How are you living through this “lockdown”? We wondered because most people are really getting tired of it. We don’t know how long this distancing will go on and that fact can be quite disturbing. So we have to find ways to live through it in the best ways possible.

Actually, some studies shows that people are better off if they don’t count on the exact date for something to end if it’s impossible to define it. That way they aren’t constantly disappointed. Among people facing other huge challenges, researchers found that the people who just tried to make it through each day and made that day the best it could be, were the ones who did well surviving the challenge.

We always know that our faith in God or Higher Power provides the best ways to live through this crisis. But today we’re not looking at perhaps the most meaningful ways but instead, some more light-hearted ways – using humor, watching TV and exploring possibilities. We know this pandemic is serious so let’s look at what we can do to not only make it through each day, but also make it be the best it can be.

Use humor: Even during the darkest times in history, humor has proved helpful as a way to relieve tension. Humor is one way to see another side of a serious situation. Some people may feel we shouldn’t laugh at the situation. However, we probably have thousands of thoughts each day and some could get negative and scary, especially from focusing on the news. Then we feel stressed and anxious.

Adding a little humor can offer hope and encourages the brain and body to relax.

A philosophy of humor expert, Dr. Steven Gimbel said, “The restoration of humor is one clear mark that a person is getting healthy, because finding something funny means being able to distance oneself…and think of things in multiple ways.”

In a crisis, humor can be a great coping mechanism and a welcome diversion from the heaviness of the situation. Laughter can be “the best medicine” as long as it’s not hurtful or degrading. Laughter causes us to release the hormone and neurotransmitter dopamine, which signals pleasure. Pain tolerance, immune response and blood flow are also helped through laughter.

Maybe you’ve received some of the jokes, memes and stories that are being passed around on social media. Some bring a laugh and, for a moment, worries seem lessened. We know we’re in a pandemic, but when we pass these humorous bits along to others, even though we are distancing, it’s a way of connecting.

Watch TV: There are positive movies and shows that help raise mood. Dr. Scott Weems, a cognitive neuroscientist and author of Ha! The Science of When We Laugh and Why, talks about a favorite study. This study found that watching the TV show, Friends, significantly reduced anxiety, more than simply resting. This should help us feel better when we spend some time binge watching the tube.

Lately, we have enjoyed taking time at the end of a day to watch some of the home and garden shows on HGTV. At least people don’t have masks on and for a few minutes we can imagine the world is back to a more normal state again.

Also, some movies we get on TV can be very uplifting and help to distract us from the negatives going on. We’ll have to balance this TV watching with some walking to keep the feelings of being a couch potato from creeping in.

Explore possibilities: Try a new hobby or learn a new skill. Granted, you may have to learn through the Internet or even books, rather than in-person but we are fortunate to have resources available. There are so many choices of things to learn through online courses. Now is a perfect time to explore new things to see what you would enjoy. I (Lynn) want to learn to play the baritone ukulele. Doug is still deciding what to try next.

What about you? What are you doing to make this lockdown as pleasant as possible?

We’ve shared some ideas and there are many more things you could do. We now have some time to try new things, read books, play games and even get to know family members better. We can also connect with others in appropriate socially-distanced ways. We encourage you to let us know what you’ve decided to do to make each day the best it can be as we live through this lockdown and pandemic.

Chanhassen MN residents, Doug and Lynn Nodland are success coaches and owners of The Balance Center in Excelsior. Contact them at WeCare@TheBalanceCenter.com

© Doug and Lynn Nodland 2020 Articles and videos may be shared in their entirety with attribution.