The New Normal
Originally written March 31, 2020
Obviously things are not normal right now. Working retail, my schedule was never completely consistent before all this COVID-19 stuff, but now, after our stores shut down, my days are wide open to however I’d like to spend them. That’s fun but also a little daunting. My mom always says change is hard until you find your “new normal,” so I have been working on finding a “new normal” routine that works for me. I’m trying to balance being productive but also still have lazy days; I’m trying to take each day as it comes. Even though each day looks different, I am trying to keep a general structure to my days in order to minimize stress and enable me to be a little more productive. It gives me a feeling of control, reliability, and routine, which is what I am craving during this crazy time.
My day typically looks something like this:
Wake up around 9
Post positive content on Instagram
Work out (yoga, pilates, or going for a run)
Shower
Make breakfast
Post on my finsta
Do some writing or something productive (paying my taxes, applying for jobs, etc.)
Have lunch
Do something lethargic (watch tv usually or a movie)
Go for a walk or get out of the house
Make dinner or work on a project while my roommates make dinner
Eat dinner and clean up
Leisure activity (usually with my roommates)
Bedtime around midnight
Part of my everyday routine before COVID-19 was listening to my podcasts on my daily commute to and from work. I have about three that I listen to consistently every week, and then about four others that I listen to on and off. Without my commute, I have been getting behind on my favorite podcasts! I have been trying to go on more walks and listen to my podcasts that way, but my walks simply do not last long enough to listen to ALL of my regular podcasts. To combat this, I have been listening to them while I do miscellaneous mindless tasks in my room (ie. making my bed, putting on moisturizer, getting dressed, editing Instagram posts, etc.). I have also been starting to listen to them before bed which has been a nice way to wind down.
Some new things I have been doing:
A lot more walks!
More drives (it’s nice to see the city so empty)
Watching more movies with my roommates after dinner
Playing D&D with my roommates
Being aware to be kinder to myself and feel my feelings (I had a weekend where I cried so much)
Things I am doing more of that have been helping me feel somewhat normal:
More reading and writing
Pilates and yoga (trying to move my body every day has been really helpful for me right now)
Making breakfast for myself (this brings me a lot of joy, I’m not sure why)
If you want more content to listen to during your walks, or just want to know what podcasts I listen to, here you go:
-Girls Gotta Eat
-Call Her Daddy
-GRL Vibes Only
-Inside Trader Joe’s
-Crime Junkie
-Viall Files
-The Getaway Podcast
-The Daily (although I’ve been staying away from this lately)
-Pod Save America (also been trying to stay away recently)
Cheers to the new normal and finding ways to stabilize and ground yourself.