LiveWell Now!
Best practices for social distancing
  1. Mindfulness: Prioritize mindfulness.
  2. Find balance: Instead of texting a friend or family member, call them.
  3. Stay active: Invite friends to join you for a virtual workout.
  4. Social distancing: Check out this week’s LiveWell Now! for a deep dive on social distancing.
  5. Hydration: Don’t wait until you're thirsty to drink water.
  6. Healthy meals: Make half your plate fruits and veggies.
  7. Family time: Do chores together!
  8. Balancing work with kids at home: Create a family calendar.
  9. Stay safe in the sun: Use broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 and reapply at least every two hours. Ensure to apply after swimming and sweating as well.
  10. Transition back to the office: Take advantage of your commute by listening to an information podcast, audio to learn a new language, or to talk with a coworker. 
Let’s take a deeper dive into social distancing!
Social Distancing

Social distancing is the practice of increasing the physical space between people to help slow down or reduce the spread of an infectious disease. In the case of COVID-19, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that people of all ages practice social distancing to mitigate the spread of the disease. 

Some ways to practice social distancing include staying six-feet apart from other individuals, regular hand washing, and avoid hand shaking or hugs. The reason for maintaining a six-foot distance between people is because droplets from a person’s sneeze or cough may be carrying the virus and infect someone nearby. Keeping a distance helps minimize the chances of getting infected with, or spreading the virus.

Information derived from pfizer.com

Maintaining strong relationships during social distancing

Positivity
The best thing we can do right now is remain positive when the news and continual updates can increase your feelings of anxiety and stress. This is why it is important to find time in your day to connect with someone and share a positive story or sentiment. 
 
Openness
Openness refers to maintaining transparency with others when discussing relationships, your feelings, and many other topics. This can feel awkward over the phone, but you can leverage video calls to foster connection through nonverbal cues, self-expression, and the practice of active listening. So, if you have the option, a video call is always the best way to practice openness and truly connect with others. And, remember the basics of active listening: eye contact, nodding of the head, or verbal encouragement.
 
Assurances
Often people feel confident that their family and friends know that they love them. This means that many people don't take the time to tell their family and friends that they love and appreciate them. In times of social isolation, take a moment and provide your loved ones with assurances of appreciation and admiration.
 
Tasks
Ensure that all parties in any relationship or friendship share the task of contributing to the relationship. For example, share the task of deciding who will call or text first so that this burden isn’t only taken on by one person in the relationship. Take this a step further by sharing all tasks—this can mean alternating who plans the next event or activity, even if it’s a simple quarantine Happy Hour! 
 
Networks
Shared networks tend to exist among families because, as a family, you likely know a lot of the same people. Knowing the same network of people gives you a deeper connection. If you have networks that are at a distance, this is a perfect time to reconnect virtually.Take the lead as a connector in your network by facilitating connections inside and outside of your network.This a great to expand and enrich your group. For example, connecting your friends and family to someone in one of your other networks who is able to share tips on finding balance while working remotely is a great way to leverage your diverse networks and support others!
 
Information derived from psychologytoday.com
Activities for social distancing

  1. Learn a new language: Now is the perfect time to learn a new language that you've always had an interest in learning. YouTube and Duolingo are excellent resources that can assist you in learning a new language.
  2. Cook a new recipe: One of the biggest obstacles in cooking is finding time to experiment in the kitchen. Now that many are at home practicing social distancing, you have the opportunity to try new recipes and build memories in the kitchen with our families or roommates.
  3. Start or join a virtual book club: Connect with other people through your passion for books. A book club doesn’t have to meet in person. You can use social media platforms and video chat technology to host or participate in a virtual book club.
  4. Write a letter or send a card to a loved one: Writing letters and sending cards via snail mail used to be a norm; this is a great time to bring back those practices. All you need is a paper, pen, and a stamp!
  5. Watch a movie or show together: While you can’t physically be in the same space with your friends or extended family members, you can connect with them virtually. Pick a movie or T.V. show to watch, and reconvene with your friends to discuss at a pre-designated time.
  6. Have a virtual dinner: Eating dinner with your friends and family seems to be the most missed activity in society. But, it’s 2020 and you can get creative by hosting a virtual dinner party! Set up your dinner, drinks, turn on your camera and engage in a meaningful evening rich in conversation and laughter.
  7. Camp in the living room: Create some adventure in your home by camping out in the living room. Bring your favorite pillow, stories, and snacks and enjoy the bonding time with family!
  8. Do a scavenger hunt: This can be a great educational activity for children to learn and have fun while doing it! There are plenty of resources online to help you build your own at home.
  9. Learn something new together: Reflect on a topic that you are passionate about and find a community online, or within your networks, where you can learn more on this topic virtually. Examples of something new you can learn include cooking, sewing, car mechanics, DIY home projects, or knitting! You can use a website like SkillShare or find free tutorials on YouTube.
  10. Listen to podcasts or audio books: This is the perfect time to binge your favorite podcasts, explore new ones, or dive into a great audio book! Don’t forget to share your favorites with your friends and families and learn which ones they love.

Information adapted from kvue.com and psychologytoday.com
Thank you for reading LiveWell Now! If you are trying any of these wellness tips or know of any that we can share, tag us on social media with photos of how you and your family are staying healthy @GoWellnessAtoZ using the hashtags #LiveWellNow.