Quarantine a Month Later

For me, it still doesn’t feel like prison, but it is becoming more complicated. The distractions from work and claims of what we can do during this time takes us away from what we think needs to be accomplished to what actually needs to be accomplished. Some of those distractions are self-inflicted, whether it be watching shows or playing some sort of video games or scrolling through social media and joining in on useless debates. Other distractions are other-inflicted, in which others need our time and attention. Whatever the distractions are or whatever is occurring around us, the best element that I have discovered in making this quarantine a time to thrive is to take it one step at a time.

I have finally taking the idea of one step at a time to a literal sense in going for an actual walk. Normally, exercise does not create a stress-free environment for me. In fact, sometimes I leave the gym a bit more frustrated, but during this time, going outside of the house and going for an actual walk is a stress relief. I don’t know if it is just getting away or if it is that I’m going around the block and all I can do is think. I have begun to put some elements of what I need to do in order so that I can begin working on tasks when I return to my home.

I’ve attended the young adult book festival in the west this weekend (YALLWEST) online and all of them are giving the statement that everyone needs to give themselves grace. It’s interesting to note that as a Christian, I can accept Jesus’s grace and give grace to others, but I struggle to give myself grace, which in turn reminds me that I need to accept Jesus’s grace. It’s a vicious cycle that I have realized during this time that it is more than a cliché or a cute meme thrown around on social media.

I am still learning to focus on one task at a time. When I teach online, I focus on my teaching, but when it comes to other tasks, I have had to learn to focus on the task and not worry about the tasks I am not completing. I do use a planner. In one of my planners, it asks two questions at the end of each day to write down one thing you are thankful for and one thing you can do to make tomorrow 1% better. Both questions are valuable in that I need to be thankful and I need to do better, even a little bit.

One element that makes me better is connecting with people. Whether it is texting, calling, social media, or Zooming people (beyond my classroom), Bible studies online, or church online, connecting with others is valuable. Whatever is the method, the value of connections with other human beings is vital to this whole process. Surround yourself with people who will tell you the truth in love and will listen when you just need a listening ear. It’s all about focusing on the person I am connecting with at the time and knowing that it is valuable for both of us.  

I’ve realized that I don’t have to do everything in one day or in one week. The only way to complete any task is to take it one step at a time, just like how I put together a lesson plan with each element leading to the next part of the lesson process.

There are tasks that might not get done during this time. They may be tasks that were not meant to be done. Some tasks were done that may not have been expected. We can discover great parts of our homes that we may not have known. I discovered that my desk with a mug of coffee is a great place to write and work.

It isn’t as easy as it looks. My hat goes off to all the homemakers and homeschool parents who have been doing this long before this quarantine. I also realize that if I ever want to work at home, I have a few things to learn from this time. The most important element that I have discovered is that I still have to conquer the time wasters that were always in my life and I have to conquer my flaws. I just have to remember that it is one step at a time.