As many of us are in lockdown and social isolation mode during this pandemic time, I find the ability to stay positive and keep our mind focus on things we can control become more important than ever. Therefore, I have put together these top 10 Do-s and Don't-s for you to help you to navigate this challenging and uncertainty time. I hope you will find them useful and share them with your friends too!

* DO NOT read the news first thing in the morning or last thing at night. The best way to avoid that is to keep your phone away from your bed. Leave it in the living room, study or bathroom.

* DO 1 thing that will elevate your mind first thing in the morning. For some, it may be meditation (I recommend the Ananda App as you can customize how you like to do your meditation), journal your thoughts (morning pages), or do some inspirational reading (best to select the book or article from the night before).

* DO 1 thing that will elevate your mood daily. Do something fun and enjoyable, for example, go for a quiet walk/exercise outdoor, make a delicious pot of chai or green smoothie, watch pets video, play with your baby.

* Take good care of your health and well-being. When we work from home, we may slip into the habit of eating something quick and easy but on the other hand, we may find it easier to make healthy meals as long as we plan ahead. It is important to eat well, sleep plenty, move your body during this time. Many gyms and exercise experts have put up online classes or stream their usual workout. We may just need to create a new habit of working out from home after work instead of hitting the gym. It may be a no-brainer but often we miss the most obvious things when we are stressed or feeling down.

* Connect with someone daily. Social isolation or distancing doesn’t mean disconnecting. I find this is exactly the time I want to reach out and check-in with my friends.

* Breathe. Remember to breathe slowly when you suddenly get triggered or a sense of worry or panic creeps in. 

* Pivot your negative thoughts. Do not stay in the negative mind chatter and downward spiral. When these thoughts come up, try to pivot to another thought. Have a list ready. For example, if you have a tendency to say "I am so lost and stressed out" then think and say to yourself "I will figure this out. All that shall pass” 

* Do not overwhelm yourself with what-ifs, take one step at a time. When you are concern with multiple potential problems at a time, first pivot those thoughts then look at one problem at a time. Pause. Before you move on to the next.

* Take action, but one small one at a time. When you are ready, see if there is one single action you can do about one single issue. What people tend to overlook is even a very small action creates momentum, once it is completed. So instead of trying to take a major step with multiple layers and moving parts, do one solid thing that you know is making progress.

* Hope is where your strength is. Have faith, in a time of great uncertainty, hope and faith are highly important to guide us into a higher order of thoughts and actions, which in return will lead us into creating more positive and constructive outcomes. 

Despite I created this list to share with others and to remind myself, some days I don't feel as positive or peaceful as I would normally do.