Social Self Care While Social Distancing

The last couple of weeks has been particularly tough for all of us. The current global health crisis has postponed our social lives as we know it because of social distancing rules being heavily enforced. While we fully understand it's all for the greater good, that does not stop us from craving our customary forms of socialization. As humans we all have societal needs, no matter where in the world we are, whatever our culture may be, the need for social interaction is universal as it is necessary for our psychological well being. It is imperative to take care of social needs as social association is also important for our physical and mental health. Despite the fact that we are unable to enjoy our regular interactive hobbies which may include going to the beach, travelling, going to the movies or having a drink with friends, social distancing does not have to mean we're subject to complete social isolation. Having a social life and socializing is still possible during this pandemic and I strongly believe it's even more crucial at this time since we are all negatively affected by this issue.

Some ways we can socialize with family members while quarantined together are:

• Play board games together- What better way to encourage communication and negotiation while having fun? Board games require critical thinking and problem solving skills and are a great way to get children to learn those abilities without making it seem like a chore. Side note: don't be that person who flips the whole Monopoly board when you realize you're losing.

• Watch a movie together- Having an at home theatre night is relatively inexpensive, we don't need to go out to the movies to have the cinema experience. Get some popcorn going or maybe even some chicken and fries, put on a movie and just sit back and enjoy the show.

• Start a garden together- Self sufficiency is being promoted now more than ever, start a backyard garden and have something to look forward to together. The best part is you're going to be eating what you plant in the end.

• Spend time outdoors- Go outside, walk around, take in some fresh air. Don't be afraid to let the kids get dirty, it's good for them to take a break from the screen sometimes and get down to the things we used to do as children such as rolling in the grass and playing in mud.

• Cook together- Cooking, especially when trying new recipes can be so enjoyable when you have someone to share the anticipation with. And again..you get to eat what you make..are we seeing a pattern here?

We also have to maintain relationships with the people we are socially distanced from such as extended family members and friends. Some of you may live alone or quite possibly in a toxic family situation. We can do things like:

• Phoning a friend- Whether it's just to check up on someone or to talk out your stress, vent or to share a joke, making a simple phone call is sometimes all you need to get a break from everything that's currently happening.

• Take full advantage of Zoom- There's a reason why Zoom is probably the most popular video conferencing platform right now, people are not just using it for work related conferencing. From hosting church services, virtual classes, Friday happy hour to birthday parties, Zoom is getting full use since people are finding creative ways to utilize it according to their collective interests.

• Use easily accessible mobile apps- Features like FaceTime as well as apps like Whatsapp and Facebook conveniently offer video calling from the palm of your hands. There's no need to be lonely while social distancing when you can call up a friend via video chat to cook together, clean, watch tv, do your makeup together, or who knows what else...the possibilities are endless.

• Interactive online games- There's nothing people like more than some good friendly competition. Ok, there is- free food, but anyway... Whether it's Fortnite, Sims 4 or Words With Friends, playing interactive games with friends is a great way to stay connected while sharing a common interest.

• Join an Instagram Live- It does not matter what your interests are, creators, businesses and regular users all over the platform are using Instagram live to connect with people. Make a cup of coffee and link up with your favourite brands, YouTubers or bloggers, you can even hop on a Dj's live and take in some good music while cleaning or just chilling.

Seeing how creative people got with maintaining social interaction while in quarantine made me realize how instinctive it is for us as humans to naturally seek out association with others. We will definitely hold on to these small efforts for now while we await the lifting of bans, opening of borders and until we can see each other again. With that being said, what have you guys been doing to promote social self care while social distancing?

---

#SocialSelfCare #SelfCare #SocialDistancing #StayingConnected #CaribbeanBlogger #TriniBlogger #LifestyleBlogger #SaidBySue