Isolation Nation
What a crazy month… It's pretty insane how much can happen in such a short period of time… Being completely isolated and quarantined back in my home country with my dad is not where I pictured myself at the end of the month but hey, here we are… for two weeks!
After traveling in Australia for the past two months, I have been ordered to stay inside for 14 days after arriving back in Canada due to the concerns of spreading COVID-19. This means I cannot see friends, family, go to any stores, or even for a run!
I know a lot of you who I’ve already spoken to have asked me what made me come home, and although I don’t feel I need to justify my decision to anyone, I figured it might be easier to explain here:
This was not an easy decision, in fact, it was probably one of the hardest decisions I’ve made thus far in my life.
My #1 reason - my family
For any of you that know me personally, know how close I am with my family. My dad (who is probably reading this.. hey, Dad) means the world to me and he really wanted me home safe and sound.
Other concerns:
Chances are Australia will be in a complete travel lock down for 6 months or more and unfortunately Australia doesn’t have a good history with people who overstay their visas.
Most of the airlines globally will cease to exist in a few months.
In those circumstances, the Canadian embassy wouldn’t be able to help a sista out because I’ve been told by my own government to get myself home and if I didn't follow their advice, I wouldn't be getting any help.
My travel insurance would not cover me if I did fall ill with Coronavirus.
Everyone is starting to lose their jobs. All restaurants, bars, gyms, etc. are closing. I was there on a working holiday visa and if my house family were unable to pay me, any available jobs would firstly go to Australian citizens.
Australia will still be there at the end of this crisis, and I plan to come back AS SOON as I can to experience the rest of the amazing country at its best. If something were to happen to my friends or family back home, I don’t think I’d let myself live that down.
I feel a strong pull to give back and help as best I can as a nurse during this challenging time.. I still hold an active practicing Registered Nurse license in Nova Scotia and unfortunately do not in Australia. I’m not exactly sure what this will look like yet (possibly an 811 nurse, work or volunteer in a COVID-19 screening clinic, go back to working at the Truro hospital, etc) but I know that I have 14 days to figure it out!
So to sum it all up, I’m basically coming home while I still can… until everything settles.
Now… on to the good stuff!
I want to give you guys a glimpse on how I plan to combat these next 14 days in COMPLETE isolation, and then the rest of my time social distancing (however long that may last).
- ROUTINE -
KEEP A ROUTINE, and keep it strict!
Wake up, shower, have a coffee, do your hair, and get ready as if you were going to work. This will allow normalcy into your day. As much as I would love to chill in my sweats for fourteen days (or even have a no pants party), I find getting dressed in appropriate attire keeps my brain stimulated and allows me to get into “work mode” otherwise, it will feel like a never ending weekend.
Tips: when I say keep it strict, I mean strict…
I use Google Calendar and literally schedule everything in. Everything. Time batching is my best friend!
Example:
5:00 am - wake up & pray, journal, drink 1L of water, 1 tbsp of ACV, 1 cup of coffee and do not check phone for an hour
6:00 am - *Apple Watch buzzes and tells me it's time to the next scheduled activity* workout time!
7:30 am - Shower & get ready
8:00 am - Answer emails & DMs
9:00 am - This is the hour in my day where I’ve learned I am most creative. I use this time to either create new gym programs, play piano, come up with fresh ideas for a new side hustle, blog, vlog, write, you get the idea
10:00 am - make breakfast, usually check social media *sigh*, incorporate breath work/focus on eating intuitively and not scrolling but hey I am human
11:00 am - finish checking emails and answering DMs and any Sweat with Sarah business
12:00 pm - I’ve stared at a screen long enough, time for a walk/do something
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm - New programs, site revamping, working on blog, advertisement, upcoming challenges, new course, client check - ins, finances, etc.
3:00 pm - Usually I am very unproductive by this point, I end up doing something active or calling a friend, FaceTiming, baking, cleaning, purging old stuff, meal prepping, filming videos, something mindless
4:00 pm - Practice photography - I am vowing to myself to spend an hour a day getting better because why not
LAST TIP, I promise I’m almost done....
- RELAX -
This can be such an overwhelming time, but it is so so important to find time to relax. When again in your life will you be INSTRUCTED to stay in your home and do nothing? Probably never. What an amazing opportunity to catch up on some extra TLC. Try to tackle each day on its own and don’t focus so much on being trapped inside.
There is more meditation and guided practices online and on social media than ever before. Find one you enjoy and stick with it! Here are some of my favourites:
UCLA mindful app ... this literally can make me fall asleep without fail
You guys, life comes in waves. Sometimes it is smooth sailing and other times its rocky as hell. While we may not have any control of our situations right now, we DO have the power to decide how we are going to respond to it. One of my favourite quotes that my Dad used to always tell me is “when you can’t control what's happening, challenge yourself to control the way you respond to what's happening. That is where your power lies” Challenge yourself to do this. I know I have to remind myself every. damn. day. This is an amazing opportunity to challenge not only your physical strength, but your MENTAL toughness and endurance.
As cliche as it sounds, life is a journey… you will experience strong highs, feel so much grace, peace and abundance (me in Australia, lol), but then adversity re-grounds you (me, back in Canada).. it’s how you decide to let it affect you that is YOUR CHOICE.
Remember, you’re entitled to feel any and all emotions that come your way, but you are also deserving of the benefits that come with a mindset shift. Face challenges with an “I got this” attitude and exercise your inner strength. There may be times where it feels like you just can’t catch a break...But you can bring some light back when you replace those negative thoughts with gratitude and hope for the future.
Although right now it might seem like it, no one is expected or meant to go through life alone. We all need an outlet - people to confide in, a shoulder to lean on when we need it most.. call your grandma, FaceTime your bestie, find your people… most importantly, remember you’re not alone.
We are all in this together and it is OKAY to say you’re struggling or need help. I am here for you, and just a DM away. Seriously, reach out… I’ll be bored and would love to chat!
Wherever you are and in whatever you’re doing, keep going. Whether you realize it or not, you are constantly overcoming obstacles and transforming in all waves of life. Be proud of where you are today, (I know I am). And keep pushing and working hard for a better tomorrow and get EXCITED about what’s to come! Aka summer lol..
We got this fam.
Sending so much love!
xx Sarah