The COVID-19 pandemic has put a massive strain on our daily lives resulting in high levels of stress, anxiety, and uncertainty. While recommendations from the CDC about social distancing and good hygiene are the best ways to save lives and flatten the curve, it means we can’t gather in offices, places of worship, schools, exercise classes, and restaurants. People with chronic conditions who may already experience a sense of social isolation may feel even more alone.

In a time like this, it’s important to find safe ways to connect. And if we are mindful and intentional about it, we may make even deeper connections.

1. Harmonize your home. Think about regaining or increasing your connection to your personal space. You may want to start by disinfecting your home with safe and environmentally friendly cleaning products. Think of your household tasks as meditation. Start a decluttering project. For many of us, decluttering can relieve stress. It also may help to make room for more important things to come. Replace your bed sheets and dinner plates with brighter or more soothing colors.
2. Connect with your community. Do what you can to support local businesses. Download an app called Nextdoor to communicate with your neighbors. Investigate what you can do virtually to help out, whether it’s volunteering, joining a support group, or offering your skills and talents remotely to a senior center or charity.
3. Don’t forget friends and family. Virtual platforms like Zoom, Houseparty, and Skype help us connect with others locally and around the world in ways we could not have imagined a few weeks ago. If a special event like a birthday, wedding, or anniversary has been canceled, see what can be arranged online. If your travel plans were canceled, take a virtual tour anywhere around the world. If you live in a city, coordinate a balcony party where you and your neighbors dance, flash lights, and play music—and then post it on Instagram.
4. Love the ones you’re with. With so many of us working from home, we may feel confined and tensions may rise. To counter that, try to be more grateful, forgiving, and apologetic—and let your loved ones know that you care, because life is precious. Think of fun activities to do with your family. For example, you could look through photo albums or cook together. Call old friends, catch up on movies or TV series you were too busy to watch previously, or snuggle with your pet.
5. Tap into your inner life. Create and listen to joyful or soothing music playlists. Learn about art or cultivate a creative talent. Start a meditation practice. Read spiritual books or join live streaming services or dedicate part of your day to prayer. These practices can help silence your mind and calm your worries. If you experience uncontrollable sadness or severe loneliness, seek professional help as this could be a sign of depression.
6. Get outside. Being out in nature will lift your spirits and getting sun helps boost levels of vitamin D, which has important immune functions. Feel your feet on the ground and the position of your body in space. Smell the air, listen to the sounds, touch the grass or the bark on a tree. If you can’t go outside, look out your window or balcony or bring nature inside by growing a plant or herbs with easy do-it-yourself kits. Or take a virtual tour of a zoo or wildlife sanctuary.
7. Take care of yourself. Exercise at home with apps or videos of aerobics, Pilates, or yoga classes. Stay hydrated, sleep at least seven to eight hours a night, and avoid or limit processed foods. Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
8. Flex your mind. In 1665, during the Bubonic plague when the University of Cambridge was closed, Sir Isaac Newton worked from home where he developed his theories on calculus, optics, and gravity. William Shakespeare likewise sequestered at home and many of his subsequent plays made reference to the plague. Channel your inner Newton or Shakespeare and challenge yourself to be more creative and inventive.

Dr. Monteith is associate professor of neurology and chief of the neurology department’s headache division at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. She is also a member of the Brain & Life editorial board.

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COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and Neurologic Disease Resource Center