Jayathma Wickramanayake's keys to staying healthy and sane while working from home amid the coronavirus pandemic: routine, exercise, and patience.
The UN Youth Envoy told Cheddar on Wednesday that as young people found their lives upended "all at once," it led to a lot of questions about how to juggle education, work, and life.
"A lot of us are struggling to do our studies or education at home, to do our work at home, and to also, at the same time, stay physically apart but with the expectation that you will still be emotionally and socially connected," she said regarding requirements of the stay-at-home orders encompassing much of the globe.
She said a routine has helped her stay on top of the changes in her own life. In addition, Wickramanayake suggested eating healthy, doing at-home workouts, and consciously carving out time in your day for meditation and relaxing.
Unless you live alone, there are others with whom you have to share a space. To keep those relationships healthy, Wickramanayake suggested negotiating space and time constraints to set time for calls and quiet.
"When you negotiate, please don't leave the younger ones or kids out of negotiations," she added.
Above all, she reminded everyone to "be extra patient" with those around you.
Members of the Kappa League mentoring program at Wyandanch Memorial High School in Long Island, NY are preparing for an educational trip to Ghana. Principal Paul Sibblies is on a mission to enrich his students' lives to put some of them in touch with their roots. "When you invest in young people, then it's the greatest investment you can make," he said.
A group of 15 students recently graduated from SANYS U., a six-week program held by the Self Advocacy Association of New York State. The course helps people with disabilities to advocate on their own behalf, learning more about their rights, legislation and issues that matter most.
