Establish a routine

The initial adjustment to life in isolated, confined and extreme conditions can be turbulent and make you feel out of sorts. Developing a routine is a tried and tested method for aiding adjustment to these types of situations.

In the video below, Guy Buckingham, former Navy submarine commander and high altitude mountaineer, provides an insight into why establishing a routine might help.

Break it down

In extreme situations there is often a lot of uncertainty and the scale of the task or challenge being undertaken can feel overwhelming. This can make demands feel insurmountable. Bringing focus back into the near term, and not getting too carried away with what will happen in the next month, 2 months and so on, helps promote a sense of control.

Former Royal Marine Commando, Ian Finch, suggests breaking big overawing goals down and trying to focus on small targets and little wins.

Try to think rationally to make decisions

Risky or demanding situations can result in feelings of anxiety and fear. These feelings can impact upon our decision making. Viewing the situation from a different and more rational perspective is one of the ways that people in extreme environments manage these feelings. This is something expedition leader, Leon McCarron, talks about in the following clip.

There are a range of tools that can help promote more rational thinking in extreme high pressure situations. A good evidence-based one is the Smarter Thinking app.

Find positives in the situation

Searching for positives and trying to find opportunities in difficult situations contributes to resilience. This is not just about positive thinking but also about acknowledging that there is often more than one way to view a situation, and that one way might be more helpful than another.

Guy provides his perspective on why positive attitude is a choice.

Do something creative

There are many examples of expeditioners using creativity to counteract the demands faced in isolated, confined and extreme environments. On their expeditions to Antarctica, Captain Scott and his crew actually produced their own in-house magazine, The South Polar Times. Today, people in Antarctica are still coming up with creative ways to pass the time. Former European Space Agency Medical Doctor, Dr Carole Dangoisse, who spent 400 days living and working in Antarctica at the Concordia Station, talks about some of the things she did whilst she was there.

Exercise

When living in isolation and confinement, exercise is a really good way to fill time and also has a range of physical and mental health benefits. Carole talks about why exercise, and yoga specifically, was important during her time in Antarctica.

There are lots of resources available online to help develop good exercise routines. High intensity interval training sessions, yoga or a good walk (if you can get outside) are some options.

Take comfort in progress

When entering a new environment or encountering unusual situations, things can feel unfamiliar. However, over time, the conditions will become more normal. It helps to pay attention to the progress being made in order to promote a sense of self-confidence.

Expedition leader and world-renowned photographer, Martin Hartley, shares his views on the process of adjusting and becoming more comfortable in new environments.

Monitoring and recording progress, perhaps by picking out something that has gone well each day, can be powerful. These little morale boosts help us through the tough times.

Make the most of food

Food and drink are obviously important for satisfying physical needs. However, they also have an important psychological role. People in isolated, confined and extreme environments often use food as a way of motivating themselves. Mealtimes also provide an opportunity to build cohesiveness and camaraderie between team members. Firepot Foods discuss the psychology of food on expeditions in this article.

Travel risk expert and expeditioner, Lloyd Figgins, shares one of his secrets for using food to provide a boost on difficult days.

Develop a personal coping toolbox

There are lots of potential stressors in isolated, confined and extreme settings. Luckily, there are things that can be done to counter these stressors. Remote safety expert and big tree and wall climber, Waldo Etherington, shares some of the ways that he copes with difficulties on expeditions.

In particular, journaling is something that many expeditioners and remote environment workers talk about as being therapeutic. Writing about what is going on is a good way of passing time but also provides an outlet for sharing feelings. If you would like to give it a go but do not where to start this Beginner’s Guide To Keeping A Journal by The Cut provides a few pointers.

Find a passion project

In addition to exercise and hobbies, having a passion project that provides regular intellectual stimulation can be really helpful when spending long periods in isolated and confined settings.

Based on our prior research, we know that in space, space simulation studies and at Polar research stations, participants often engage in scientific research and find purpose in meaningful work that they have ownership over and are responsible for. These projects and work activities help occupy time and provide a source of focus.

Passion projects do not have to be work-related though. Being isolated and confined often provides an opportunity for learning new skills. There are many different online learning programmes (this one specifically on psychology in extreme environments) and 1000’s of tutorials available for learning anything from wood carving to baking.

The power of words

Finding inspiration and drawing motivation from the stories of others is regularly mentioned by people that live and work in isolated, confined and extreme settings. Janey McGill, leader of the Her Faces of Change expedition, talks about her own inspiration and the book that she carries with her on her journeys.

Expeditioners have often been good for a sound bite. Sir Ernest Shackleton coined a few gems that are good for rousing spirit in trying times. Shackleton London have collated a few of his more inspirational qoutes here.

Identify ground rules

Living and working in close proximity with other people for long periods of time can be challenging. This is especially so when there is a mix of personalities and people from different cultures. Identifying ground rules (hopefully as a group) helps get people on the same page and will minimise the likelihood of misunderstandings. Lloyd talks about the importance of establishing ground rules in the following clip.

Create your personal space

Being around the same people 24/7 can be tiresome. This is something that people living and working in isolated, confined and extreme settings regularly highlight. Identifying a place that can provide a sanctuary and offer a brief escape from the situation is really important. Janey talks about her need for personal space and why it can be beneficial for mental health in these types of challenging setting.

Practice self-restraint

Living in close quarters with other people for long periods can be difficult. The following excerpts related to communication, conflict and self-restraint are from one of our research projects with cosmonauts on the International Space Station (ISS).

“You should make sure that the situation does not reach boiling point…the key is not to make the situation worse, not to escalate things.”

“So it seems like timing is essential – there are situations where emotions need to be suppressed and others when things need to be said…It’s like constantly keeping a set of scales in balance”

“There was some tension. But everyone knew that if something like this crops up, you shouldn’t fan the flames, you shouldn’t make it worse.”

“If personal interactions get stressful, you have to be reserved and calm…If there are any emotional outbursts, we, as a rule, usually let some time pass, and then each of us realises whether they were right or wrong, and then things even out.”

You can read more about conflict resolution in this article by Danish military psychologists Anders Kjaergaard and Jesper Corneliussen who are experts in conflict management in extreme environments.

Find a way to communicate with the outside world

Although being separated from friends and family can be hard, for some, being in isolation and confinement might actually enhance their close relationships. This is something that Carole found during and after her stay in Antarctica.

The key to communication is about finding something that works for you and that allows for positive interactions with other people.

Manage communication expectations

Being isolated from friends and family for long periods can be difficult. However, technology nowadays means that we can maintain connection and regular contact from almost anywhere on Earth (and beyond). To make sure technology is used positively, it helps to discuss and set some boundaries around when to expect contact and the sort of topics to discuss. This is something that Leon has learned over the years. He shares his wisdom in the following clip.

Remove technology to optimise sleep

Technology has lots of benefits but it can also be quite disruptive. One way that technology can negatively impact health, wellbeing and productivity in extremes is via the impact it has on rest and sleep. Leon shares his view on reducing technology use to maximise the opportunity available for sleep in expeditionary settings.