Kate Park, a Behavioral Therapist at Tucker Health in Singapore, talks about keeping yourself positive in unusual circumstances.
One way to create calm and positivity, is to build a routine. Your usual daily routine, which probably looked something like breakfast, kids out the door, gym time, shower, work/volunteer, kids home from school, dinnertime, family time, and finally sleep, is probably out the door. However, because routines represent security and predictability, it's important to develop a new one.
Start by ensuring that your daily anchors—waking and sleeping times—remain consistent.This gives some shape to your day. Next, figure out when you prefer your mealtimes. Try shutting down your screen and eating lunch at regular time during the day. Maybe you can eat a little earlier in the evening because you’re not shuttling kids between activities or working late at the office. Having set mealtimes, helps you resist the non-stop snacking when you’re at home. Snacking causes routine disruption by changing your blood sugar levels, which impact your energy and sleep cycles.
And, try adding one more thing to your routine—a simple gratitude mediation. In the morning, before you reach for your phone or tablet, take a minute to lie in bed and think about things you are grateful for. Add a new or different one each day. It will keep you on track and start your day in positive way.