Six Questions to Ask Yourself While Isolated

on

Do you or a loved one spend significant time alone on any given day? Right now with the COVID-19 pandemic, most people are practicing social distancing, self-isolation, or complete quarantine. However, even during other times of the year, you or someone you know may not have a great deal of social interaction with others. For example, you may live alone. You might know someone who lives in a nursing home or who is hospitalized. Perhaps you know an introvert who chooses to be alone more than with others. Or maybe in the winter you or your family members become housebound due to weather.

Spending significant time alone does not have to be a bad thing! Although, especially if a person does not wish to be socially isolated, spending time alone can lead to issues such as loneliness. If not dealt with in healthy ways, loneliness may lead to other health problems such as depression. Let's look at some positive things we can do while isolated to be good to our bodies, minds, and souls.

This is a great list of questions a person can ask oneself daily to help keep a healthy body and mind, while experiencing times of social isolation.

1) Who am I checking on or connecting with today? 
  • Am I seeing someone in person? 
  • Can I talk to my family on the telephone?
  • Should I leave a friend a message? 
  • Will I video chat with someone? 
  • Have I sent an email to a loved one? 
  • Will I write a letter?
  • Have I visited or checked in with my neighbor today?
(For creative ideas to connect with others while isolated, see here.
For questions you could ask a person living with dementia via telephone, see here.)

2) How am I getting "outside" today? 
  • Will I physically go somewhere? 
  • Did I take a walk or a bike ride?
  • Have I worked in the garden or swept the front sidewalk?
  • Should I sit outside?
  • Can I watch birds or cars out the window?
  • Have I watered my houseplants or displayed a vase of flowers?
  • Can I look at photos of the outdoors or a nature program on TV?


 3) How am I moving my body today?
  • Will I go for a walk? 
  • Can I attend an exercise class or go to the gym?
  • Should I attempt a new workout video?
  • Have I tried chair yoga?
  • Will I work in the yard?
  • Can I clean or fix something in my room?
  • Did I get out of bed to go to lunch in the dining area?


4) How am I expressing my creativity today?
  • Am I playing music or singing?
  • Have I written in my journal?
  • Will I paint or draw?
  • Can I build something, like a birdhouse?
  • Will I attend an arts and crafts activity?
  • Should I fix something around my home?
  • Can I tell someone a story?


5) What type of self-care am I practicing today?
  • Did I bathe?
  • Can I get dressed, comb my hair, and brush my teeth today?
  • Have I taken my medication on time?
  • Do I have any doctor's appointments I need to attend?
  • Am I eating healthy?
  • Have I gotten enough (but not too much) sleep?
  • Did I meditate?


6) What am I grateful for today?
  • Can I list at least three things I am grateful for?
  • Did I pray and give thanks today?
  • Have I written in my gratitude journal?
  • Did I call or write to thank someone for thinking of me?
  • Have I said thank you to the people around me helping me today?
  • Can I smile or do something to show I am grateful?
  • Did I tell someone else at least one thing that I am thankful for today?


At LifeBio we would love to assist you in making connections with others through MyHelloLine. We can offer suggestions of things you might talk about with your friends and loved ones. We can aid you in creatively writing a biography. We can help you journal your faith, health, gratitude, or other stories. If you start with a free 14-day trial account, we can help you save photos, family trees, videos, and audio recordings. Reach out to see how we can best serve you today! Visit https://www.lifebio.org, call 1-866-543-3246, or email info@lifebio.com today.

Comments

Post a Comment