Staying Conscious in a Pandemic

It's very clear that we're all in a similar place right now, our homes. And if we aren't in our homes, chances are we are heading to a grocery store or drugstore in search of products that we may not find. 

While it's very easy to get off-track during times like these, it's important to maintain some sort of consistency to keep ourselves from spinning completely in the opposite direction. But how can we stay conscious and avoid waste during a time when single use products feel like the most safe option? How can we stay conscious when the items we "need" are nowhere to be found? I have a few tips for you:

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1. Keep. Drinking. Water. This one is huge. Dehydration leads to many things that affect our body, mind, and spirit. I found it easy to drink water while in a regular work routine and find myself too distracted with other thoughts now that my schedule has changed. If you need to set an alarm on your phone for a water reminder, do it. It's worth it.

2. Less still is more. When you are at the grocery store, while being mindful of your self isolation, keep your time short by going with a shopping list and not leaving with excess items. When we see empty shelves, we can find ourselves in a panic and start grabbing a bunch of items we really don't want or need. Try your best to avoid doing this. 

3. Think of more substitutions BEFORE going to the store. As someone that drinks oat milk instead of regular milk, I'm finding myself to be quite lucky because those milks seem to still be fully stocked. So if you're a regular milk drinker, but the milk is out, take a chance on a nut based milk. They are often packaged in glass or paper containers which is a nice bonus!

4. Take stock of what you have before buying new. Want to avoid the stores all together? If you've run out of hand soap, look around your cabinets to see what items you do have that can create a DIY recipe. If you've run out of paper towels, now would be a great time to utilize the cloth napkins you often save for special occasions. You may be doing a bit more laundry, but if you're stuck at home, you've got extra time. (PSA: Check out Dropps for eco-friendly, plant-based laundry and dish detergent. This referral link will get you $20 off your first subscription!)

5. Less scrolling, more reading. This one has been hard for me. I've found myself trapped in the Instagram rabbit hole quite often during this time, but try to be mindful about what you're consuming via social media. While it's very helpful in staying in touch with friends and family, it can also definitely take a toll on you. 

6. Spend some time in nature while keeping your distance from others. As of right now in Philadelphia, I can still take my dog for a walk. This is HUGE for me. Being able to breathe fresh air is something that I do not take for granted. If you are able to get outside, please do so. Remind yourself exactly why you're reading this blog in the first place, to make the world a greener place. If you can't get outside, open up the windows and enjoy a bit of fresh air that way.

I could go on and on with this list, but for now I'll leave it here. I hope you are all doing well! Sending you all virtual hugs and hopeful that we can see each other (in person) again soon. <3 Let me know what you're doing to stay conscious during this time of chaos on our Facebook page. 

- jamie

P.S. Have kids in the house? Chances are you'll have a LOT of toilet paper rolls lying around. Save them and use them for art projects!