Don’t worry, I’m not about to give you a lesson in astrobiology, in fact I’m not about to give a lesson in anything. I’m not even going to tell you to wash your hands. I’m just going to offer my perspective on how we as a family, living in Hong Kong are dealing with the current situation and share some of my thoughts and links to relevant articles that might be helpful to you at this time.
Wherever we are in the World, life has changed for a while and whether you are staying at home or just physically distancing yourself, we have all seen some disruption to our normal routine. I’ve always tried to approach life in a very practical manner so have been looking for actionable steps to adapt and create new routines to not only get us through this situation, but to come out of it with more resilience and skills.
Most of us have been living in a comfortable world up until now. Of course, life has its challenges, some of which are deeply distressing, but for most of us our stress response system has been called into action like never before by the most challenging situation any of us have had to face. In some shape or form this is affecting us all, whether it be mentally, financially, socially or physically.
We are experiencing unfamiliar times, uncertain times, with no idea how long this is going to last. It’s no good speculating on what may or may not happen so the only choice we have, as I see it, is to focus on what we can control and not on what we can not.
Frightened is a word, scared is a word, afraid is a word. They become feelings when you allow yourself to believe them. Inconvenient is a word, challenging is a word, uncomfortable is a word. Without trying to detract from the seriousness of the situation, I am choosing to reframe the circumstances by refusing to invest any of my time on the things I can’t control in favour of making use of it in the most productive and helpful way I can.
So how do we go about figuring out this new norm?
It’s important to know who to talk to, what to listen to, what to read about and who to take advice from. This is not easy where for every credible source of information, there are at least twenty more from negative thinkers and sensationalist news reporting. It’s important to stay informed, but overconsumption and constant updates tend to fuel anxiety and create unnecessary fear.
I have chosen to educate myself about the new developments on COVID 19 using John Hopkins University as my main source of information. It’s also been important to stay up to date with what is going on in Hong Kong specifically from Government Press conferences, from my school community and also any developments in the UK considering the rest of my family lives there.
Prioritise – what do you value the most?
Everyone’s perspective and way of dealing with this will be different. This could be dependent on where you are in the world, your age/health condition and that of your family members or friends, if you are self isolating, the support system you have around you, your mental state, the size of your home and many other considerations. Much of what I am able to do will not be possible for others but it’s important to have your own personal priorities.
Here in Hong Kong we are still able to go out and about and have not been given any restrictions as to where we can and can not go. At the time of writing this, public transport, although we generally avoid it, is running as normal and all shops and restaurants are still open. We don’t tend to venture too far from home though and usually end up on the same walking route every day. Spending time in green space and bringing nature into our everyday lives has made us feel more relaxed and definitely relieved any feelings of stress and frustration. .It has also been so nice to bump into many of the students I teach as we haven’t been at school now since January 22nd! The walk just so happens to end up at M&S Food so that’s an added bonus.
The most important thing for me is that we all continue to look after ourselves, physically, mentally and emotionally despite being knocked out of our usual routine. The way we eat has not altered a great deal as we have still been able to shop each day for fresh food in the same shops we usually go to. In fact, my two daughters have been preparing their own lunches so at the same time as learning some new kitchen skills, they have been eating more nutrient dense meals than they would have been doing had they been eating in the school canteen. It’s also been so nice to sit down and have lunch together on week days.
*FOOD – Do you have enough stock to keep you going for at least two weeks? At the last count we had 24 eggs, 5 avocados, butter, sauerkraut and lots of vegetables in the fridge, plenty of fish, meat and frozen berries in the freezer, 6 tins of sardines, almond butter, marmite, oats, nuts and numerous bars of dark chocolate in the cupboard, so between four of us, probably not. Time for another shop tomorrow I think. I could however, live quite well on our plentiful supplies of greens powders, mushroom elixirs, bone broth, collagen powder psyllium, chia seeds and coconut oil if I had to.
*EXERCISE – From Yoga wheels and blocks to pull up bars, a TRX, 6D sliders, kettle bells and weights, we have no shortage of things to keep us flexible, active, mobile and strong. Exercise is of course also a classic anxiety reducing activity. Click on this link to access many online platforms you can use for inspiration and instruction. Hopefully, you will form a new habit that will continue long after this is over. Don’t forget to exercise your mind and creative side. Documentaries, audio and written books, podcasts, TED talks, puzzles, games, artwork, dance, sing and play musical instruments. In addition, our emotional brain is very responsive to the creative arts and is a direct portal for release of feeling.
‘Fivelements’ yoga and meditation centre has also been providing us with some much needed mindfulness training and a different type of movement than we are used to. We have joined a variety of classes and attended virtually every day/evening which has certainly had a positive effect on our minds and bodies.
Other methods I have tried and tested over the years and now use regularly to keep my body and mind as ‘healthy’ as I can range from intermittent and longer periods of fasting, cold therapy, individualised nutrition, the use of essential oils and supplements and more recently the practice of breathwork.
You can watch a short, mindful breathing exercise video on YouTube from Every Mind Matters or read about ‘Self Care’ and practising Wellness by clicking on the links.
Working from home
Schools have been closed for nearly nine weeks now here in Hong Kong so working from home is the new normal. Two teachers and two students, that’s four different classrooms and four very different lessons so it’s been very important for us to all have our own personal work space. I have long since dropped any expectations of keeping our apartment in a constant state of order and of us meeting demands in some other areas of our lives. If my girls fall behind with their school work or want a day away from their screens then this does not concern me. I want them to be happy, positive and have time for other activities aside from their academics. School is so much more than learning facts and information and they are definitely the aspects they have been missing. We obviously can not replace these but we can allocate time to other activities to relieve some of the pressure that has come from being confined to the same space all day. We have been fortunate that they have been very independent and taken the online learning in their stride and that the provision their teachers have made under the circumstances has been excellent but, it’s still not the same. Lucky for them they have two PE teachers at home to do their workouts with.
We have focused on sharing a huge amount of positivity in our home. Wanting things to be different is unproductive so it’s been an important part of our day to discuss all of the good things that have presented themselves as a result of this situation. It has had a massive impact on our mood each day. We have laughed a lot. I’m so grateful for this time we have had together as a family. It won’t be long before all of this is just a memory and the girls will have left school and home. Despite the reason why we have been given this time, I’m not going to feel guilty for enjoying it and nor should you.
What am I doing?
I’ve always been a huge advocate of self improvement and invest in many areas of my life especially with regard to upgrading my body, mind and lifestyle. So, the coaching course I started last week with the Human Potential Institute which will give me the knowledge and skills to be able to coach in multiple domains:life, health, performance, and personal development could not have come at a better time. With cutting edge insights from positive psychology, nutrition, neuroscience and human potential development, it’s definitely going to keep my brain occupied. When I signed up last year, I was wondering how I was going to fit in the extra six hours a week commitment over the next ten months, so this situation has afforded me this time. Of course I would have found a way, but this makes it easier for me to manage now.
My job as a teacher thankfully means that I’m still able to continue to work even if it is in a totally different capacity. PE teaching can not be replicated in an individual context so the whole concept has had to change. That’s certainly not been a bad thing though and it’s focus has shifted to a more wellbeing, fitness and lifestyle approach. So much creativity and new technology skills have been developed and it’s definitely raised some questions as to how things could change to incorporate the old and the new to better prepare our students to go it alone in this ever changing World. Just like the book ‘The Obstacle is the Way’ focuses on the concept of turning obstacles into opportunities to get better, stronger, tougher, we need to see this as the perfect time to do this too. I’m looking forward to interesting discussions when we return to school regarding many of the things the whole community has learnt and can change for the better.
So from designing and filming their own fitness workouts, playing Fitness Bingo, preparing healthy snacks/meals, learning new skills challenges, listening to wellbeing podcasts to accompany their walks, completing a lifestyle analysis project and much more, the students have been exposed to a totally different experience to what they are used to. It’s been so rewarding for us too to see a new dimension and skill set in some of our students.
Here are some of the links I have sent to my students.
Teenage podcasts , Screen time, Technology, Exercise, Mindfulness, Inactivity, Happiness, Learn a new Skill
Having a ‘Things to do list’
Remember all the things you never did quite get round to or the things you put off because you said you didn’t have time? Well, now might be your chance to do all of those things. If we do ever get to the stage here in Hong Kong where we do have to stay at home then these are the things that will making it to the top of my list. No more excuses.
- Try having a clear out. A declutter. Start by watching the Marie Kondo series on Netflix or read her book ‘The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up’ It certainly inspired me a few years ago and I can’t begin to describe the difference it made. As well as a clear out of physical possessions, you could also have a digital clear out. Get rid of any old files and apps you don’t use, upgrade your software, update all your passwords or clear out your inboxes.
- Write letters, make phone calls, send messages, have a coffee over FaceTime. ‘Social distancing’ doesn’t seem like the right terminology to use, in fact ironically, this has brought me more social contact, albeit from a distance. I’ve been in touch with people in the last few weeks I haven’t spoken to in years! Remember, you might have plenty to occupy yourself with and people to talk to but others may not have that luxury.
- Find ways of helping others. There are many ways of offering your support to those around you who may be struggling with this situation. I’ve heard so many inspiring stories of people sacrificing, donating and supporting others in miraculous ways.
- Learn a new skill or take up a new hobby. Persistance is the key to success in many areas of life. It’s valuable to remind ourselves that small efforts every day add up, patience can be practised and to focus on the path, not just the destination and enjoy the process.
Recognise your feelings and thoughts
However you are dealing with this, remember it is okay to feel sad, angry and anxious. You need to acknowledge and voice your feelings and emotions to help you to externalise the stress and anxiety into clearer thoughts rather than bottling it up. Go back to thinking about what you can control and what you can not. While in some ways coronavirus is isolating, it is worth remembering that it’s a shared global experience and it will end. Everybody is being affected to different degrees, everybody’s in it together and we are all just trying to get through it in the best way we can.
And when this does end, there must be some construction to come from the destruction. The key feature here is to find the lesson and ask the following questions. What needs to change: in ourselves, our homes, our schools, our communities and our World?
Take care. Stay well