Social distancing and isolation have been emphasised during this time where the novel corona virus is rampant. During the time one has at home and to themselves, it would be helpful to stay occupied, whether working from home or taking some much-needed relaxation, there are activities that could alleviate the feeling of loneliness or boredom!
Exercise
It is crucial not to neglect physical health during this time, there is no need for fancy equipment or a lot of time to fit in physical activity into your schedule. During this time there are trainers offering online classes, and if not that, there is YouTube after all, to catch up on stretching, yoga, cardio, any type of movement, even dance! It is recommended that adults get 150 minutes of aerobic activity per week, which is 2.5 hours. Now is the time you get into shape if there was no time before. Exercising during your shows is possible as well, dancing while waiting for your food to be made, the options are numerous.
Catching up on your reading
Reading is something of late, which people generally put off, ‘When I have time off I’ll read that book I’ve been meaning to’ or when there’s a flight or wait. Now that there is work from home and it’s ill-advised to leave your homes, your books are a healthy alternative to technology. A way to escape the stress and tension is to slip into the pages of your book and allow yourself the time to be engulfed in another story. Be it any genre, reading is a productive and effective way of spending your time during this period of isolation.
Learning new things!
During this time to yourself, there are many things to alleviate boredom at home, such as DIY’s i.e. “do it yourself” recipes or makeup, inventing, skin care regimens etc. By watching videos online, one could try pampering themselves or learning something. If an individual wants to learn a new recipe, they can practice and bake themselves something sweet, a treat for learning a new skill perhaps! Or even with DIY makeup, watching tutorials online could lead to a new look, a new fashion statement or even hairstyle! Sounds exciting? It is, with the variety that is available, the bountiful options and activities can be enjoyed!
Makeover your space
A makeover doesn’t necessarily need to do with the person. Our space, where we recuperate or revitalise our energy is significant when we need to be present in it every day. Now that there is time, order those scented candles or find things in the house which you haven’t looked at twice and reorganise and clean your space. The calmer somebody’s work environment is the more effective and productive they will be. It might not be possible to recreate the environment the same way renovation does but reclaiming it through self- organisation does wonders for your mental peace of mind! It could be your workplace, your breathing place, a place where you could just unwind, but when it is your space, the nerves are calmed and make for a more fruitful experience during this time.
Catch up with family/friends!
It’s important to know that everyone is in this together, be it your family, friends, colleagues, the pandemic has affected everyone. Using this as a time to reconnect and check in on everyone, it is important to prioritise your mental health and reach out for help if feeling disconnected or lonely. Staying in touch is always a good idea!
Rediscovering your passion
Whether it be singing, painting, writing or any activity which sparks the flame inside you, hold on to it and explore it. There is available time for people to start doing more of what ignites their passion and what they feel strongly about. If somebody hasn’t painted in years, now is the time, vice versa with other things such as writing, journaling, music, lyrics, it can be anything, as long as it is important to you.
Catching up on shows
Naturally, now that you can finally watch that show on your watchlist it’s time to utilise the opportunity and watch your favourite shows or movies, it can be a feel-good too! Although excessive screen-time has proven to be not-so-great for your mental wellbeing.
Breathing
Yoga, stretching, breathing and meditating is extremely significant. While self-reflecting is prudent so is deep breathing. Online there are guides which provide the steps to relax our bodies through our breathing, such as diaphragm breathing or alternate nasal-breathing. These techniques calm us down and help us deal with the issues we face daily in a more productive way rather than letting the tension build.
It is vital to remember that we can get overwhelmed with the current situation and do not realise when this anxiety or stress can become overbearing. At times like this it is important to remember the options we have to let go of this anxiety by channelling our energy into different activities, some as suggested above, and by staying occupied, healthy, active and calmer, we do not suffer unnecessary burdens of stress hampering our thoughts. As adults it is key to note that sometimes we need to unwind as well and work around our own body/mind’s schedule.
