We’re in tricky times at the moment, and we’re being told to stay home if we can. I, along with many other disabled people – have experience of this. So I thought I’d use this post to share my tips.

As some of you may know, I at times have to stay at home due to breaking bones regularly and needing to rest. On a bad break it could be between 4-6 weeks of being at home. I know that for a lot of people, it’s daunting to imagine being isolated for that long. So here are some things to consider if you’re preparing to isolate or socially distance.

You may not settle straight away

Any change can be daunting, imagining the same situation for more than a few days is hard. So don’t put pressure on yourself to adjust straight away and be singing with the birds like snow white whilst doing housework. It can take a few days to really find your flow and what works for you. But remember, your day is naturally full of ups and downs and this will be no different. Don’t expect to be 100% chilled everyday. 

Find a routine that suits you

As we know, we’re all different. You have some people who like to get up at 5am and do all the chores before 9am. If you are that person, wow. Some people are more alert in the afternoon and evening. If that’s you – ease yourself in and do gentle jobs in the morning. Remember, if someone was working in an office, you wouldn’t be productive every second. That goes for being at home too. And remember, if you are ill and not feeling up to doing much, rest is productive too!

Find joy in the little things 

I know this sounds a bit “ere we go” but I love to take comfort in little things I enjoy. Like a nice bath, a hot chocolate or a favourite snack. When I’m at home, for me it makes me really tune into my surroundings and try and take time for these. There’s no joy in constantly trying to be productive. I’m slowly learning that one!

Practice saying how you’re really feeling 

In the days of whats app and facebook messenger, I think it’s really easy to get into that robotic convo of “hey, how are you?” and replying “yeah good thanks, you?”. In these times we may not be feeling 100%. Find a trusted friend and expand that reply. Sometimes letting it out really helps, and allows the other person to be honest too. 

Concentrate on the now

In the first stage of breaking a bone I used to stress and think, what about that party in two weeks? I need to get back to school or work…

It’s really easy (and natural) to worry in these situations. When are things going to go back to normal? How bad is it going to get? And right now, we don’t really know enough. In order to protect yourself, try and keep your mind active and focus on the now. Even if that’s just the next hour.

Speaking of, I’m off to make a hot chocolate. Yum. Hope everyone’s doing as well as they can. If you’d like to chat on social media, contact me! Let me know how you’re feeling about it all, are you all set up for isolation or trying to carry on as much as you can?

Gem x