How to be your best in the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic: Part 1
He who has health has hope; he who has hope has everything. ~ Thomas Carlyle
Just over a hundred years ago, the world suffered through the deadliest virus ever known. A century later and we’re facing another pandemic. Now, as people are under lockdown around the world and scientists are on a quest to find a coronavirus vaccine, what should we as individuals do?
Since we already know about the health and hygiene suggestions, I won’t repeat those (other than to make the point that overreacting in how we treat coronavirus could lead to bigger health problems in the future). I also don’t want to get into a debate on whether or not we should wear face masks or what wearing a face mask says (or doesn’t) about you. (Update: just like washing your hands regularly, wearing a mask is a great way to slow the spread of the coronavirus! Here’s how to make a mask and keep it clean.)
Instead, I’d like to focus on the simple health practices that can help and are the reason the online wellness industry is booming right now. What’s the first thing you should do? Stay active! For example, being under lockdown hasn’t stopped me from practising with the Daily Yoga app nor should it stop you from doing whatever home fitness routine works for you. Beyond that, now is a good time to re-evaluate your nutrition strategy, just like now is a good time to get enough sleep.
Now is also a good time to watch what you watch. For example, I’ve found great value in the latest series of TED Talks, which includes one-hour discussions on why it’s okay to feel overwhelmed, how to be your best self in times of crisis, and how we can navigate the coronavirus pandemic with courage and hope. Programming that improves your mood is far better than endless news updates that feed into the fear.
Chris Guillebeau sums it up well:
Worrying about something you can’t control doesn’t make that thing any better. Once you accept this principle, it means you can spend your worrying time on something else. And for some of us, that opens up a lot of time.