During this time of lockdown, one of the worst things that we can do for our mental health is to simply lay around and do nothing at all. Since our brain will not be stimulated, there is a higher chance for us to get lost too deeply in our own thoughts and probably start to overthink. And we all know that when we usually overthink too much, it makes us nothing but miserable.
So I just wanted to share a list of a few things that you could do during your time at home in order to occupy yourself, as well as a few tips on how to keep you sane.
#1 : Keep a routine
Even though each morning you are not on the run to go to the office or school anymore, it is still important to keep a routine. What I mean by that, is to plan a schedule for each day to effectively get things done. It can be as simple as setting a time to wake up to, taking a shower, getting ready, getting dressed, setting your hair, and the list goes on and on. By doing this, your life will continue to “feel normal” even though it isn’t really the case. Plus, it will be much more of an ease for you to keep track of the days passing by. Not only that but let’s admit it, it just makes us feel better about ourselves and our lifestyle.
#2 : Out of office, but work from home
Some of us, still probably have some work to get done despite not being physically in our usual work environment. If you do, set goals each day for what you want to get done by the end of the day in order to be productive to your fullest potential. This is pretty much the same concept as the one I mentionned above. I would also recommend you to create a space specifically dedicated to work, if you don’t already have an office in your home. Trust me that separating your working space, from your leisure or sleep space can really have an impact on your productivity because you know that when you step into the designated space, you have work to get done.
ps: if you are done with everything, you can also start to do some additional learning such as researching more in depth about a topic that you are passionate about. Or you can even start to learn a new language.
#3 : Keep in touch with your loved ones
If unfortunately, you are unable to be gathered with your family at the same place during the quarantine period, get updates from them every now and then. Keeping in touch with your loved ones through phone or video calls is probably one of the most important actions that you can do during this time in order to keep your mental health in check. Especially if you are living alone, total isolation from the outside world can really lead to negative impacts on your mental health.
#4 : Sweat it off
Another way to get your mind off things is to squeeze in a workout session in your day. It can be anywhere from four to five sessions a week, or if you are feeling courageous, do one everyday. I find it really helpful not only to occupy my mind but also to make time pass by faster. Plus, it’s good way to get your body moving in order to keep your weight in control and your health in check, as we are not walking and moving as often as we used to.
#5 : Get cleaning and organising
There is no better time than now to be refreshing your home. You will probably be staying in your home for a while, so might as well get some things sorted out. Get cleaning and get organising. Trust me, cleaning and organising is like therapy for your mind and soul. It will leave you feel overall more refreshed but it will also increase your level of happiness and mental wellness. I personally believe that cleaning is one of the factors that go hand in hand with mental health well-being. You can also sort out some of your belongings, in other words, declutter. Go through your drawers and sort out what you want to keep and what you might not need anymore. Sometimes, we don’t have enough time to do these types of tasks, so might as well use this time to do it.
#6 : Becoming the next Masterchef
Being quarantined inside our homes limits us to make our own homemade food. Indeed, delivery services might still be available and you might have even stocked up on cup noodles but it doesn’t hurt to start cooking food by yourself as well. If you’re not already a skilled chef, learn new recipes and enjoy the process of doing so. It’s also a good opportunity to be more in control of what you put inside your body. The most important thing during this time is your health, so try to keep a healthy and well-balanced diet as much as possible. Not only will it be good for your overall health but if you eat right and get all the right nutrients and vitamins that your body needs, your immune system will be stronger and therefore it will be better at fighting off any external germs/bacteria that could potentially damage your health.
#7 : Going back to the basics
If you are currently in quarantine with family or friends, think about playing board games. I know this might sound very old-fashioned but it’s a good alternative to screen-related activities. You will be able to spend some time offline and have some quality time with your family.
Another activity that you would usually not have the time for is painting. I know we are not all born artists but might as well give it a try. It’s a relaxing activity that still stimulates your brain. And who knows, you might discover that you have a hidden talent!
#8 : “Finally watching it!”
If you are like me and you have a very long “watch later” list of videos, films, documentaries, etc. Good news! This is probably the best time to finally go through it. However, don’t forget to keep a good balance between watching video content and doing other chores. Don’t binge-watch 24/7. Maybe limit yourself to watching one film or documentary a day, but don’t go overboard with moving from a film to another, morning till night.
#9 : Join the TIKTOK team
If at this point you still haven’t found anything that you want to do, you can jump on the latest social media trend; the TikTok team. It’s a fun way to make your days go by faster. You will be amazed at how much time actually goes by from the moment you start learning the dance moves to the moment you film your video.
Well, that was a little overall of what we could potentially do at home during this time of isolation. I hope this post is going to be a help to you in any way and I also hope that you will make the most out of this unprecedented situation. But most importantly, stay home, stay safe and stay healthy.
The Fashion Vitamin 