Coping in Quarantine

I don't have to tell you that we're living through a difficult, stressful time with a new normal. Schools, stores, and services that we took for granted are all closed. Even parks and playgrounds are closed to prevent people from gathering and spreading COVID-19. Families are spending a LOT more time together at home working, learning, and simply living their everyday lives.

The first week (maybe even the second) at home may have been tolerable, but going through three weeks or more of isolation can test the endurance of any introvert or person with a home business. So, how do we cope with being in quarantine during a stay-at-home order? How do we stay healthy both physically and mentally during this time?

Below are some suggestions for keeping both you and your family from climbing the walls for an extended stay at home:

• Keep a routine. Adults and kids alike do well when we know what to expect. Keep a regular bedtime and time to wake in the morning. Get into a daily routine of activities.
• Exercise. We may not be able to go to the gym or park now, but we can still do things inside, like yoga, zumba, and good, old fashioned calisthenics. We can also go outside to ride a bike or take a walk around the neighborhood as long as we keep apart from others.
• Get some fresh air. It's spring. The weather's getting warmer and the flowers are blooming. Step outside your house and just hang out in your back or front yard. Seeing some nature and getting a little Vitamin D will make you feel better.
• Limit your time getting the news. We all want to know what's going on, but watching 24-hour news networks and following news websites around the clock is going to drain your energy and bring down your spirits. Set a limit on your news time.
• Keep in touch with family and friends. We're all going through this together. Although we can't socialize in person, we have technology and social media to help us stay in touch. Pick up the phone or do a live video chat through Skype or Facebook with someone you care. 
• Do something fun. This is the perfect time to start that new hobby or craft you always wanted to do. Play some board games. Watch a movie. Read a book (you knew I had to add that one).

Just remember that the quarantine won't last forever. We will go outside again, we will get back together with each other, and we will resume our normal lives. We just don't know when that will happen. In the meantime, we need to isolate for our own safety as well as that of others. Keep in mind that the library has a number of virtual books and other items to help you and your family through this. Just contact us (509-247-5556, fafblibrary@gmail.com).

Wishing you and your family good health from the perch.

It's Okay Not to Be Okay

When we were all celebrating the start of 2020 back in January, I'm sure no one ever dreamed that three months later we'd be living through a coronavirus pandemic and life as we know it would be put on hold.  We're experiencing a new normal--many of us (including your perch librarian) are working from home, kids and college students are out of school dealing with online learning, we're wearing masks and gloves outside of the home, restaurants are open only for takeout, hair salons and so many other services are temporarily closed...the list of closures and restrictions goes on.

Maybe some of us or people we know have gotten COVID-19 or have died of it.  One of my relatives was hospitalized for several days due to coronavirus-related pneumonia (thankfully, she recovered); a family friend was the first person to die of the virus in Spokane.  To anyone suffering with COVID-19, I wish you the best for a speedy and full recovery.  To anyone who has lost someone to it, I offer my sincere condolences.

I don't have to tell you that this is a scary time for all of us, young and old.  We don't know what's going to happen; we don't know when this roller coaster ride we unwillingly were put on is going to end.  I'm not going to lie--I've had moments when I broke down and cried about what's happening.  According to the experts, this is to be expected because we're not only dealing with the unknown but we're also dealing with grief for the loss of our former lives, the way things used to be before the pandemic. 

This is the time to be kind to ourselves.  It's okay not to be okay now.  Don't beat yourself up for not being your usual self or being on top of your game.  Don't reprimand your kids for having a tough time adjusting to online learning.  This pandemic has put us all into survival mode, and our best at this time won't be the same as our best under normal circumstances.  And that's alright.  The roller coaster will slow down and stop eventually.  We just don't know when.  In the meantime, stay healthy and be safe.  We will get through this, one day at a time.

Wishing you good health and calming vibes from the perch.