Humans are social beings that need the companionship of others to thrive. Our connections to others have a huge impact on our mental health and happiness. As an insurance agent, your work is generally interconnected with other people. During these unusual times of social distancing and working from home, you may be finding yourself struggling to stay sane.
Here are some ideas to help you maintain your stability and sensibilities during an unsettling time:
Aim to create balance.
Be realistic about your day and work to strike a balance of your personal well-being, your at-home responsibilities, and your professional expectations.
Be intentional about maintaining interpersonal relationships.
Spend time with family. Call a loved one. Use a video conference program to see familiar faces at work. FaceTime a friend during day-to-day tasks to create a feeling of spending time with another person. Walk safely at a community park where you might see others outside as well. Chat with neighbors from across the street.
Maintain a daily schedule with proper sleep and nutrition.
A sense of normalcy during a very abnormal time can help calm your mood and mind. In addition, eating nutritious food and getting a proper amount of sleep is essential to maintaining a balanced mood.
Build in exercise.
An article in Healthline cites the many benefits of exercise on your brain and your mood. It lessens depression, and it triggers the growth of new neurons in the brain. Exercise also releases endorphins that help relieve stress and raises your serotonin levels to boost your mood. Don’t undervalue the medicine of exercise, especially during these unusual times! Take a walk or go for a run. Find a workout video on the internet. Go for a bike ride. FaceTime a friend and do a routine together.
Try something new or do something creative.
This might be the perfect time to try out a new hobby, use your mind in a new way, or complete a project that’s been on the back burner. Test out a new recipe. Build that shelf you’ve wanted to build. Compile a photo album. Create a piece of art.
Set goals.
Each day, have a balance of simple tasks that you can achieve and feel motivated about, as well as those that take longer – work on them a little bit each day.
Limit media consumption and screen time.
Though it might seem helpful or just plain easy to fill your time of social distancing with online media platforms and screen time, it can actually have the opposite effect. Obsessive reading of news stories can add stress and worry. Late-night screen use can create sleep problems. Time so easily wasted online. Screens limit your time for self-reflection or creativity. Fear of missing out on the latest postings can create anxiety.
Learn about a new topic.
It might be a great time to brush up on some professional skills or knock out some insurance CE hours – from the comfort of your own home! How about this course on ways to protect yourself online?
We hope these ideas help you in your fight to stay sane during this social distancing season. It’s not easy to find a clear balance of personal responsibilities and well-being during this unfamiliar time, but being purposeful in how you approach things can make a big difference.
