Coping with Isolation: These Experts Reveal Their Top Tips

Pothier, 46, knows all about isolation; his research focuses on how astronauts can better prepare for living in confinement ahead of missions. The French scientist has lived in isolation many times and he once spent six weeks cooped up in the High Arctic during the dark winter months as part of his research.

What he calls his “most critical piece of advice”, Pothier, a PhD candidate at the University of Plymouth’s Planetary Collegium, recommends writing a to-do list. “Take time to write down proper lists and enjoy every time you tick the box in front of the task you have accomplished,” he says. “This is a very efficient way to stay busy from morning to night and keep the spirits up.”

But it’s not just short-term goals that are important. Pothier says it’s good to look ahead, especially as many of us don’t know how long lockdown measures will stay in place. “Try to envision larger plans on the to-do list. Maybe some home renovations, maybe learning origami at an expert level, who knows? Just try to think of any types of activities that can’t be done in a day and set targets.”

With limited supplies in some grocery stores and restricted opening hours, Pothier says it’s important to prioritise medical supplies, food and household products.

He also suggests going through cupboards and getting rid of expired goods to see what extra resources are needed. It’s then a good idea to “make a list to make shopping trips more efficient”.

Pothier explains: “If you face in your country what we face in France right now, you will have only very limited access to stores and supermarkets, so it is good to have your list ready and buy what is critical for you.”

When it comes to staying positive in a limited space, Pothier says it’s essential to “keep your living space clean and not let dirty crockery or laundry mount up”.

He adds: “This is your habitat, be it your small apartment, or a house with a garden. Keep your living space tidy every day, do some extras on the weekend, improve your interior. Don’t experience the self-isolation as a constraint; on the contrary, try to do your best to make your home a better place to live for you and/or your family.”

However, he warns that unless you are experienced, don’t engage in “hazardous home renovations – it’s not the best time to pop to the emergency hospital ward because you hammered your fingers”.

Last, Pothier warns against counting the number of days you’ve been in lockdown. “This is self-isolation, not a life sentence. Keep active, busy and relaxed, but don’t count the days. Just consider the situation as the new normal you need to adapt to. Find your personal mental space inside it. And remember that you are currently on earth – our planet is our gigantic spaceship and we are all space cadets!”

Like Pothier, Jansdotter, 34, knows a thing or two about living in isolation. The globetrotting chef from Sweden has been posted at an Antarctic research station with just five other people since November 2019 as part of a one-year contract.

Speaking via a high-speed internet connection from Troll station, a Norwegian base located on Queen Maud Land where the annual temperature averages -25C, Jansdotter says she starts each day alone by candlelight, “enjoying the silence”.

“I read my book, or I write in my journal and, most important, I make a big batch of Swedish coffee,” she says. “Early in the morning, I am most creative and spending this time alone gives me space to think.

“I have also started a great breathing routine, which centres my thoughts and sets me up for the day. It’s called the Wim Hof method, developed by a Dutch extreme athlete and it’s great. A 20-minute meditation also helps keep me sane, and I always sleep well later.”

Along with morning meditations, another thing that helps Jansdotter keep her mental health in check is exercise. With the weather well below freezing, she says she generally uses the small gym on the base to do yoga, lift weights or run.

When the sun comes out, she also takes time to enjoy the spectacular Antarctic scenery, with hikes to the surrounding snowy peaks. “Being active is really important for isolation – it gives you all those endorphins that boost your mood.”

Being a culinary whizz, it’s no surprise that Jansdotter highlights food as a mood-booster. She recommends starting with simple recipes and working with the ingredients you have to hand. Some of her most popular recipes on the base have included ostrich steaks grilled on the BBQ and her instant apple and cinnamon ice cream made using liquid nitrogen.

Jansdotter suggests eating as a household or even via a video-calling app such as Zoom for those living alone. She adds: “Food is so important for morale here on the base, and we like to highlight the festive occasions and birthdays especially. Just being together around the dinner table acts as quality time – this is when we talk about everything and nothing. It’s almost like a therapy session.”

But it’s not just talking at home. Jansdotter says it’s very important to “keep regular communications up with the outside world so you can keep conversations fresh and interesting”.

Thanks to a high-speed internet connection at the base in Antarctica, she can voice- and video-call her family and boyfriend back home.

Another way Jansdotter communicates to the wider world is via Instagram, and she regularly posts photos via her account showing what she’s been up to – from rustling up delicious meals to a bit of daily fitness exploring the stunning local scenery.

“I’ve been living in confinement since last November and am due to leave this autumn,” she says. “I hope that the world will be a better place when I get home and that people and countries will go down the solidarity path and fight this epidemic together.”