Ideas for Aging with Gusto in the Time of COVID-19
General advice: Be gentle with yourself. It’s ok to have down time. It is also ok to do things. Each of us has to find what works best for us. One thing you could try, especially if you are feeling bad for not doing anything, is to choose one thing, just one, that you want to accomplish each day. If you get it done congratulate yourself and if you don’t get to it be understanding and kind.
Here are some specific possibilities organized by the Key Contributors to Aging With Gusto:
Doing things that you find satisfying or fulfilling
- Make a list of things you enjoy – e.g., puzzles, reading, listening to music, going to movies, sewing, cooking, eating out, visiting friends.
- If you can do them at home build them into your days.
- Set an alarm for things you have a hard time getting around to.
- If you can’t do them at home, think of alternative ways to do them.
Striving to maximize physical, mental and emotional health
- Build some exercise into every day. Set a schedule, follow a video, etc. Try to make it routine.
- Do things to keep you thinking – puzzles, reading, listening to podcasts, watching educational videos.
- Journal – write about your life experiences, write about your current situation, write about what you wish for the future.
- Set up a practice of gratitude – start or end your day with one thing that you appreciate. Acknowledge the little things.
- Do a check-in on how you are doing. It’s easy to focus on what you are doing/not doing. It is important to pay attention to your thoughts and feelings too. Write about them, share them, talk to someone. If you are seriously depressed contact online and phone resources.
Continuing to learn new things and challenge yourself
- Learn a new skill or improve on a skill you already have (playing a musical instrument, trying a new recipe, etc.).
- Look for websites, videos, podcasts, online college classes, on topics you would like to learn about.
- Push yourself to do something you find hard.
Having choice and control over decisions that affect your life
- Find ways to make decisions each day (like: what clothes shall I wear, how do I want to look today, what am I going to do today that will be good for my brain, who do I want to contact today).
- Acknowledge decisions you have made (like: I decided to go for a walk even though it made me nervous. I chose to finish reading the book).
- Remember little things matter.
Being connected with family, friends and a broader community
- Staying connected is really important. Connections in this environment cannot be the same or in person, but you can identify alternative methods of connecting. Think of what you did before –- how can you still do it, but do it differently? Be creative.
- Make phone calls, write letters, send cards, write emails, post on Facebook (in addition to typical posts about what you are doing, try to have posts that encourage interaction – a check-in question like how are you doing, a sharing question like what are you doing to keep physically active, a thinking question like what advice would you give to your younger self, a quote to reflect on, etc.), send text messages, use video chats, send little gifts to grandkids, family members or friends.
- Try some new methods of interaction – have through the window visits, try parallel activities – that is doing things at the same time in different places (with grandkids each make cookies in own homes, watch a tv show at the same time, go to a take out place and park next to each other to eat and chat on phone, take socially distant walks).
- Send thank you cards to friends, people who have made a difference in your life.
Having a sense of purpose that contributes to something bigger than yourself
- Spend some time on things that you can pass along for the future, like documenting family stories, organizing family photos, or journaling about the pandemic.
- Think of ways you can help others from home – call isolated people to check in on them, buy gift cards for local businesses.
- Develop your spiritual practices.