As I am first writing this, we are about 3 1/2 weeks into social distancing, and I wanted to share what I've learned from this experience. I am sure I will gain additional insights as social distancing continues, especially not knowing how long this is going to go.

I have taken this opportunity to review and reconstruct my current routines and habits. As a result of COVID-19, I am asking myself daily, "What can I learn, change or develop during this time that will benefit me, my family and those I work with for years to come?" I wanted to share some of my thoughts.

Slow Down

This morning I went running with a neighbor, who is a busy attorney with a young family. We both talked about how unnecessarily busy normal life is and how this slower pace is a blessing. In the past few weeks, I have had more time with my kids and particularly don't feel as rushed at bedtime. I used to feel that I needed to do another hour or more of catch-up work, and as a result, I felt pressured to put the kids to bed quickly and struggled with being present in the moment. It also helps that the kids don't have dance lessons, sports practices or other classes to attend, making the evenings feel much less busy.

Quiet Time

My family has adopted a practice in the last few weeks that we call "Hear Him" time. This time is a reflection of our religious beliefs for us to just stop and listen. Not everyone has religious beliefs, but everyone can benefit from time to be quiet and just listen. I have tried to adopt this as a personal practice both in the morning and evening.

Devotionals

We have been holding daily family devotionals for about a year prior to quarantine. However, they have been less rushed and of higher quality lately. Prior to quarantine, I attended these devotionals on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and now I have been able to join Tuesdays through Fridays. On Mondays, I have a scheduled weekly planning meeting, so I haven't been able to sit in on those devotionals yet.

Our devotionals consist of the following activities:

• Read a short story or chapter from a book that teaches character to our children.

• Read and discuss scriptures. We have been utilizing a program called Come Follow Me, which has facilitated some really incredible conversations about life and gospel principles.

• Say a family prayer.

• Do a breathing exercise that includes anywhere from 5-10 deep breathes. I have been trying to lay the groundwork for teaching my kids meditation.

• Express gratitude. With our eyes closed, we think of three things, people or experiences we are grateful for that morning. Then we share at least one with everyone.

• Smile. Before we open our eyes, we put a big smile on our face.

Gratitude

A practice of gratitude is more important now than ever. We need to not only begin our days in gratitude but also end them that way. I have had a regular practice of writing in a gratitude journal in the mornings, and with all that is going on, as a family we have talked a lot about Being In Gratitude, which is a concept I learned from Lee Browner at Strategic Coach. He teaches to "Go BIG," which stands for Being In Gratitude. These past few weeks have reminded me just how critical gratitude is.

Church

I have been a very active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for my entire life. With the effort to social distance, all church meetings have been suspended since early March. Conducting our own church services at home has been a very tender and special experience for our little family.

Essentialism

I have felt inspired to remove the non-essentials from my life: finances, meetings, routines, consumption, etc. The opportunity to audit my life and remove the non-essentials has been great.

Health

I did a 3-day cleanse, which felt great and I would recommend. I might not have been willing to do it under normal circumstances since I am committed to eating lunch with friends, clients and industry professionals.

Prior to quarantine, I have been enjoying going to a yoga studio for hot yoga classes, and I've had to adapt to home workouts. My wife and I got a Mirror for Christmas, which has proven to be an incredible decision, especially during this time. I have also done a couple yoga workouts at home, and I started running outside again and have been reminded of how much I enjoy it.

Relationships

Being in quarantine has made me miss the in-person interactions with friends, family members, coworkers, clients, neighbors, etc. I am old-fashioned in that I'm not a fan of the virtual way of building those relationships.

This post is somewhat of a working list, and I will likely update it if I find new observations that come to light.