Finding the silver lining amid the chaos.

Yes, coronavirus is bad. Yes, many of us are panicking. Yes, we will get through this.

First and foremost, try not to panic. I know — easier said than done. My anxiety level this week is inching into the red zone. The declaration by the WHO of coronavirus as a global pandemic is leaving most of us feeling somewhere between scared and terrified. We are experiencing an abrupt upheaval of our routines, our livelihoods, and the daily things we rely upon for stability. We are asking questions like — Do I have enough food in the house? Am I going to be paid if I have to take time off from work? Will my kid’s learning be derailed if schools are closed? Will my kids get sick? Will someone I love get sick or worse? Will I get sick? How long will I be stuck at home? Will the economy collapse? The list of weighty questions goes on. According to recent reports, most of us will recover if we are exposed to the virus. Still, ‘most of us’ does not mean all of us and that little fact is nagging in the back of our minds. We are feeling unsettled.

Coronavirus is certainly upending our lives. Any time our usual routine is interrupted, it is normal to feel rattled. Many of us will be forced to work from home, our kids will be logging onto Google Classroom from home, and we are practicing social distancing. These are new concepts to wrap our heads around, in addition to being bombarded 24/7 with ever-changing facts and figures regarding the severity of the pandemic.

Take a deep breath or three. What can we do? Other than following preparedness guidelines, the only thing we can do right at this moment is to concentrate on and appreciate what is right in front of us. Amid the panic and uncertainty, we can and should and need to find moments of solace. There are opportunities to make the most of the situation, despite the fray.

How many of us spend our weeks running around like chickens without heads — stretching ourselves thin to get all the things done? By the time Friday rolls around, most of us are burnt out from commuting, working, and the daily grind of household chores, shuttling kids to sports and activities and squeezing in time for our needs, such as fitness. Weekends are filled with shuttling kids to sports and activities, catching up on household ‘to-do’ lists, prepping for the week to come, and somewhere in the midst, finding time to relax and take care of ourselves.

There is a silver lining to social distancing and self-quarantining (provided you are not sick, of course) — we suddenly have the glorious gift of extra time. There is no commute, no rushing kids to activities, no last-minute trips to the grocery store, no grabbing dinner out because you don’t have time to cook a decent meal. Dear god, if nothing else, in the middle of the panic and chaos spinning by us, stop to realize this. There is always a flip side to the coin. Here are some ideas on how to use that extra time:

Connect with the Kids — Kids home from school? School and extra-curricular activities canceled? Put technology away. Turn off the TV. Take a lunch break from work and study. Start a game of Monopoly, do a puzzle, play cards, put on some music and dance, laugh and be silly. While it’s also important to address any questions/concerns your kids may have regarding coronavirus, take this time as an opportunity to talk to them about all the things you never seem to find time to discuss.

Connect with Your Partner — After the kids trail off to bed, turn off the tv, put down the devices, open a bottle of wine, sit on the couch with your partner and connect. Talk about your fears and concerns surrounding the virus if you must, but also find time to push aside the news to check in with each other about your lives in general. And, have sex, don’t forget the sex.

Multi-task — You may still have to log into work and supervise the kids studying, but you can throw in a load of laundry, run the vacuum when you have a break, stir something on the stove, or take time to help with homework.

Make the House Smell Good — If cooking and baking are your things, take the time you would normally use commuting to try out some recipes with items from your newly stocked pandemic pantry. Check out these plant-based recipe options by the Minimalist Baker.

Meal Prep — Make and freeze soups, stews, and casseroles. In the event your household comes down with coronavirus, you will have some nourishing meals ready to go.

Netflix — Binge watch Peaky Blinders, Good Girls, Dirty John, Ozark, The Pharmacist, Atypical, Unbelievable, and The End of the F**cking World — all good binges to start.

Selfcare — When was the last time you found a half-hour to fill up the bathtub, light some candles and slide into a bubble bath? Find a quiet place and meditate or do some yoga. Try a workout at home. Here are some good bodyweight-no-equipment-required moves to try.

Reorganize and Catch-up — Clean out that closet you’ve been meaning to reorganize, paint the room you bought paint for a month ago, knock off some of the little, niggling projects on your to-do list.

Wardrobe Comfort — No need to dress for opening the laptop and working from home. Unless, of course, you’re on a conference call — in that case, put on some goddamn clothes. Otherwise, pull on those comfy yoga pants and t-shirt or better yet, stay in your pajamas all day long.

Connect with Family and Friends — It’s likely many of your family and friends are home, too. Been meaning to call your brother? Been meaning to talk to your elderly Aunt? Have a friend you’ve been playing phone-tag with? Now is the time to check in on them via a call or Skype or Facetime or Marco Polo. Find time for a little distant socializing.

Laugh — While coronavirus is definitely no laughing matter, find something light and funny to watch on Netflix. Browse funny memes. Watch your favorite old TV re-runs.

Although we have no guarantees, as there are never any guarantees in life, it’s likely our lives will return to normal in a few months and we’ll be back to our busy lives stacked and stacked with things to do, but for now, try to breathe and appreciate the simple things right in front of you.

“When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love.” ~ Marcus Aurelius