COVID-19 has very quickly spread across the globe, causing many people to quarantine in their homes. I know that the world is slowly reopening, however, I felt that sharing this blog post with you all can still be helpful. Especially for those of you who plan on quarantining for a bit longer.
While many people love being at home all day, other people may be struggling with it a bit more. For me personally, my mood is different every day, though I think many people can relate to this. Some days I feel very productive and happy, and other days I break down and cry. It’s so strange to be living through a pandemic like this. I never thought that I would ever have to go through something like this, but here we are.
When we first had to start quarantining, I was finishing up my junior year of college. School work kept me busy during that time, but now I have completed the semester and I am on summer break which means I have a lot of free time. Too much free time is not necessarily a good thing, at least for me, so it is important and in some ways necessary for me to keep busy.
As I said, not every day is amazing. When I do have great days, I try to think about what it is that made it great. Today, I wanted to share some of the ways that I have been staying productive (and happy) while quarantining.
Exercising
Alright, if you know me at all, you already saw this one coming. I love working out and staying active, however gyms have closed a while ago which means people are either working out from home or skipping their workouts. When I got the email that my gym was temporarily closing, I was upset but I understood that it was the right call to make in order to keep everyone safe. So, I had to get a bit experimental. Luckily, I have quite a bit of gym equipment at my home. I have a workout bench, some weights, and resistance bands. I often feel much more motivated when I am working out at the gym, so at first it was a bit difficult to get into this new routine. I am happy to say that I am working out 5-6 days a week! It keeps me busy, and it makes me feel healthy and happy. I enjoy weight training, HIIT, yoga, walking (or hiking), and I’ve even been playing badminton! It is so important to stay active especially at a time like this. It is tempting to lie down all day and watch TV or play video games, but when I do nothing productive all day, I feel awful. When I work out, my mood can change completely. (If you can get outdoors for your daily exercise, that is even better. Fresh air is always important, but especially right now!)
Cleaning + organizing
I am not the biggest fan of cleaning, but of course, it has to be done. I have been trying to keep my home clean and organized. I have been getting rid of things I don’t want or use, and I enjoy organizing. It keeps me busy, and it has allowed me to go through things that I would have most likely left alone for a long time. While cleaning isn’t my favorite thing to do, there are times when I get a random urge to just clean everything. It is always important to keep your home clean, after all, that is your space that you come back to day after day. Plus, at least for me, having a clean and organized space relaxes me (and it’s aesthetically pleasing)!
Pampering myself
I try to prioritize taking care of my physical, mental, and emotional well-being. I have so much time to do whatever right now, so I have really been taking care of myself even more lately. I like to keep up with my outer appearance because it makes me feel more confident. I’ll do my own brows, I’ll use hair and face masks, and I will do my skincare routine. For my mental and emotional health, I like to do the things that make me happy. Whether that is working out or writing, I try to make time for the things I love. I also feel like talking (or in my case ranting) about how I feel always helps me. If I have a bad day or I’m just not feeling like myself, I will spend some time with my family and talk to my friends. This relaxes me, and sometimes you just need to have a good cry (I know I’ve had a few while being stuck at home)! Allow yourself to feel whatever it is that you’re feeling, just don’t dwell on these feelings. Have a bad day, and try to do better tomorrow.
Blogging + writing
Writing is one of my biggest passions, and luckily, I can do this from the comfort of my own home. I love planning out and writing my upcoming blog posts. Nothing beats the feeling of being inspired, and somehow, even while stuck at home, I’ve managed to stay inspired. I like to plan out my blog posts at least a month ahead, and I try to stay on track with my posting schedule. I really enjoy writing and blogging, but if this isn’t your thing, try to dive into your hobbies or explore new ones. Learn more about what it is you want to do, and do it!
These next 2 are not necessarily productive, but they make me happy, and I think they are needed and important to mention!
Talking to friends and family
Luckily, I am quarantining with my family, and they are my best friends. I am happy to have them by my side. While I like my alone time, I still love hanging out with and talking to my family every day. My family even did a zoom reunion so we could see the family we haven’t seen in a while! I have really been missing my friends lately, so I try to text them often. I even have a couple facetime dates planned out with my friends. I hate that we can’t see each other but once this is all over and done I am going to give them the biggest hugs. I understand that not everyone is quarantining with their family or friends, and you may be by yourself right now. I am sure that this is very difficult, so this tip is especially important for those of you who are alone. Reach out and talk to your loved ones as often as you can. This is going to pass eventually!
Relaxing
I know that this post is about staying productive, but honestly, many of us have some time to relax, so we should enjoy it! When I am not doing any of the things I mentioned above, I like to relax. For me, relaxing looks like lying on my bed watching Netflix or YouTube, scrolling through social media, or reading. I’ve been thinking of starting some new TV shows and watching some of my favorite movies as well.
While it is great to be productive, it is ok if you’ve been relaxing a little too much lately (we may never get this much time to relax again)! Please, don’t be too hard on yourself. Like I said, this is a really strange time we are living in right now. If you have been spending your days lying down and you don’t feel very productive, that’s ok. If you’ve been moving nonstop and staying busy, that is ok too! What I will say is that you should take note of the things that are making you feel great and recognize the things that are making you feel bad. Based on what I’ve been seeing in the news, things do seem to be looking up (at least in some parts of the world). Don’t lose hope. I think we are all going to come out of this so much more grateful to be able to simply live our everyday lives. To interact with other people less than 6 feet apart. To workout at the gym. To go to the grocery store without a face mask on. And to hug the people we love extra tight.
Thank you so much for reading! Until next time!
amandapatch.wordpress.com 