Do you feel hopeless? Don’t you think you can stand two weeks locked up at home due to the outbreak of coronavirus? Maybe you should try to stay a year in space. In this article, we’ll look at helpful tips from five astronauts to “survive” quarantine.
Social isolation or quarantine can be quite unfavorable for your mood, especially if you are used to spending a lot of time with other people.
However, there are some real experts when it comes to quarantine: astronauts that spend their days in Earth’s orbit counting only with empty space around them and deprived of many things that, even in their isolation, we do have.
These professionals must spend long periods of time in space, with extreme cases of up to a year in orbit, away from everything and working on an important mission.
If you feel like you can’t survive two weeks locked in your apartment, then it’s time to listen to what several astronauts who have spent months or years aboard the International Space Station (ISS) have to tell us.
Chris Hadfield
Retired Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield has provided some advice in a recent video uploaded to his channel of Youtube.
Hadfield says that we must proceed by approaching the situation from an analytical location. First, discover the real risks that you and your loved ones face right now. Then find a goal and set goals together.
After understanding the risk they face and being clear about their mission and obligations, then it is time to take action. “Start doing things,” says Hadfield.
Scott Kelly
NASA veteran astronaut Scott Kelly gave some advice to those who can’t bear being locked up at home during quarantine.
The article published in The New York Times, it mentions a series of steps to follow:
Step 1: a routine must be followed.
Kelly said:
You will find that maintaining a plan will help you and your family adapt to a different work and family life environment. ”
Step 2: speed should be decreased.
Kelly said:
Living in space, I deliberately wandered because I knew I was in it for the long haul, just as we all are today. Take the time for fun activities – I met up with teammates for movie nights, populated myself with snacks, and watched everything game of Thrones twice. ”
Also, Kelly recommends reading a good book, playing instruments, keeping track of what is done in a journal, and of course always washing your hands. All of these activities are great ways to stay healthy while locked up at home.
Anne McClain
Recently the current NASA astronaut, Anne McClain, published a thread Twitter detailing various skills that every NASA astronaut must learn. This important knowledge is called “Expeditionary Behavior” (EB).
McClain said “Good EB” is about “talking so they understand you clearly” and actively listening. In addition, it refers to learning how to become a leader to improve “the group’s ability to execute its purpose through positive influence.”
She added that astronauts must learn to take good care of themselves, this includes hygiene, time management, personal things, sleep and mood.
McClain wrote:
To practice a good EB group life, cooperate instead of compete. Actively cultivate group culture. Respect roles, responsibilities and workload. Assume the responsibility; praise freely ”.
Peggy Whitson
During an interview in CBS This Morning, astronaut Peggy Whitson talked about how to live in isolation in space.
Whitson said:
It is actually very feasible, but it is very important to be able to interact well with the people who are in confinement with you ”.
Whitson broke the record in 2017 for spending the most days in 2017 with a total of 665 days aboard the International Space Station.
Whitson added:
Many people are trying to work from home and trying to be parents from home and have a family at home, so it becomes very difficult. “But that is exactly what we did on board the International Space Station.”
Whitson also discussed what NASA astronauts have to endure in their preparation to remain in isolation.
Whitson added:
We actually train our astronauts to improve those skills because we want everyone to behave well with each other on board the space station. You can’t choose your crew, you’re just going to be there and you have to make the best of any situation. ”
Whitson also referred to “what to do when you can’t get out the door?”
Whitson said:
He would do the extra work he had been thinking of doing. What things would you do if you had more time? Is it to read? Is it perhaps writing poetry or making art? What was behind your head? “
Buzz Aldrin
Buzz Aldrin, the second man on the Moon, also gave some advice in a interview with Ars Technica.
When asked what we could do to stay safe during the outbreak, Aldrin replied:
I’d just sit on my butt and shut the door. “
Clear and direct, very much in the style of Aldrin.
