The coronavirus pandemic has created difficult and uncertain times locally and around the world and with the interruptions to school and work life, it has greatly changed family routines and dynamics as well.
With individuals often finding themselves at home, the Ohio Department of Health representatives are urging individuals to cope with these times by setting a schedule for themselves and their families, including by some of the following tips:
• Find an online template or app that provides a way to list activities for every hour of the day or make one of your own. Schedule something at least every hour.
• Establishing times for waking up, meals and snacks, going to bed, and sleeping.
• Getting ready for the day, bath or shower, brush your teeth, get dressed.
• Setting start and end times for activities like hobbies, meditating, self-care, taking walks, bicycling, other exercise, making phone calls or video conferencing with friends or family, social media activity, reading, playing games, walking/playing with pets, music, cooking, gardening or yard work, watching TV, journaling, movie time, and other leisure activities.
• Routine and schedule are especially important for children and help them feel a sense of stability, security and structure. Set consistent start and end times for schooling or education. If possible, find out how your child’s school organizes the day and frame your schedule in a similar way. Set times for chores, crafts, snacks, music, play, and naps or relaxation.
• If working from home, set hours similar to those worked on site. Create a space in your home for work activities, preferably away from distractions. If possible, make it a space you can get away from when you are not on the clock. Schedule time for meals and breaks.
• Making sure everyone gets some alone time.
• Keeping any essential medical or mental health appointments. Try telehealth when available and appropriate.
• Build in time for helping neighbors and others, such as doing their yardwork or dropping off meals, baked goods, groceries, medications, or mail at the doorstep. Look for other ways to safely volunteer.
• Scheduling time to go out for necessities. Try to do this once a week or less and pick a non-peak time.
The Mental Health, Drug & Alcohol Services Board of Logan and Champaign Counties also this week is offering a MHDAS Stay-At-Home Team Challenge, with activities posted each day to the agency’s Facebook page.
“We will be sharing daily Mental Health activities that you can enjoy with your whole family and family friendly healthy recipes,” representatives said. “All activities will be things that can be done from the comfort of your own home, or outside, while still practicing safe social distancing.”
Participants are encouraged to post and share their pictures each day, and one family will be chosen at the end of the week to receive a Free Mental Health gift basket from the MHDAS Board.
Monday’s challenge was going outside for at least 20 minutes — whether in your yard, on your porch or talking a walk. The post also denoted a number of benefits of being outdoors, including helping fight depression and anxiety, lowering blood pressure, helps eliminate fatigue, improve focus, reducing inflammation and walking in nature to improve short-term memory.
Tuesday’s challenge was to take a virtual field trip as a family, such as online viewing of an aquarium, a zoo, a Smithsonian museum, a dinosaur exhibit or touring a beautiful garden.
In addition to the daily challenges, the MHDAS Board denoted that TCN Behavioral Health is continuing to provide best practice services to clients during the current circumstances.
TCN has expanded its service options in telehealth, which include providing treatment services to clients by telemedicine/telephone, WebEx, Facetime, or voice calling as permitting. Clients are able to receive services while minimizing health risk to both clients and staff.
For the most up-to-date information, visit the organization’s website at www.tcn.org.
Individuals experiencing anxiety related to the coronavirus pandemic are encouraged to call the disaster distress helpline at (800) 985-5990 (1-800-846-8517 TTY); to connect with a trained counselor through the Ohio Crisis Text Line by texting the keyword “4HOPE” to 741 741; or to call the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services help line at (877) 275-6364 to find resources in their community.