The 10 Best Strategies to Survive (and Thrive) During Covid Quarantine

By Erika Fehrenbach Prell

Like so many others, it was our turn…”the VID” hit our house. Oh, sorry, that’s what I like to call covid because it brings images of other more scandalous diseases, if you catch my drift. Welcome to the crazy brain of medical providers...lol. Let me start by saying we were very fortunate; our cases were mild, even in the unvaccinated 2 and 10 year olds, and our vaccinated 13 year old was able to avoid infection. 

While it could have been way worse, dealing with this was challenging mentally, physically, and emotionally. I had to dig deep into my Best Life Toolbox to make it through this lengthy quarantine, tapping into all the resiliency and positivity I could grab ahold of. At SoulShine, we try to inspire you to prepare for situations such as these. But, sometimes, the best lesson is to learn from a real life situation. So, here you go, DreamChasers...
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The 10 Best Strategies to Survive (and Thrive) During Covid Quarantine:

1. Take Care of Yourself
We talk about this alot...you can’t take care of anyone else if you don’t take care of yourself first. Listen to what your body needs. Get lots of rest. Lay low. Snuggle on the couch with a movie. Drink lots of water. Take a nap. Manage your stress. Your body needs to focus its energy and efforts in getting better so do the things to support this!


2. Protect Your Mindset
This will test your mindset. Practice gratitude. Journal. Express your frustrations and fears with others or write them down. Here’s a big one...it might be a great time for a social media break. Not only is this a source of negativity, it was equally hard for me seeing people out enjoying life when I was cooped up at home. So, stop the scroll and replace it with a book or watch your favorite comedy.

3. Expectation Management 101
You are in survival mode; getting through the day to day will be enough of a project. This is not the time to take on something new. Do the best you can. For example, during our situation, both parents were positive and our oldest remained symptom free; he still needed a ride to and from school and activities so we took him masked with the windows down. Guess what? It wasn’t protocol perfect but he remained illness free. Give yourself grace...it’s okay if the house is messier than usual or the kids watch more TV. Just get through this time the best you can.


4. Connect With Others
It’s hard enough to be sick but being in quarantine, away from others is hard, especially after you start feeling better and are just marking time. Humans are social beings and need connection. Make an effort to connect with friends and family outside your home. Text, call, or video frequently.

5. WebMD is Not a Real Doctor
But, seriously, it’s not. I am at fault for doing a Google search as well, and I am a medical provider...lol. Here’s the thing...there are equally reliable sources as unreliable sources, and it can be hard to tell the difference. When you need reassurance or to get answers, skip WebMD and call your real doctor. I know you will Google anyway (wink), so here’s solid advice...never read past the first or second result. The most common answers pop up first and, guarantee, items three and on will be rare and very scary. Save yourself the worry and just call the real thing...that’s why there are nurse help lines!

6. Say Yes to Help
Like other communicable illnesses such as influenza, getting covid is unlucky, a bummer, but just part of life right now. First and foremost, you did nothing wrong, therefore, you should not be embarrassed or feel shame. That might sound weird, or never crossed your mind, but this is a common feeling and experience for many who get covid. Your friends and family will offer to help...take them up on their offers to drop off food, run errands, or help in any way you need, guilt free but with a grateful heart. Guess what? There’s a good chance you will be repaying the favor before this is all over.


7. Have Faith 
It will be okay. The truth is, much of this is out of your control. When my husband and I both became positive, I was worried sick over my 2 and 10 year olds that were unvaccinated...so many thoughts were swirling in my head. The truth was, them getting covid was pretty much inevitable; you can’t exactly quarantine effectively from a 2 year old. And, worrying was only adding more stress to an already stressful situation. So, I chose to have faith. Faith that it would be okay. Faith that I was made for hard things. Faith that I could handle whatever was thrown at me. Focus on what you can control...your thoughts, your beliefs, your actions.

8. Find Reasons to Laugh
Laughter really is the best medicine. Find reasons and things that make your laugh every day...it really will make you feel better!


9. Get Fresh Air
Just because you are in quarantine does not mean you can’t go outside or take a drive for some fresh scenery. Sit on your porch or take a walk...the fresh air and sunshine will serve you well.


10. Push the Easy Button
If you are like us, we had 4 people with covid, all with a different quarantine release-to-the-wild date (see? Humor and laughter…). This meant that someone was in quarantine for a total of 16 days, with 7 of those days being both parents in the Q. We still needed food and miscellaneous items. There are so many easy buttons available for this now! You can get delivery or pick up for groceries, home goods, and even food. Tap into these resources...you might find options to help post-vid, too!

There you have it, DreamChasers, the 10 strategies that I used and abused during our Covid quarantine that allowed me to not only survive but also emerge with my sanity. I'd even say thrive as surviving challenging times builds that resiliency muscle. I sincerely hope that you don’t find yourself in this situation. But, here’s another truthbomb...there will likely be another situation that will test your resilience. Whether it is the Vid or some other trying times, these same strategies will help you to survive and perhaps even thrive in tough times. So, go ahead, and add these to your Best Life Toolbox!

Shine on!