Being single and social distancing

Since I last sat down to write, the whole world has changed, or so it feels. Yet, I walk outside and everything still looks the same. As the government ask us to make huge changes to the way we live, I thought I would consider how it feels to be single and social distancing.

How it feels

Late on Sunday evening, just as I was going to bed, I checked my work mobile. This may seen an unusual thing to do but I like to be prepared for Monday morning in advance. On this occasion, it was a good thing that I did as I had received an email to say that our office would be closed. We were to work from home for at least the next 2 weeks. I have never minded working from home. However, I then discovered that due to being an asthma sufferer, I should be taking social distancing seriously.  I am pretty sociable person but I can't see my friends and am single so in the evenings, it is me and the teenagers! Today is day 4. I am beginning to get cabin fever.

Tips for Dealing with Social Distancing

I will be taking my own advice but here are some ideas for being single and social distancing, without it affecting your mental health.

• Go for a walk, preferably away from buildings and traffic. Perhaps there is a local park, canal, lake, wood or something similar. Take some deep breaths and enjoy being away from your house and with nature.
• Get some exercise. One of my friends has set up a yoga class on Zoom; another is using the stairs for combining exercises and games; another is having a conference call with her friends while they run. I am trying some online exercise classes. Whatever you choose, it is important to exercise, even if the gym isn't the best place to be at the moment.
• Have a virtual coffee meeting. Earlier today I met with two lawyers for a virtual coffee. It is not the same as it is in person but it is much better than not talking to anyone all day.
• Even better, have a virtual beer/wine/gin/lime and soda. I find that during the day I am busy. I have plenty of work to do but in the evening I find myself sitting on my own in front of the TV every night. Tonight, however, I am having a virtual beer with some other financial planners. Why not arrange an online gathering, or even just have a FaceTime call with a friend or member of your wider family? They are probably feeling the same.
• Take up a new hobby or restart an old one. I downloaded an app called Duolingo a couple of years ago with the intention of learning Spanish. I did the exercises daily for about 2 weeks. Since then I have hardly touched it. While I have more time on my hands than usual, I am going to try to learn again. I may even get my son to help, as he is doing GCSE Spanish, or at least he was! You could do something similar or begin a craft or pick up a musical instrument or join Gareth Malone's Great British Home Chorus.
• Do some jobs at home. Not as exciting but I have heard of people decorating their homes, spring cleaning, emptying their wardrobes and working in their gardens. These are jobs we often find it difficult to fit into our busy daily lives. Now we have less time for seeing others, these things will give us a purpose. Just think how great we will all feel when life gets back to normal and we all have immaculate homes!

If you found this useful, please check out "Self Care During Divorce".

Tamsin Caine works with divorcing couples and individuals to help them to sort out their finances fairly and amicably. She helps them to work out what they want from their future lives and the steps they need to take to get it. She is a Chartered Financial Planner and founder of Smart Divorce. Tamsin can help at any stage of the divorce process. If you would like to arrange a free initial meeting, or just have a question, please get in touch either by phoning 07975 922766 or emailing tamsin@smartdivorce.co.uk.