SF Bay Area was the first to institute shelter in place restrictions that began on March 17th and will continue through at least May 3rd. .So what does it mean to “shelter in place?”
The order requires residents to stay home except for certain “essential” activities, which include buying food, seeking medical care, and outdoor exercise. “Essential businesses,” like pharmacies, grocery stores, laundromats, gas stations, and banks will remain open, and public transit services will continue to run. (For the full official list of essential activities and essential businesses, see the announcement from the Office of the Mayor.)
All gatherings (both private and public) of any number of people occurring outside a household or living unit are prohibited. When you do leave your home for essential activities, you must stay at least six feet away from anyone not in your household. You already know this, but let’s say it again. The purpose of this order is to enforce social distancing, with the goal of slowing the spread of COVID-19 virus. Because those infected with the virus may be asymptomatic, we need to practice social distancing to protect our most vulnerable population. By slowing the spread, we can “flatten the curve” so that hospitals can handle the influx of COVID-19 cases. I came across an article on the Washington Post that visually shows how an outbreak can spread exponentially, and how social distancing measures can truly flatten the curve. If you like science and nicely designed visual simulations, check this out!
Great Job SF!
flatten that curve
So what do we do now?
The world today is facing an uncertain immediate future that changes each day. Who would have thought as we made our 2020 toasts that we would now be facing a world pandemic? What will the world look like a year from now? Many of us may be worried about illness, our relatives, or finances. And as we continue sheltering in place, we may begin to feel claustrophobic or sedentary or be faced with feelings of fear, anxiety, isolation, and loneliness. Try your best to use this time to strengthen relationships, tap into your creativity, and improve your health. I urge you to look inward, and encourage your empathy, compassion, groundedness, strength, and resilience.
Here are some ideas on how to shelter in place with grace:
1. Socialize, from a distance. Enjoy the sunshine and have an outdoor picnic with a friend on a separate blanket, six feet apart. Or have dinner with a neighbor on your respective front steps or porch, at least six feet apart.
2. Party time! Plan a virtual happy hour, dinner party, or dance party with friends, using Zoom or Facetime. Try to virtually connect and see the faces of different family and friends each day. Join a virtual book club. Here’s a photo of my 3.5 yr-old daughter having her morning “conference call” circle time with her preschool classmates.
3. Tap into your inner foodie. Now is a great time to dust off the covers of your beautiful cookbooks and try a new recipe. One of my favorites is Jerusalem: A Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi (swoon). In fact, I’m planning to make “Chicken With Caramelized Onion and Cardamom Rice” this week.
4. Step it up! Exercise and fresh air is beneficial for both your mind and body. Walking, hiking, or running outside is permitted, providing that you maintain at least six feet of distancing. Soak up some vitamin D from the sun and visit places you haven’t been to in a while - when was the last time you walked up to Sutro Tower? Here is a collection of urban stairway walks, some that are less known than others.
5. Adopt an in-home exercise practice. Even a short exercise routine daily will keep you physically healthy by promoting circulation and help alleviate mental stress by releasing endorphins. Try at-home fitness videos or subscribe to online classes. Glo.com is a wonderful online resource that provides guided yoga, meditation, and pilates classes. And here is a list of fitness studios offering virtual work-out classes.
6. Spring cleaning. Now is a good time as any to tackle some cleaning and organizing. Since we are spending more time at home, a clean home may give you more sense of calm and control during these unpredictable times.
7. Find your green thumb. Gardening can be calming and therapeutic. Try growing an outdoor vegetable or herb garden. March is a good time to plant cool weather vegetables like chard, broccoli, kale, spinach, carrots, and peas. In April, you can start planting warm weather vegetables like beans, cucumbers, squash, and tomatoes. If you don’t have outdoor gardening space, try growing plants from seed indoors or make a terrarium. Just two weeks ago I sprouted snap peas and planted them in a pot, and they are growing!
8. Make a list. Of all the things you’ve been wanting to do but haven’t made time for. This list can include books, podcasts, an instructional course or continuing education class, journaling, scrapbooking, etc.
9. Spark a little joy. Take 5-10 minutes a day to breathe, stretch, and remember the things in which you are grateful. Try writing down 1 thing you are grateful for each morning. Get creative with how you display these (I’m planning to make a mobile) or simply keep a list. Do little things to brighten your day and stay positive, and pass it on. Say a friendly hello to both neighbors and strangers when you see them in passing. Decorate your windows, hang fairy lights from your trees. Last week my daughter and I filled the sidewalk with chalk art and giant hopscotch boards. I was surprised at all the compliments and conversations it sparked, and seeing passersbys hopscotching past our sidewalk brought me joy!
Life as we know it has been turned upside down, shifting our perspectives and existing paradigms. We are forced to adapt and creatively problem-solve. I have suddenly become a stay-at-home mom (pun intended), which has been exhausting, but rewarding at the same time. These times of hardship challenge us and also provide an opportunity to stay true to our values. Let’s remain hopeful and support each other. A reminder that we, the practitioners at Double Happiness Health, are here for you and offering telehealth consultations with nutritional, herbal and self care advice. Book your telehealth session here. We’re in this together!