These are quite uncertain and different times that we are living in, right? One of the biggest ways to calm your system down in a crisis is to develop a routine. You have been used to a routine and your brain has mapped and walked that routine daily for some time now. When we put a wrench in that foundation, we are basically taking away familiar resources that kept us thriving, living with purpose, and connected.

Here are the most important elements that you need to have in a routine:

To help you move along your day, here are the 7 questions to ask yourself.

• How am I spending time with God today?
• How am I moving and getting outside?
• How am I getting quiet to listen to myself today?
• How am I connecting today?
• What am I grateful for today?
• What am I creating today?
• What am I learning today?

Along with these questions, below is an example of a schedule you can use to add a little structure to your day during The Great Covid19 Hunker Down of 2020.

7 AM: Daily Time with God (Quiet Time) - Start your day with your greatest resource: Time with God. Spend some time reading the Bible, praying, and listening to God. If you're new to reading the Bible, here's a great video from Pastor Tim discussing how to have an encouraging time with God. You can also use one of these two great reading plans: Our Daily Bread and Bible in One Year. Spending time with God daily is not only transformational, it is also a great model for you children. 

8 AM: Morning Routine & Prayer - As you're getting dressed, making your bed, and having breakfast, thank God for all He has provided. If you have kids under two, we know you’ve already been up for five hours. Or if they are teens, you may have 5 more hours of them asleep. Just play along. The key is to take some time to give thanks as you get ready. 

9 AM: Get Moving - Grab a light jacket, an umbrella, or whatever else you need and get outside! Take the dog for a walk or ride your bike. The fresh air will do you good. Research shows that not only is movement helpful for your physical body, but movement can help chase away those overwhelming feelings of loneliness, purposeless, and lack of control.

10 AM: Academics & Learning Time - The “academic” portion of our brain deeply desires to learn new things. Kids aren’t the only ones that need to learn. When we learn new things, it stimulates our minds in a new way and generates this joy of living and growing. If you have kids, check out these free resources available during COVID-19 to help. Check this out for some fun brain break ideas or just take 5 outside. You can find more resources and activities for kids on our Children's Resource page.

12 PM: Lunch time!

1 PM: Creative Time - Even when we get our schedule flowing, at the end of the day we may feel like we just “got through the day.” But if we have a sense of purpose, it elevates our experience and makes us feel like there is meaning…that I am using my gifts even in this new found rhythm. So get creative on how to use your gifts and how to grow and stretch yourself during this time. For children and students, we will be sending out a daily challenge that everyone can participate in every Tuesday and Friday. We'll upload them to the Hill Country Children and Hill Country Students Facebook and Instagram at 10 am.

2 PM: Rest & Quiet Time - Whether we are alone in a home or a house full of people, we all need this idea of quiet, calm time where we turn off all the distractions and just center ourselves. It’s like hitting a reset button or powering our phones off and on when things get jammed. In this time, check in with yourself to see how you are doing. Get to know yourself a bit and take care of yourself.

3 PM: Daily Chores - Your mom was right. An Indiana University study proved that people with clean houses were more physically active than those with untidy homes. So, grab a mop and get everyone in on the cleaning act. Fun tip: Set a timer and start a cleaning race with your kids.

4 PM: Neighboring & Connect - Text, call, or find a creative way to connect with your neighbors and extended family each day. You could also offer your help in delivering paper towels, food, or any other supplies to elderly neighbors or others at greater risk. This is our opportunity to be the church and serve those in our community.

5 PM: Free Play

6 PM: Dinner & Devotional - This is a great time for you and the whole family to connect and debrief the day. It's also an opportunity for a family devotional and gratefulness. We have some conversation starters and gratitude activities for you below.

7 PM: Game Time! - You’ve worked hard, so grab a board game, and enjoy a little friendly competition. Need ideas for games? Ask every member of the family to put a few ideas in a bowl and pick one each night.

Bed Time! - You made it! As you’re getting ready for bed, thank God for the gift of rest.

Download Graphic of the Schedule

Dinner Conversation Ideas!

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may be stressful for people. Fear and anxiety about a disease can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in adults and children. Coping with stress will make you, the people you care about, and your community stronger.

Identifying Stress

• Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations. How you respond to the outbreak can depend on your background, the things that make you different from other people, and  the community you live in.

• People who may respond more strongly to the stress of a crisis include:
  • Older people and people with chronic diseases who are at higher risk for COVID-19
  • Children and teens
  • People who are helping with the response to COVID-19, like doctors and other health care providers, or first responders
  • People who have mental health conditions including problems with substance use.

• Stress during an infectious disease outbreak can include:
  • Fear and worry about your own health and the health of your loved ones
  • Changes in sleep or eating patterns
  • Difficulty sleeping or concentrating
  • Worsening of chronic health problems
  • Increased use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs

Reducing Stress in Yourself and Others

• Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including social media. Hearing about the pandemic repeatedly can be upsetting.
• Take care of your body. Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate. Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep, and avoid alcohol and drugs.
• Make time to unwind. Try to do some other activities you enjoy.
• Connect with others. Talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling.
• Call your healthcare provider if stress gets in the way of your daily activities several days in a row.
• Being Properly Informed
  • Sharing the facts about COVID-19 and understanding the actual risk to yourself and people you care about can make an outbreak less stressful.
  • When you share accurate information about COVID-19 you can help make people feel less stressed and allow you to connect with them.
• Learn more about taking care of your emotional health. 

 For Parents

Children and teens react, in part, on what they see from the adults around them. When parents and caregivers deal with the COVID-19 calmly and confidently, they can provide the best support for their children. Parents can be more reassuring to others around them, especially children, if they are better prepared.

• Not all children and teens respond to stress in the same way. Some common changes to watch for include:
  • Excessive crying or irritation in younger children
  • Returning to behaviors they have outgrown (for example, toileting accidents or bedwetting)
  • Excessive worry or sadness
  • Unhealthy eating or sleeping habits
  • Irritability and “acting out” behaviors in teens
  • Poor school performance or avoiding school
  • Difficulty with attention and concentration
  • Avoidance of activities enjoyed in the past
  • Unexplained headaches or body pain
  • Use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs

• There are many things you can do to support your child
  • Take time to talk with your child or teen about the COVID-19 outbreak. Answer questions and share factsabout COVID-19 in a way that your child or teen can understand.
  • Reassure your child or teen that they are safe. Let them know it is ok if they feel upset. Share with them how you deal with your own stress so that they can learn how to cope from you.
  • Limit your family’s exposure to news coverage of the event, including social media. Children may misinterpret what they hear and can be frightened about something they do not understand.
  • Try to keep up with regular routines. If schools are closed, create a schedule for learning activities and relaxing or fun activities.
  • Be a role model.  Take breaks, get plenty of sleep, exercise, and eat well. Connect with your friends and family members.
  • Learn more about helping children cope.

For Responders

Responding to COVID-19 can take an emotional toll on you. There are things you can do to reduce secondary traumatic stress (STS) reactions:

• Acknowledge that STS can impact anyone helping families after a traumatic event.
• Learn the symptoms including physical (fatigue, illness) and mental (fear, withdrawal, guilt).
• Allow time for you and your family to recover from responding to the pandemic.
• Create a menu of personal self-care activities that you enjoy, such as spending time with friends and family, exercising, or reading a book.
• Take a break from media coverage of COVID-19.
• Ask for help if you feel overwhelmed or concerned that COVID-19 is affecting your ability to care for your family and patients as you did before the outbreak.
• Learn more tips for taking care of yourselfduring emergency response.

For Those Released From Quarantine

Being separated from others if a healthcare provider thinks you may have been exposed to COVID-19 can be stressful, even if you do not get sick. Everyone feels differently after coming out of quarantine. Some feelings include:

• Mixed emotions, including relief after quarantine
• Fear and worry about your own health and the health of your loved ones
• Stress from the experience of monitoring yourself or being monitored by others for signs and symptoms of COVID-19
• Sadness, anger, or frustration because friends or loved ones have unfounded fears of contracting the disease from contact with you, even though you have been determined not to be contagious
• Guilt about not being able to perform normal work or parenting duties during quarantine
• Other emotional or mental health changes
• Children may also feel upset or have other strong emotions if they, or someone they know, has been released from quarantine. You can help your child cope

Resources

For Everyone

• If you, or someone you care about, are feeling overwhelmed with emotions like sadness, depression, or anxiety, or feel like you want to harm yourself or others call 911
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA’s) Disaster Distress Helpline: 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746. (TTY 1-800-846-8517)
• Coping with a Disaster or Traumatic Event

For Communities

• Coping with stress during an infectious disease outbreakpdf iconexternal icon
• Taking Care of Your Behavioral Health during an Infectious Disease Outbreakexternal icon

For Families and Children

• Helping Children Cope with Emergencies
• Coping After a Disasterpdf icon– A Ready Wrigley activity book for children age 3-10

For First Responders

• Emergency Responders: Tips for taking care of yourself
• Disaster Technical Assistance Centerexternal icon(SAMHSA)

We've taken this information directly from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website. You can find it here.