Parlour Games for Modern Families by Myfanwy Jones

Let’s start with the obvious things you can do. So the question is … How do we stay sane and connected in the midst of a pandemic? This experience made me realise two things about connection:Ģ) It’s the most effective pathway to happiness and productivity. Instead of procrastinating, I just got on with things. This is how I felt when I returned home: happy and connected. When I returned home to Australia, I noticed something interesting … I felt instantly better. Doing these things helped a lot but I won’t lie, it was still really tough. So I forced myself to do little things like run up and down the hotel stairwell, ride the hotel bike, go out and buy a rice ball from the 7-Eleven, etc.

I started to understand how people lose their minds and deteriorate quickly when placed in solitary confinement. It was hard to get up and leave that little room. After a few hours, I would head back to my little hotel room, where I would sit and cry. I was there to visit a friend who was very ill.Įvery morning, I would catch the bus to the hospital to see my dear friend. Breakfast was chemical sludge soup from a vending machine. I lived in a place called The Washington Plaza hotel. My period of isolation (Spoiler alert: It wasn’t fun)Ī few years ago, I moved temporarily to Japan. In fact, studies involving monkeys have found monkeys would rather go hungry than be alone. When we don’t feel connected, we don’t feel so good. Why is being socially isolated so damaging to our health? Loneliness is as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

Parlour Games for Modern Families by Myfanwy Jones