Featured image: © Pikrepo
With a COVID-19 pandemic on the loose and the streets of Britain looking like scenes from 28 Days Later, most of us have been encouraged to self-isolate, engage in social distancing and work or learn from home. What a fanciful lifestyle, you say? A little lie-in every morning, lounging around in your pyjamas, finally able to catch-up on all your favourite shows; even better, you now don’t have to worry about that social event you were trying so hard to excuse yourself out of. What could go wrong?
As idealistic as it may sound, this routine can become rather repetitive, unproductive and boredom will sneak up on you much sooner than you think. Being secluded in a small indoor environment, stuck with the same people during all hours of the day every day, can become quite monotonous. To keep your routines fresh, we have recommended some ways you can keep your days in isolation a little more exciting.
Spring clean
What better way to celebrate the Spring Equinox than by spring cleaning your entire house? Focus on one room at a time so it doesn’t become too overwhelming (and so you have something to keep you going throughout the three-week lockdown!). Reorganise the room for an exciting new layout, donate unwanted clothes and items to charities and maybe revamp old furniture with a simple DIY with resources you have lying around the house or stored in the garden shed. This way, the environment you will be stuck in will seem brand-new and stimulating, allowing you to obtain a new positive mindset and increased productivity.
Learn a new skill
If there is ever a time to belatedly learn that musical instrument you’ve been putting off for years or to finally brush up on your Spanish, now is the time. Whether it’s an artistic skill or an online educational skill, there are plenty of resources online to help you with these – many for free too! YouTube is the best place to look for free videos and tutorials whereas other sites may charge a small fee but are more enriching in content.
Some tutors may even offer video lessons rather than home sessions – this would be the perfect way to help self-employed individuals who may have lost clients due to the pandemic.
Family bonding time
Now that the kids are off school, take this time to create new family bonding memories and prepare them for some valuable life skills. Engage in culinary lessons, make chores enjoyable, partake in art classes in the garden, the list is endless! The older children get, the harder it will become to teach them simple yet fun activities so it’s best to get them involved now whilst you have the time!
Exercise, exercise, exercise!
This is a simple one to tick off your list. It’s easy to slump around and make excuses not to exercise because you’re at home, but it is possible! You may not have a cross-trainer or treadmill at hand but there are ways to exercise at home without the fancy equipment. If you don’t have weights, use some heavy (but safe!) items as a substitute: these can be paint cans, packets of rice, milk bottle, it’s time to get imaginative! There are plenty of YouTube channels and Instagram accounts that can assist you with your workout journey. It’s crucial that you exercise whilst quarantined, even if it’s just for 20 minutes a day. It’s a great way to heal your mental health and boost your productivity! For an added bonus, exercise outside to take advantage of the warm weather we have been treated to!
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Discover new podcasts
Out with the Netflix and in with the podcast! Podcasts are currently all the rage and they deserve all the credit they can get. It takes out the effort required when watching TV and instead makes your one allocated walk a day or your daily sunbathing in the spring sun a little more interesting. Coming in a variety of genres, including storytimes, spoken documentary, health advice and much, much more, you will never find yourself short of topics to listen to.
Lastly, keep your mental health in check
At times where you’re stuck indoors with the same people doing the same activities, not being able to surpass the perimeter of your house and scrolling endlessly on social media can seriously impact one’s mental wellbeing.
Keep. Your. Mental. Health. In. Check!
Keep off social media. Keep yourself distracted by engaging in some of the activities we’ve suggested above. Check out our article Looking after your mental health whilst in self-isolation for more tips. Your mental health is of the utmost importance during this pandemic!
