Getting through Self-Isolation One Breath at a Time

By: Lauren Creamer

During and following self-isolation because of concerns related to Coronavirus, you may begin to experience some common stress responses. It is important to use self-care strategies, coping techniques and reach out for additional support when necessary. We are here to support you during self-isolation and beyond. This document includes strategies for coping and self-care as well as instructions for accessing services during your time off campus.

It is well-established that when we are stressed, the immune system’s ability to fight off antigens is reduced. The stress hormone can suppress the effectiveness of the immune system.

We might also experience an epidemic fear or “Coronavirus Panic.” Emergencies or critical incidents naturally brings upon a tremendous amount of stress, anxiety and fear for those directly and indirectly affected.

Our body is stressed on a minute by minute basis with constant and overwhelming social media reports of emergencies and current events. It is essential to keep your stress levels at a minimum because there is only so much you can do.

Common Stress Response

  • Disbelief and shock
  • Fear and anxiety about the future and death
  • Disorientation; difficulty making decisions or concentrating
  • Apathy and emotional numbing
  • Nightmares and reoccurring thoughts about the epidemic
    • Irritability and anger
    • Sadness and feeling powerless
    • Changes in eating patterns; loss of appetite or overeating
    • Crying for “no apparent reason”
    • Headaches, back pains and stomach problems
    • Difficulty sleeping or falling asleep

 

How to Cope

  • Take good care of yourself physically and emotionally. Get plenty of rest, drink plenty of water, eat healthy and balanced
  • If you smoke or drink coffee, try to limit your intake as nicotine and caffeine can also add to your stress.
  • Cultivate self-compassion and be kind to yourself for the challenges that you are going
  • Limit exposure to news or social media on the
  • Set a time limit (e.g., an hour per day) on watching or reading only trustworthy and reliable news or talking about Coronavirus. Watching or reading news about the event repeatedly will only increase your
  • Talk about it (in moderation)
  • By talking with others about the event, you can relieve stress and realize that others share your feelings.
  • While you are self-isolating, remember that you are not alone. We can get through this together as a community.

Media on computer screen

 

Self-Care Strategies

While you might be currently isolated, it is important to maintain connections to interests, friends and entertainment. Try these tasks for some self-care strategies.

  • Avoid drugs and excessive drinking or emotional eating. Drugs, alcohol and emotional eating may temporarily seem to remove stress, but in the long run they generally create additional problems that compound the stress you were already
  • Structure your day and find some indoor activities you enjoy. Balance mind/body, fun and learning activities to keep your brain and body
  • Read a book
  • Establish a daily meditation routine (with a minimum 10 minutes per day)
  • Try yoga
  • Watch a movie
  • Listen to or play music
  • Draw
  • Do a 30-minute At-Home online video fitness class
  • Play a video game
  • Video chat with a friend or family member to have conversations outside of social media and texting

Man on Facetime

How to Work Efficiently

  • Be mindful of your working space. Create an office space if possible, but no matter what, ensure that you are doing work away from your bed/ where you sleep
  • Try to eliminate as many distractions from your workspace as possible
  • Work for 40-50 minutes at a time with 10-minute pauses for breaks. During your breaks, move your body a bit with light stretching. Give your brain a break but don’t do something that will end up distracting you for hours
  • Use the resources and support services that are offered to you for help if needed (some are listed below). Don’t forget that you can also reach out to your professor if you are struggling to manage the new platforms/ learning experiences

 

Additional Coping Strategies

  • Explore something new – Learn something new that has always been in your bucket list, but you never had the time for it before. Now is the perfect time!
  • Structure your day, one thing at a time
  • Make a To-Do list by breaking down your day into morning, afternoon and evening activities just like when you are in
  • Once you accomplish that task, choose the next one. “Checking off” tasks will give you a sense of accomplishment, control and mastery. It makes things feel less
  • Do something positive and meaningful. Helping other people can give you a sense of purpose in a situation that feels “out of your ”
  • Do anything else you find enjoyable. These healthy activities can help you get your mind off the epidemic and keep the stress in
  • Stay hopeful and optimistic
  • Nothing is permanent. Everything will pass including the Coronavirus
  • Take one moment at a time

To do list

Services Available for You

  • Library support
    • You can request an online library instruction session here
    • You can contact your reference librarians with any questions at ref@wit.edu
    • Find more information about online resources in the Library & Online Learning Resources Guide here
  • Center for Academic Excellence
    • The CAE remains open virtually and is functioning remotely. For advising questions, contact advising@wit.edu and for tutoring questions, contact cae@wit.edu
    • You can find online tutorials and learning resources here
  • Tech Spot
    • Support hours have been extended to 7:30am-7:30pm M-F over email through techspot@wit.edu or by phone at 617-989-4500
  • Center for Wellness
    • Online and phone services are available for triage, case management, and general support
    • The Center will be open 9am-4pm for those experiencing a mental health crisis. Individuals are being asked to call the prior to coming in
    • After hours counseling phone service is still available. Students who would like to use this option should call 617-989-4390 and press #2 when prompted
    • Support groups are being offered online. Information regarding these groups can be found here
    • Students needing Accessibility Services can contact 617-989-4390 to set up phone or Skype sessions.
    • Here is a podcast by the Happiness Lab

*Adapted from Duke Kunshan University Counseling and Psychological Services and the University of Texas at San Antonio

Tips for Managing Remote Work

By: Kristen Eckman

In response to the COVID-19 coronavirus and subsequent need for social distancing, many employers are now enforcing remote work policies to decrease the likelihood for potential exposure. For your employer, remote work may be a new concept. Luckily, some industries have been encouraging remote work long before the current need and have generated best practices for the rest of us. Below you will find a collection of resources to help you stay productive, organized and healthy!

Maintain Productivity

Set your schedule and stick to it – let those around you know your “office hours” so that they can respect your work time.

  • Schedule your time in between meetings – this is a good way to let your colleagues know when you are available virtually, or busy with a task as well as remain on task between video and phone meetings.

Create a designated workspace – and have a separate space to unplug and relax outside of working hours.

Proactively reach out to colleagues, supervisors and clients – if you don’t have a cause for regular engagement with key individuals, schedule reminders to reach out with an email or call.

Update on progress more than usual – send updates to your supervisor and clients rather than waiting for them to ask you and ask what preferences they have around frequency, content and the form of updates.

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hvmacarthur/2020/03/12/the-art-of-working-remotely-how-to-ensure-productivity-vs-a-time-suck/#5a7099e633ee

Keep distractions around, but out of the way – it’s important to have distractions around. When you take a break, doing something just for fun can help you refresh.

Student working on laptop

 

Stay Organized

Keep your workspace tidy – don’t get too comfortable with clutter forming just because you colleagues are no longer around to see it. Set yourself up in a way that will allow you to perform at your best.

Write things down – without face-to-face communication, it’s easy to let things slip through the cracks. Take notes in a notebook or perhaps you prefer calendar notifications; find what works best for you!

  • Never be without a way to quickly capture an idea – keep a virtual notepad open on your desktop, utilize your free access to Microsoft OneNote or the good old-fashion pen and paper method.

Self-motivate – set realistic daily, weekly or even hourly goals to keep yourself motivated. A sense of accomplishment once completing these goals will contribute positively to your work-life balance.

Source: https://www.themuse.com/advice/do-you-have-what-it-takes-to-work-from-home

 

Be Mindful of Your Personal Health and Wellness

Get out of the house – while recommendations are to stay away from public areas for the time being to respect social distancing precautions, remember to step outside!

Give yourself breaks – schedule breaks to get up and get some air, schedule time to go grab lunch, and most importantly, schedule a stop time. This means you clock out and trust that whatever is waiting for you in your inbox will wait.

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hvmacarthur/2020/03/12/the-art-of-working-remotely-how-to-ensure-productivity-vs-a-time-suck/#5a7099e633ee

Set-up your space intentionally – give yourself something aesthetically pleasing to look at like a plant, window or a soothing picture on the wall. Pay attention to the natural light that comes in throughout the day and how the colors of the room and furniture around you make you feel.

  • Don’t forget a comfortable chair that supports good posture!

Source: https://www.lifehack.org/articles/featured/10-hacks-to-improve-your-home-office-productivity.html

Female working on laptop with dog

 

Additional References

Headspace meditation for free: https://www.headspace.com/covid-19

Source: https://www.themuse.com/advice/how-to-actually-be-productive-when-youre-working-from-home

Source: https://www.wbur.org/cognoscenti/2020/03/13/coronavirus-social-distancing-work-from-home-julie-morgenstern?utm_source=WBUR+Editorial+Newsletters&utm_campaign=0d5c054ee5-WBURTODAY_COG_2020_03_15&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_d0781a0a0c-0d5c054ee5-134699385

Guides for remote life: https://blog.trello.com/work-from-home-guides

Source: https://mailchi.mp/careersherpa/summary-sunday-making-adjustments?e=f74f1585dc

 

Takeaways

  • Keep work life separate from personal life and personal life separate from work life.
  • Working from home can get lonely, so make a concerted effort to stay connected socially.
  • Remember that working from home is a continuously developing situation for most companies and this is a time that requires patience and flexibility as an employee.

CO-OPS + CAREERS has gone virtual! Please continue to contact the office by email: coopsandcareers@wit.edu or by phone: 617-989-4101. To schedule a virtual appointment with your CO-OP + CAREER Advisor, login to WITworks or call the main line listed above.

CO-OP + CAREER Advising Appointments Going Virtual

In light of the recent developments with COVID-19 and the movement of courses online, all appointments with your CO-OP + CAREER Advisor will be conducted remotely.  Below are instructions for making and attending remote appointments. You can have either a phone appointment, or a video session via Zoom. You can schedule an appointment through WITworks or by calling the office.

Until you are notified otherwise, we are asking that you do not physically come to the CO-OPS + CAREERS Office. If you need accommodations for your phone or video appointment, please let us know.

Instructions for Scheduling

  • If using WITworks:
    • Use the WITworks “Counseling Appointment” tab on the left side of the screen.
    • Click on the red box that says “Request New Appointment”.
    • Fill out all fields and select “Check Availability”.
    • All available appointments will appear on the right side of the screen – select appointment that works for you.
    • Indicate in the “Purpose of the appointment” section which type of meeting you want – phone or video (and any additional explanation needed).
      • If you want a phone meeting, include your number so your advisor can call you.
    • Click “Submit Request”.
  • If calling the office (617-989-4101) simply work with the person who picks up the phone to provided necessary information as usual.

Instructions for Meeting

  • If using Zoom for a video appointment:
    • Your advisor will email you the link to participate at the start of your appointment.
    • Click on that link and you will be brought to a Zoom video in your web browser. You do not need to download special software.
    • Email any documents you want reviewed ahead of time.
  • If using the phone:
    • Your advisor will call you at the number you provided when you made your appointment.
    • Email any documents you want reviewed ahead of time.

Thank you all for your patience during this challenging time. We are here to support you! Do not hesitate to reach out directly to us with questions or concerns.