We’re used to our work projects, financial restrictions, and even poor weather keeping us from visiting our loved ones, but with quarantines and travel bans in place around the world, we are experiencing a new brand of homesickness. Here are some tips for coping with homesickness at a time when we all need our support systems the most.
- Manage overall stress and anxiety: We associate home with happiness and stability, so making your home away from home as peaceful and comforting as possible is key to beating homesickness. Maintain a healthy sleep schedule, go for daily walks, and plan some alone time for yourself to find that feeling of peace, wherever you are in the world.
- Schedule a recurring video chat: Video chat is as close as we can get to see our families in person without actually hopping in a car or on a plane. Set a weekly time to check-in and plan a virtual game or shared meal using the wonders of modern technology.
- Recreate the senses of your childhood: Maybe your mom had a signature candle scent she always burned or your childhood home always had a certain flower blooming. Recreating these smells and feels of our home is a great way to experience the joys of nostalgia and a touch of comfort.
- Make family recipes: Home cooked meals are hard to beat. Ask your parents for some of their classic recipes and create the taste of home wherever you are.
- Rewatch a childhood show or movie: Guilty pleasure TV can be incredibly comforting. You can even encourage a sibling to watch it at the same time as you and reminisce about your childhood favorites.
- Rethink the concept of family: Our families hold a special place in our hearts, but think about reaching out to your broader family as well. Friends, coworkers, and neighbors can all fill that ache for community and collectivism in times of loneliness.
It’s natural to long for home during times of uncertainty and isolation. Fortunately, we have the powers of the internet to lean on to connect with those we love no matter how far away they are. Embrace feelings of home in your own living space and remember that we can achieve emotional closeness even in times of physical distance.
