Everybody these days area at it. With the global pandemic of coronavirus or popularly known as COVID-19, people are now confined to their homes – as community quarantine or lockdown is being implemented. Borders are being shut down, many establishments have closed shop and economic instability is looming. Panic and uncertainty are definitely hovering around us so it is so easy to be overwhelmed by these tough times. The good news is that we can change our outlook and proactively do something to keep us sane, safe and healthy. I’m sure you have read a number of articles about it at this time on how to make the most of our time at home in isolation.
Here are a few tips from us to make you feel less lonely and irritable and instead, focus on being productive and happy:
Limit social media’s consumption about the Covid-19 topic for only 10 minutes a day
A famous psychologist and decision scientist, Baruch Fischhoff recommend just choosing three print media sources and one local public health agency to follow. Check on their coverage once a day. Our advice is to limit coronavirus media consumption to just 10 minutes a day and not 10 minutes every hour. The news updates on TV or social media will keep you watching and reading and engage you to the fullest so take time to break off from them. One thing to make us calmer is to control what we take in. Stay informed but avoid going through fake news or repetitive stories with no or little new information. Don’t let the news heighten your stress.
Keep yourself strong. Eat healthily
A healthy body certainly makes a healthy mind. Taking vitamins like Vitamins C and E can help us all get essential nutrients to stay in tip-top shape, more so at this time. Eat more fruits and vegetables. We know being at home can be boring, do not go overboard on eating all these chips and junk food. You may prepare your own healthy meals right at home since most restaurants are closed, too. It is also recommended to reduce the intake of carbohydrates and sweets in this low period. Resist the urge of being a “sweet tooth” at this lest your blood sugar may shoot up. Take in nutritious food, as we don’t want to be sick now.
Enjoy the sunlight
Why do we enjoy soaking up all the sunshine on the beach? It can help us get our daily dose of happy hormones. Fight off boredom and sadness by taking a walk around your neighborhood or even just around your house. Take time to check on your plants. Smell the flowers. Breathe some fresh air and explore the surroundings around you that you might not have been noticing at all in the first place. Enjoy outdoors and the sun, a good source of Vitamin D – only if you have a back yard at home 🙂
Exercise daily
It is not going to help you by being a couch potato all day – sitting down and binge-watching Netflix all day. Do your own workout routines every day. Exercise! Get up – stretch and flex those arms and legs. Get moving so all your energies will be up! A simple leg stretch, stomach crunch or jumping jacks will do for now. Whatever it is, go ahead and do your body a favour by exercising even for only a few minutes each day.
Read a book
Our minds certainly need exercise, too. Stimulate your brain cells. Have you been putting off reading that favorite book of yours? Now is the best time to catch-up on all your readings. Or pick-up a new book that interests you. There are free e-books now, too, like Paulo Coelho’s. Check on them online, Medium.com is also a very good recommendation. Challenge yourselves by reading a few books each day.
Learn a new skill
Now is the best time to learn a new skill or fulfil your passions. Is it cooking, baking, watercolour painting, crafts or sketching? There are a number of free tutorials online so just be sure to choose which suits you best. Or perhaps, finish one or two online courses (you may want to check Coursera where there are free and paid courses where you will be issued “Certificates of Completion”). Check this out: https://www.coursera.org.
De-clutter
Clean-out all the unnecessary stuff in your room and house. If you have been busy, this is the right time to do your 5S – whether in your cabinet, bookshelf, storage room and whatever part of the home that needs to be fixed. You’d be surprised that a lot of non-essential items can be discarded. You will feel light and relieved knowing that you have made a clean sweep of all the excessive stuff hanging around for a long time. Organize a schedule and plan the activities you will need to handle to be able to achieve this.
Communicate with family & friends
You might be physically separated from family, friends and relatives but there’s technology to help us keep in touch. Do a video call; use Facetime or any other app to see them virtually. Or maybe if that’s not possible, call or text them. These conversations will surely lift up your moods instantly. Continue looking out for each other and keep lifting each other up in these trying times. Distance is not an issue now.
Pray
Whatever faith, religion or creed you belong to, let us keep praying and believing that we will get through this virus soon. Have faith that everything will be well again in time with your community, your country and the world. Pray on it, pray over it and most of all, pray through it.
Enjoy this time. Stay productive. Stay informed. Stay safe and healthy.
