I’ve been learning so much during this time in my life that it’s honestly hard to articulate.
COVID-19 has changed our lives forever.

Before Covid I worked long hours, because I love my work and I love my coworkers. Covid hit and our facility was closed. All of a sudden I found myself working from home with my three year old. And my entire perspective on work changed. My perspective on everything, changed.

Are you feeling a little bit lost right now? I know I am. I finally got used to being in a quarantine, and functioning in a new way, and now we are all expected to turn around and go back to the “before”. It’s frustrating, and aggravating, and there are so many things running through my mind at all times. I get it, I’m right here with you.

I’ve found a few key things over the last few months that have honestly helped me to stay sane (well, somewhat).

1. Accept your lack of control

Heres the thing, we all love being in control don’t we? We love when we get our way. But until we accept the fact that we are in a global pandemic the likes that no one has ever seen before, and we have no control over that we simply cannot have peace. My dear friend, just let go. I know it’s hard. This is a time of grief, fear and anger. I understand that you long to make things right, or turn back the clock, or just change one thing, but you can’t. Covid has taken so much from us all, including our control over things that we thought we could hold onto. Accepting that you are not in control will help you conquer Covid chaos.

2. Create Covid structure

I know when all this started going down, I loved the lack of structure. For the first time in my adult life I could sleep in, get up when I wanted and work as I sat in my PJ’s and drank endless coffee. It was wonderful. Until slowly, the lack of structure began to get to me. I felt like my life was in chaos, or like the days were out of place. Adding a little structure has helped me in so many ways. I know what you are thinking, “Melissa, we don’t like having a set schedule”. Listen I don’t either. And you don’t have to.

What helped me was creating a few intentional ways to have more structure through out my days. That looked like creating a routine, dedicating an area in my home to work in and making daily to do lists that combined my work tasks and things that needed to be accomplished at home. Now, when I say routine, I’m not saying time table. I’m simply saying that you want to create margin in your day for the things that are important. Time to work, time to play, time to eat, and time to relax or connect with loved ones. Just think of what it most important and spilt it into chunks of your day so that you can more easily feel accomplished.

3. Practice self care and reflection

This honestly is something you should try to always incorporate into your life, but it is also something very important to consider incorporating during this unprecedented times. I practice this by journaling, practicing gratitude and reflecting or meditating.

These exercises are great for your mental health and help you keep your priorities in line. Being grateful boosts your attitude and meditation is a great tool for turning your day around!

I find that journaling is a tool that really helps me process my thoughts and emotions. There are some people struggle to journal, so my suggestion is that you just write like you are telling a friend what you did that day. I used to obsess over my journal and over thought every little thing. I would get burnt out quickly and stop writing. But I found that when I let go and just wrote about my day, I was able to keep going. Not only that, but I have records about days in my life to look back on.

Another helpful journaling tip for you: practice brain dumping. Basically, you open to a blank paper, and just write every little thing that comes to mind. There are no wrong answers; just get it all out of your head and onto paper. You will feel better, I promise.

4. Give yourself grace

Seriously people, these really are “unprecedented times”. We all are adapting constantly. You are allowed to be upset. You are allowed to be sad. Go ahead, grieve the things you had planned and didn’t get to do. Then go ahead and turn it around. Because Grace doesn’t mean sulking. Grace means acknowledging your feelings, allowing yourself to feel them and then recognizing you don’t have control, and releasing those emotions. Don’t get stuck!

This is how I’ve been coping. You may find these things don’t work as well for you, and that’s ok. But you have to do something. You can either sit and sulk about all the things we’ve lost over the past 6 months, or you can get back up, and make a difference in your life. Be uncommon. Be different.