So you’re at home. Your kids (if you have them) are at home, need help with school, are bored, and you are trying to get work done. You can’t go to church, your small group and workgroups are meeting on zoom, stores and restaurants and gyms are all closed.

Our routines, as we know them have changed entirely.

And if you are like me, the first week or so was good. You enjoyed the quiet, the different, the new. But now this new has become the old. This novel is now what we are doing. And because we don’t know how long it will last (one of the most frustrating parts of this), we have to define a new normal—a new routine.

So, how do you build a quarantine routine?

Here are a few questions to ask, and then I’ll share some things our family and I are doing:

1. What needs to get done each day? I’ve read a lot of people talk about starting a business, a new hobby, learning a language in quarantine, and if that is you, good for you. I felt terrible about this for a moment because I thought, “This is the perfect time to write my second book.” But I don’t feel it.

So what needs to get done each day? What do you have to accomplish work and school for your kids? Many times we will add too many things to our list and feel bad at the end of the day or week.

For many of us, this list already exists, but because we haven’t written it down somewhere (in one spot), we feel overwhelmed and stuck. We feel like we aren’t moving forward.

So, each day, write down what you need to get done. What your kids need to get done. Yes, have a quarantine dream list, but be realistic.

2. How do you stay connected to your friends and family? I think we are learning in a new way, how meaningful relationships are. We are seeing how much community matters in this season where we are stuck at home, wearing masks and not able to hug those around us.

Staying connected with others is incredibly important.

Whether through zoom, facetime, or other means, you must each day connect to your family and friends. To hear their voice and for you to listen to theirs.

Our best friends live six doors down from us, and we have made a rhythm of hanging in front of their house around a fire each week. This is so important for Katie and me.

3. What will recharge you today? It is easy to be task-oriented right now because it is stressful, and accomplishing things makes us feel worthwhile and look useful to our employer.

But make sure you are taking time for yourself. Make sure you are reading your bible and praying before you open social media.

Get outside in the sunlight and move around. Read a great book, take a nap, call a friend, bake that meal you’ve been dying to try.

It is so important that we pause for ourselves.

One thing that has been incredibly helpful to me right now is limiting my phone use, turning it off, listening to quiet, or worshipful music, just to reset.

Your answers to those questions will be different than mine and feel free to add some items to this list. This is just to get you started.

For our family, we took those questions and came up with some ideas:

• We are limiting screen time for our kids, especially because they are on zoom now too.
• It is taking a long walk each day.
• We are taking a weekly hike as well.
• We are spending time reading in the morning.
• I read to our kids every night before bed. Right now, we’re reading The Wright Brothers. 
• We are finishing our day with the compline prayer for the daily office.
• We are listening to worship music throughout the day.
• Making sure we don’t miss family movie night each week.
• Katie and I are continuing our date night at home each week.