Suffering from isolation? Astronaut gives 4 tips on how to stay productive

Accustomed to the isolation of space, former astronaut Chris Hadfield gives some tips on how to stay focused on long periods of confinement

Since the COVID-19 was officially linked to pandemic status by the World Health Organization, words such as social detachment, self-isolation and quarantine have become routine in the lives of many people who never dreamed of needing to know the difference between these terms.

So, it is not surprising that many people are not getting along with all this history of isolation: as the days go by, an increasing number of people have realized how difficult it is to remain completely isolated from human contact for long periods of time. time, and the fact that there is no prediction of when things should return to normal makes it even more difficult for these people.

Therefore, more and more videos and stories are appearing with tips to help those who are having problems living an isolated life, and one of the most recent by someone who knows very well what this is: the former Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield.

astronaut chris hadfield isolationChris Hadfield has a long career as an astronaut and commander of the International Space Station (Image: Robert Markowitz / NASA)

While still active, Hadfield served as commander of the International Space Station (ISS), which makes him a real authority on the subject of isolation. In total, he spent 166 days in orbit during his career, and he is more than accustomed to the conditions that now lead many people to delusion: being locked in the same place for weeks, having extremely limited contact with other people and risking his life whenever I needed to leave the base.

Insulation Tips

In the video (which is all in English), the astronaut reminds everyone of the vast experience he had with periods of self-isolation, and that despite being in an extremely dangerous environment and where any mistake could mean the death of the occupants, he still managed find ways to stay productive and lead a relatively normal life. And he claims to have accomplished this by following four essential tips:

  • Understand the real risk you are taking: Hadfield says that widespread panic is not good for anyone, and that each person needs to know the real risk they are taking based on their particular situation. For this reason, he recalls that it is important not to believe in social networks or in the conversation of neighbors, but always to look for reliable sources of information, such as the website of the World Health Organization.
  • Define a mission: for the astronaut, one of the most important things to be able to stay focused during a period of isolation is to define a mission or a series of objectives that must be accomplished during that period. So, if you know exactly what you intend to achieve in this period that is inside the house (it can be simple things like keeping the house always clean or more complex, like writing that book that you have been saying for years) it is more difficult to lose focus and start to despair.
  • Find out what your limitations are: In addition to not being able to leave the house or have physical contact with other people, I need to know what your limitations are, both financially and emotionally. For example, if you still don't know if you have enough funds to continue paying your bills, it may not be the time to buy a guitar to learn to play an instrument.
  • Don't get off the path: from the moment you have a mission and know what your limitations are, all that remains to be done based on your resources so that it is completed. Always focus on the goal set and this quarantine period can become the ideal time to do what you've always wanted (like starting a podcast, or studying a new language), but you've never had time to start.

At the end of the video Hadfield still reminds everyone that if you have symptoms similar to those of COVID-19 or have come into contact with someone who has symptoms of the disease, the best thing you can do is to isolate yourself and not keep in touch with anyone else for a period of at least 14 days.

Source: Digital Trends