Maintaining Physical and Mental Health During Social Distancing

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, and similar viruses spread most frequently from person-to-person through close physical contact, usually within about 6 feet. As the pandemic continues to progress, more companies are adhering to recommendations to support social distancing, including canceling events and meetings and implementing business continuity plans with work from home provisions for employees.

If your company has implemented these measures, you may be wondering how best to support your mental and physical health during this evolving situation.

Home Cleanliness
All community members should practice routine cleaning of frequently touched surfaces in their homes to reduce the potential spread of viruses and bacteria. For households with suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19, the CDC recommends daily cleaning and disinfecting of high-touch surfaces in your home’s common areas.

Ergonomics
Consider the ergonomics of your home office setup. Are you adhering to recommendations from OSHA and other resources? Review Ergonomic Tips While Working from Home on our blog for more details.

Healthy Habits
Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep and avoid alcohol.

Take care of your body. Schedule breaks from your work to take deep breaths, stretch or meditate. While many cities are mandating closures of crowded spaces like gyms, consider replacing your usual workouts with at-home versions. You might find that being home gives you more time to work out than usual.

According to Claudia W. Allen, a licensed clinical psychologist, “Exercise has such a positive effect on mood it is actually a prescribed treatment for mild to moderate depression.” Allen, who is also the director of the Family Stress Clinic and the director of behavioral science in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Virginia’s School of Medicine, suggests making exercise a priority on your daily schedule.

Mental Health
The pandemic may be stressful causing fear and anxiety for you or loved ones. It can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in adults and children. Experts at the CDC offer the following tips to battle the possible dip in mood.

• Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including social media. Hearing about the pandemic repeatedly can be upsetting.
• Make time to unwind. Try to do some other activities you enjoy.
• Connect with others. Talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling.

Children and teens can express stress and anxiety in different ways than adults. Look for signs and changes in your children. According to the Red Cross, kids could be fearful that they or their loved ones will get sick. The Red Cross says that it is important to reassure children and talk calmly with them. The reactions of parents can help children recover more quickly.

Ask for Help
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) says reaching out to people you trust is one of the best ways to reduce anxiety, depression, loneliness and boredom during social distancing, quarantine and isolation.

SAMHSA’s Tips for Social Distancing suggest calling, email, text messaging and social media as ways to connect with friends and family. Take advantage of resources like Skype and FaceTime instead of face-to-face get togethers.

Please remember, if you are feeling overwhelmed with emotions such as sadness, depression, anxiety, or feel like you want to harm yourself or someone else, call 911 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK / 1-800-273-8255.

ISN Support
At ISN, the safety and well-being of our customers and employees is our top priority. Our thoughts continue to go out to those who are affected and all who are navigating the challenging circumstances around this situation.

For our contractor / supplier customers, our Customer Service Team remains available 24 hours a day during the business week. Visit our Contact Us page for ways to connect with us. For our Hiring Client customers, please continue to reach out to your Account Representatives for assistance.