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Is there a silver lining to all the huge adjustments you've made in your life?
By Diane Quintana — Written on May 08, 2020
Have you thought about what changes to your daily routine you will decide to keep once social distancing ends? Everyone has made changes in how they live their lives during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
Think about it. you've had to make considerable changes to every aspect of your life, including your daily routines. Are some changes worth keeping?
I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. From everything I’ve read and heard on the news, it seems like things will start opening up in the next month or two. And for that, I’m eternally grateful.
I want to have something to look forward to. In anticipation of this, I thought I’d share some of the changes I plan to keep.
Here are 5 positive changes to your daily routine that are worth keeping after quarantine ends.
1. Greeting people.
Think about how you greet someone you’re meeting.
I have never been one to rush in and give someone a hug, unless I know the person well. I reserve hugs and kisses for family or friends I know really well.
A handshake has always been my preferred method of greeting. Now, though, I am planning on adopting the yogi greeting: "Namaste."
This greeting places your hands in front of your heart’s center as if in prayer before you bow your head toward your hands. It’s a very simple and nice greeting gesture.
Do you think you will change how you greet people, or will you keep your preferred way of greeting?
2. Keeping in touch.
This time of social distancing has impressed upon me — and, hopefully, on you — the importance of keeping in touch with family and friends.
In the past, I would sometimes think of calling a friend or a family member and then get busy doing something and promptly forget to follow through on that thought.
These days with hours to fill, I have been in touch with almost everyone nearly every week. I caught up on what they have been doing and filled them in on my life.
Additionally, I was checking up on them. Hoping and praying to hear that everyone was staying healthy. I realized just how much I value these people and don’t want to lose that closeness.
When I resume activities outside my home, I will right-size my life and change how I structure my time, so I can keep in touch with the people I value.
How about you? Have you renewed some friendships or reestablished connections with family members? Is that a change you want to keep in a post-crisis world?
3. Change in routine.
With nowhere to go first thing in the morning, my days have had a slightly slower start.
I love to start my day by walking my dogs. I find that the morning walks provide a great start to my day. I used to walk before dawn so I could get my morning walk in before doing my chores, checking my mail, and dashing off to an appointment.
Well, things have changed.
I’m loving walking in the morning when I can see where I’m going. My dogs don’t seem to mind a slightly later start. My day also starts a little slower. I don’t rush through my morning routine so that I can get to my desk.
This is a change in my routine that I will absolutely keep. I know that once things get moving again, I will have appointments to schedule. Since I’m the one who organizes my day, I’ll just plan to keep this more relaxed morning timing because it makes me happy. When I’m happy and relaxed, I accomplish more.
How has your routine changed? Are there things about the current routine that you love? Are there elements in the change of routine that you want to keep?
4. Right-size your life.
This time of social distancing or isolation has given me plenty of time to think.
I’m a busy person. I like to be involved and have projects in motion. I’ve realized during this forced slow down of activities that I’m actually happier when I’m focusing more of my energy on just a few projects, instead of multiples.
There have been countless opportunities this past month to engage in work-related Zoom calls and participate in classes. I have done my fair share, but only when they applied to a project I already had in motion.
Picking and choosing in this respect has put more balance in my life.
There are plenty of activities I will welcome back into my life once social distancing ends and others that I won’t. These are changes for me to keep.
Recognizing that I was over-scheduled and over-committed is a blessing. I don’t think I would have come to this conclusion had it not been forced on me. Downsizing the things in which I engage is going to rightsize my life. I know I will be able to accomplish more by being involved in fewer activities.
Have you given this any thought? Are there any activities or things in which you had previously participated that you’re going to let go?
5. Changes in your family's routine.
Families have had to make so many adjustments. Parents are working from home, or not working for now. Children are out of school but taking classes online and daycare is closed — for now.
Some children have been sharing computers with their parents or siblings. Some parents are learning how hard teachers work. Other parents are learning how to entertain toddlers. These have been learning situations for all involved.
Have the families grown closer? Are there some changes in routine these families will keep?
Since there are no other friends around to play with, maybe siblings have grown closer or have developed a better appreciation for each other.
The children have more time for imaginative free play and time to do their lessons for school.
With no after-school activities, maybe children are involved in doing some household chores or helping to prepare dinner. And, then, eating dinner together as a family.
So, friends, fill me in. Will you be right-sizing your life or making some changes to your routine as a result of this enforced social isolation?
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Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer, and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people affected by ADD, Hoarding, and chronic disorganization.
This article was originally published at dnqsolutions.com/blog. Reprinted with permission from the author.