If there’s anything that’s difficult to do during a “lockdown”, it’s staying positive and productive. How do you keep yourself from getting cabin fever? It’s also hard to retain a sense of normality.
A little disclaimer, or public service announcement, first. It’s okay if you’re not being productive. If you feel that you need to chill and come to terms with what’s going on, that’s okay. It’s okay to not be okay. But, if you do want some productive ways to stay positive during isolation, then keep reading.
Productive Ways to Stay Positive
Being inside is not for everyone. Introverts will tell you that they’ve been preparing for this moment for all their lives, and for some maybe that’s true. For myself, I do like being alone, but I do miss the outside world. And, I’m lucky enough to be able to work remotely, so I think I’ve been distracted enough to not go into a negative spiral. But, we all need a little help now and then, so here are a few tips I found helpful for staying productive and simplifying life.
Social Connection and Physical Distancing:
Social Distancing is the best way to flatten the curve right now. It’s vital that we “physically” distance ourselves from each other at this point in time, but that doesn’t mean that we have to “socially” distance ourselves. Now, more than ever before, we need to be socially connected. It’ll help us avoid feelings of isolation and loneliness. What I mean to say is, follow the guidelines that have been set to not spread the virus, but also try to stay connected to your world.
So, pick up the phone and call, or zoom, the people you’ve been meaning to get in touch with. Catch up with your friends and family far and near. Check in on them and see how they’re doing. Spend time with the loved ones you have isolated in your home with you. Sit down and watch something together, have dinner together at the same time around the table, or gather around and play a board game. Now is as good a time as any to spend quality time with each other, especially if you have children.
Time to Minimize:
I’m not sure about you, but I’d been saying that I wanted to clear out my closet to donate the clothes that I’m not using anymore for probably about a year. It’s easy to constantly put off and say, it’s the weekend, I need a little rest. Well, now we’ve got all the time we need! For me it was my closet and the stack of books that had been building up in the corner of my room. I finally got around to it this week, and it feels awesome. I donated more than half of my clothes, they weren’t in bad condition, I’ve just eh hem…moved up a size.
Another thing you can do is to go minimalist. Go all Marie Kondo and get rid of everything that doesn’t give you joy. Or, in my opinion, at least be honest with yourself about what’s really necessary to keep in your home. Maybe it’s a part of the house that you usually just stuff everything into and hope that nobody ever sees, like my storage room. Or, maybe you just want more space to make a home office during this whole work from home period. Pack up the things you feel you don’t really need in boxes, and then maybe if you don’t think about them for awhile, you donate them or throw them out. You could even do an online garage sale. Getting rid of clutter will help you stay productive and reduce stress! Trust me!
Self-Develop, Do a Project, or Study:
Always wanted to learn something new? Maybe it’s a new skill like coding, or maybe you’ve always wanted to write a blog, or maybe you’ve wanted to start a YouTube channel. Well, you have the time! Whatever it is you’ve felt like doing, if you’re blessed with the tools to make it happen, then make it happen. Get down to business and write that blog/article, record that video, learn to cook or bake, learn to code, get a degree through distance learning, whatever you want you can achieve it. If you want to learn some of the interesting new things we’re teaching, feel free to check out our Facebook.
Allow Yourself to Relax:
We live in a world that’s only getting wilder by the day. For those of us who are lucky enough to be able to afford to physically distance and isolate ourselves at home, now is a time to breathe in deeply and embrace the calm. A really good way to do this is to stop listening to the news all day. Some scientists have even been saying that by listening to the news all day, our sleep is being affected. It’s still important to be informed about what’s going on. So maybe set aside a time, once or twice a day, to find out what’s going on and follow important developments and announcements.
Stay informed about what’s necessary to know, but don’t let yourself read or watch too much of it. The most positive person in the world will find it difficult to remain so in the face of constant negativity. Yes, it’s a scary time right now, but not everything that we’re imagining will happen. The world has gone through this multiple times in the past, and we’re still here. Think of the things that make you smile, encourage each other, meditate and pray if that’s your thing, join an online workout group, and live a life of gratitude. Oh, and send memes.
The Crux of the Matter
It’s vital that we stay at home right now, that much is out of our hands. What we can control, is how we react to what’s going on out there. Build up a mindset of positivity and maybe even a simpler life. See this as an opportunity to focus on the things you never have the time for. Most importantly, stay safe, stay happy, and believe that things will get better.