Keeping our distance from each other for an extended period of time is the most effective way to reduce COVID-19’s spread. But the prospect of prolonged social isolation is uncharted territory for many of us. To get some insight on how we might navigate this period of social separation, MIT News checked in with MIT alumna and former astronaut Cady Coleman, who perhaps had the ultimate isolation experience.

Cady spent months at a time on the International Space Station (ISS). While orbiting some 250 miles above Earth, Cady with other astronauts lived and worked in quarters that are about the size of a six-bedroom house, with only occasional opportunities to step outside on spacewalks to repair or maintain the station. Despite being physically isolated from the rest of the world for months at a time, the astronauts found ways to bridge the distance with family and friends by talking on the phone, or through video chats. But just as importantly, they also made sure to find time for themselves, and embrace their isolation. Cady Coleman flew on the space shuttle twice and served a long-duration mission for six months aboard the Space Station as a NASA astronaut. Here, Cady shares with us some of the lessons she learned from living in space, and how we can all commit to a mission to live, at least for now, at a distance.

CADY COLEMAN: I think what makes everything work is the mission. As an astronaut, I was on the forward edge of exploration, representing the many people who make the ISS mission and experiments happen. Right now our mission is to keep each other safe here on Earth. I think keeping that mission in mind makes it easier to wash your hands that one more time when you really don’t feel like it, and to tell friends who are more casual about social distancing, things like, “No, I really don’t think it’s safe to do that together for now." NARRATOR: The challenging times of isolation in space is something only a select few may experience during their lifetime, but feelings of isolation can be felt here on Earth right now. Currently, people across the globe are facing the challenge of forced isolation that, with the overall anxiety surrounding this novel virus have many finding it harder to cope than anticipated. Colman remembers the more challenging moments she had to work through during their time on ISS, and share some advice on how to get through and even embrace this social-distancing period.

CADY COLEMAN: We had one crew member whose mom passed away fairly unexpectedly while we were in space. We established we’d have our own memorial service at the same time as the funeral back home. And I looked at the world map and realized we were going to be passing over his hometown at the time of the funeral. So the six of us were there in the cupola together, and we had a few moments of silence, and I really felt we were together with all the family on the ground. There are a lot of things we can’t control now. What are the things we can? We can control the things we learn. And I’m thinking I may take some Skype lessons for playing the flute, and learning Chinese has always been on my list, as well as practicing my Russian. There are projects I have on my list, from finishing my website to cleaning out my attic, and right now it feels like I may, in a joyful and not so joyful way, get them all done.

CADY COLEMAN: I think about the things I wish I did when I was up on the space station. One is get enough sleep. Probably my whole life I’ve never gotten enough sleep, especially at MIT, right? So taking care of yourself is a really good thing — prioritize that. And also, some kind of journaling or recording: Jot a few notes, capture this time for yourself, whether you plan to share it with anyone or not. Take pictures that help people realize what it was like for you. Because your experiences may be valuable to others in the future. When the mission you've chosen forces you to be isolated, you find a way to be the best you can.