’s not healthy and it’s not normal. Establish boundaries with your phone and eliminate the anxiety and overwhelm.
Endorphins are the feel-good drug that your brain releases. You want your brain to release these chemicals as much as possible.
Finding ways to release these endorphins each day is key. Exercise, hobbies, getting outside, taking a walk, and working can all be ways to do this. Find things that release endorphins each day.
Get outside as much as you can. It centers us and statistically relieves stress and anxiety.
Netflix does not release endorphins or allow your brain to truly rest. It may feel like you are decompressing, resting, and releasing endorphins. But, binging does not actually help your self or brian in any way. Netflix is totally fine in moderation, but avoid binging.
Laughing releases endorphins. Have a funny conversation with a friend. Have an intentional phone call and just laugh.
If you’re married, get frisky. 😉
Alongside routines, goals can help you power through quarantine and deal with the isolation and topsy-turvey routines of life right now. Be working towards something and don’t just run in circles waiting for quarantine to end and business to pick back up. Ask yourself the question, “Where do I want to be when quarantine ends?” Write it down and start working towards that goal.
Use this time to fuel you forward, instead of making you feel paralyzed.
Use the time that we have been given and use it well. 41:10 This is not a throwaway year and this is not a throwaway season. When everything is unknown, it’s easy to sit back and watch what happens.41:40 It’s not a time for us to just sit back and wait. It’s time for us to jump up and take action. This is what is going to set us apart from the rest of the world right now. If you want to walk out of this season ahead, we encourage you to recognize and toss away any mentality that this is a throwaway season.
Write out your goals, ideally on paper or a whiteboard that you can put up in a very visible place. We also recommend reading Atomic Habits by James Clear.
Set goals for each week and then each day. Those will help you stay focused, motivated, and checking things off the list.
Hang out with friends (even if they are virtual). Read your Bible! The joy that comes from the presence of the Lord is incredible. If you are trying to feel your heart with joy and peace, it can be found in His word and His presence. If you are feeling anxiety, fear, or depression, look to the Bible.
Do something for fun each day. Do something that brings you a little bit of joy like watching the sunset, playing with your dog, going on a walk, baking, painting, or anything that makes you feel happy! Choose little tiny things and put them in each day.
Read a book for fun or watch a life-giving movie. Play a card or board game.
Limiting social media usage will bring joy in the long run. If you need a social media break, take it! You are not a slave to the internet or people’s opinions of you. Don’t let it consume your mind.
Give yourself grace if you are not doing things to the level or capacity that you ideally wish you were. Give yourself grace. This is a weird year. It’s not normal.
It’s okay to not be okay. If you are feeling overwhelmed, depressed, or anxious, don’t shove it away. If you are having a bad day, it’s okay.
It’s okay to ask for help right now from your family and friends or to seek therapy or counseling. Don’t be afraid to reach out and say that you are not doing the best today. Bring people into your journey and open up and let the hurt, pain, frustration, and anxiety out. The more we hold stuff in, the more it has space and room to fester and get even more nasty and messy. When we open it up and let oxygen and truth hit that wound, we are giving it space to breathe and heal. Talk to people and don’t isolate yourself with how you are feeling.
Join a Bible study or community hangout group (even if it’s virtual) to connect with other people and talk life together.
Saturate yourself with grace. It’s okay to not be okay. It’s a weird year and this will not last forever.
God’s mercies are new every morning. We have the opportunity to start fresh every day and every week.
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WASSUP FRIENDS. We’re Evie + Lindsey, co-founders of this wild partayyy called The Heart University. Our goal is to empower entrepreneurs to kick freaking BUTT in their businesses, dive down into the heart of their why and how, and serve you with all possible tools you’ll need to up-level your business game and CRUSH those goals of yours.
Whether you’re coming to an in-person workshop, joining our online course, or soaking up all the strategies via this blog or our podcast, we’re STOKED you’re here + can’t wait to see you out there kicking butt.
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