Caring for Yourself

During the time that I've been writing this blog, I have talked a lot about taking care of yourself. The use of the resilience skills that we have discussed in this blog are a major part of caring for yourself. But caring for yourself is perhaps more important now than ever. You can build your resilience by practicing the skills that we have presented.

One of these is self-care. As we discussed before, this means taking care of your body and your mind since they both are very much connected. During the pandemic, getting enough sleep, eating a good diet, managing stress, and making wise decisions regarding your finances is even more important. So don't neglect these. With the stay-at-home orders, many people are not exercising as much as they should since gyms are closed. Many people are gaining weight in part due to lack of exercise and in part because they are eating more. Especially take-out and junk food. It is very tempting these days to nurture yourself by overeating. Bringing home tons of junk food and take out is certainly one way of doing this. But try not to give in to the temptation. Cooking at home is still the best idea. And be creative about finding ways to exercise. Get outside if you can. Walk! Take the stairs and not the elevator.

Exercise, getting enough sleep—meaning seven to nine hours a night—and eating a healthy diet are ways to build your immunity. All of these can help you avoid contracting the virus and if you do, these practices may help you recover sooner and reduce your risk of being one of the hundreds of thousands of fatalities so far in this country.

I would also like to emphasize that wearing a mask and requiring others around you to wear one is a very good idea. The mask you are wearing protects others around you and prevents you from spreading the virus if you have it, especially if you do not even know you have it. Other people wearing masks around you help protect you.

If you are an employer, require your employees to wear a mask. Follow the direction of your mayors and governors and the experts. The jury is in. Masks, and the wearing of them in social settings, work to save lives. Don't be too macho or foolish to not wear one. If you have a respiratory condition that might be impacted negatively by wearing a mask, talk with your health care provider. Chances are they will recommend that you wear one. This is not a hoax or a partisan issue.

Social distancing is also critical. What is the problem with maintaining six to eight feet between you and someone you're talking with? Practicing good hygiene, like washing your hands frequently during the day and not touching your face, has been and remains a good idea.

Last of all, don't assume that if you're young, you are bulletproof. You're not. And neither are the people who you will infect if you have the virus. This is about caring for yourself but it's also about caring for others like your family and friends, which is the subject of the next post.