{"id":2487,"date":"2020-03-19T18:14:00","date_gmt":"2020-03-19T18:14:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/?p=2487"},"modified":"2025-09-04T12:33:53","modified_gmt":"2025-09-04T20:33:53","slug":"maintaining-mental-balance-while-practicing-social-distancing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/maintaining-mental-balance-while-practicing-social-distancing","title":{"rendered":"Maintaining Mental Balance While Practicing Social Distancing"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_86 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">In This Article<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/maintaining-mental-balance-while-practicing-social-distancing\/#1_Take_a_break_and_cherish_it\" >1. Take a break (and cherish it!) &nbsp;&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/maintaining-mental-balance-while-practicing-social-distancing\/#2_Stay_connected\" >2. Stay connected &nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/maintaining-mental-balance-while-practicing-social-distancing\/#3_Discover_something_new_about_yourself\" >3. Discover something new about yourself &nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/maintaining-mental-balance-while-practicing-social-distancing\/#4_Step_out_of_your_comfort_zone\" >4. Step out of your comfort zone<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/maintaining-mental-balance-while-practicing-social-distancing\/#5_Seek_help_if_you_need_it\" >5. Seek help if you need it&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/maintaining-mental-balance-while-practicing-social-distancing\/#6_Find_inner_peace\" >6. Find inner peace<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>Many of us are responsibly self-isolating to slow the spread of COVID-19. While social distancing is the right thing to do, it can take a toll on your mental health. Osmosis Medical Education Fellow Casey Gilman has your back with these 5 tips to find balance at home during this challenging time.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With our daily routines changing day by day, it is hard to maintain a happy, healthy balance.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/covid-19\">COVID-19<\/a>&nbsp;has impacted ALL of us in varying ways, but the following tips aim to help you find joy in the unexpected.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Take_a_break_and_cherish_it\"><\/span>1. Take a break (and cherish it!) &nbsp;&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For many, the first thing &nbsp;we turn to when in need of a mental break is our phones. Unfortunately, this one-simplistic sanctuary has become overwhelming, delivering a plethora of information: some of it is sensationalized, some of it is real\u2014and most of it is&nbsp;<strong>stressful!<\/strong>&nbsp;As important as it is to stay up to date on the current state of affairs, I am here to remind you that&nbsp;<strong>it is okay to disconnect<\/strong>, even if it is just for an hour a day.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Think about it: when was the last time you got a real break? Without phones, without emails, without meetings, without classes&#8230; Our daily lives are busy, busy, go, go, go! Even now, in the midst of chaos, we&#8217;re trying to figure out what\u2019s next, what\u2019s around the corner. Many of us are continuing to work or study from home. I encourage this, especially if it brings you joy, but don\u2019t forget to take moments to observe, reflect, and be present in this moment.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, lean into it: take that break, disconnect from social media, and practice moments of self-care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/take-a-break.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2490\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/take-a-break.png 700w, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/take-a-break.png?resize=300,200 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Stay_connected\"><\/span>2. Stay connected &nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite how important it is to practice social distancing right now, emotional connections can still be maintained without needing to be physically present. Through simple phone calls and video chats, you can maintain your social relationships without putting yourself or others at risk. Stay in touch with family and friends and don\u2019t forget to check in. This is also the perfect time to reach out to old friends or people you haven\u2019t talked to in a while. Conversation can be incredibly therapeutic and sharing sentiments may provide healing and solidarity during these difficult times.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Discover_something_new_about_yourself\"><\/span>3. Discover something new about yourself &nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When life gives you lemons, take out a piece of paper and a pencil. Okay, so it doesn\u2019t exactly fit&#8230; but here\u2019s what I\u2019m getting at.&nbsp;<strong>Writing down what is going inside your head<\/strong>&nbsp;helps you to organize your thoughts and feelings. Not only does it give you a snapshot of what you are feeling in that moment, but it allows you to keep a record of your thoughts and their fluctuations over time. Journaling has numerous health benefits including reducing stress, clarifying thoughts and feelings, improving problem-solving skills, and prioritizing concerns, among many others.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And yes, I get it. You might not think journaling is for you. Yet, there are many types of journaling styles to try: bullet-style, answering prompts, self-reflection, and my personal favorite:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/2019\/06\/14\/whats-a-mind-map\">mind maps<\/a>!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kind of like&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/playlist\/pharmacology\">the scenes you see in Osmosis videos<\/a>, a mind map allows you to express your thoughts using words, drawings, and symbols. It acts as a brainstorming tool that achieves organization from random thoughts. Most importantly, journaling can help you get in tune with who you are at present and where you want to go in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/discover-something-new-about-yourself.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2489\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/discover-something-new-about-yourself.png 700w, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/discover-something-new-about-yourself.png?resize=300,200 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Step_out_of_your_comfort_zone\"><\/span>4. Step out of your comfort zone<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The guitar that\u2019s been sitting in the corner of your bedroom collecting dust? Yes, it\u2019s time to pick it up! This is the perfect time to embark upon something new. Knitting, painting, playing an instrument, and cooking are all great indoor hobbies, and YouTube has some amazing how-to videos to help you get started.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Learning a new hobby can be challenging, but it allows you to distract yourself in a positive way (and hey, we all need a positivity boost right now).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Don\u2019t have anything new you want to learn? Refer back to tip #3. Let your mind map guide you.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Seek_help_if_you_need_it\"><\/span>5. Seek help if you need it&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We&#8217;re all living under the shadow of COVID-19, a situation that&#8217;s extremely stressful and inescapable. This shared trauma is something we ALL need to talk about, whether it&#8217;s with friends, family, or a therapist. Fortunately, online therapy was growing in popularity even before COVID-19 hit\u2014now, it&#8217;s more of an option than ever. If you or someone you love is feeling overwhelmed by the COVID-19 pandemic, consider taking a look at these&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.consumersadvocate.org\/online-therapy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">online therapy resources<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_Find_inner_peace\"><\/span>6. Find inner peace<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It&#8217;s human nature to try and seize control of anything we can when everything else around us is in free-fall. For example, we can control going to the grocery store and stocking up on all the items that we need to make us feel prepared, but when it comes to inner preparation, many people are at a loss.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is where meditation comes into play. The physical and mental benefits of meditation have been&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2018\/04\/harvard-researchers-study-how-mindfulness-may-change-the-brain-in-depressed-patients\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">thoroughly documented<\/a>, and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/2019\/10\/31\/mindfulness-in-medicine\">mindfulness is at the center<\/a>. Entering situations with a clear mind allows you to process situations with reduced stress and increased gratitude.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now, incorporating a consistent meditation practice is not easy. It is truly a practice, and it takes time to reap its benefits. Fortunately, there are many apps on our phones or channels on YouTube that make it easier to get started. Consider trying meditation in these next coming weeks to find inner peace amongst the chaos.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>About Casey Gilman<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Casey Gilman is a second year medical student at&nbsp;<\/em><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sanjuanbautista.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">San Juan Bautista School of Medicine<\/a><\/em><em>. She enjoys tennis, yoga, and helping others. She hopes to specialize in pediatric neurology and she has two twin dogs\u2014Sadie &amp; Boomer!<\/em><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/plans\"><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/plans\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/image_249307.png?w=700\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2335\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/image_249307.png 700w, https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/image_249307.png?resize=300,107 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong><em>Try Osmosis today! Access your&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/login?type=create\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">free trial<\/a>&nbsp;and find out why millions of clinicians and caregivers love learning with us.<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Many of us are responsibly self-isolating to slow the spread of COVID-19. While social distancing is the right thing to do, it can take a toll on your mental health. Osmosis Medical Education Fellow Casey Gilman has your back with these 5 tips to find balance at home during this challenging time. With our daily [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":45,"featured_media":2488,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[13,22,35,46],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2487","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-covid","category-health-and-wellness","category-osmosis-health-leadership-initiative-ohli","category-student-stories"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Maintaining Mental Balance While Practicing Social Distancing - Osmosis Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.osmosis.org\/blog\/maintaining-mental-balance-while-practicing-social-distancing\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Maintaining Mental Balance While Practicing Social Distancing - Osmosis Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Many of us are responsibly self-isolating to slow the spread of COVID-19. 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