Whatever your situation (home quarantine, stagnation, or whatever), as long as you have the opportunity, here are some good tips for seclusion or wondering how to make the most of your time.
Quarantine or not, it’s important to keep your mind, your immunity, and your shape high at all times. And here are some tips that can help you:
Read Books
Now it’s the perfect time to read a favorite novel, finish a book you started, or get back to that forgotten hobby altogether. And maybe you’re not the kind of person who likes to read prose and poetry, now is the perfect time for education too – think about what information you would like to know, maybe for your hobby, maybe for work, now is the time to be informed.
Remember – books refine speech and syntax, replenish your knowledge, develop your imagination.
You can see some examples here: 5 Great Books to Read.
You may consider reading in the following styles:
- ancient poetry;
- classical literature;
- philosophy and ethics;
- psychology and sociology;
- biology, chemistry and more scientific literature.
Diet
When buying many items, pay attention to the thought of health regime and the discipline of eating. Canned food is all about the Apocalypse, but do not neglect healthy eating and do not overeat.
You may search for different types of regimens and diets. Don’t overdo it or end up in extreme states.
Have a protein / fat balance, less carbohydrates like potatoes and bread. Here are some other foods to focus on:
- Nuts – walnuts, raw almonds, raw hazelnuts, Brazil nut (not recommended for cough and sore throat!);
- Dried fruits (cranberries, raisins);
- Fruits (seasonal – oranges, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries; less bananas);
- Protein balance (once every 2 days meat; fish);
- Boiled vegetables;
- Cheeses.
These are exemplary foods. You decide how to arrange them. Look for recipes as well as get informed about light foods according to your metabolism (if you are vegan or vegetarian, look for good and easy recipes for that).
Do Exercises
Don’t have time to train or too tired after work?
Now you can take some easy steps to train at home and even in the park.
Of course, be responsible at home if you have children. Or the neighbors are like in your situation in home, do not make too much noise, and if you go outside – don’t be at places with many people. Better have a mask, scarf or something to be safe. Everything within reason and safety.
Note: Due to Quarantine measure all over the world, discard the park or outside-training… for now. It is still a good advice, but after this situation.
Here is a simplified example program:
- Light stretches (there are many nice yoga exercises for elasticity) – do them lightly, do not rush;
- Push-ups, abdominal training, jumping exercises – if you have neighbors, still consider if they are in a quarantine situation;
- Jumping rope – excellent cardio;
- Other light exercises with your own body and weight – planks, standing on your hands (for more advanced trainees), experiment.
Do everything responsibly, carefully and look for information.
Your health is more important than your ego, so take your time.
Family Time
Many people under home quarantine are separated from their family members, but those who are with you pay attention to them.
Due to the haste of time and going to work, many people do not pay enough attention to their loved ones, but now is the perfect time to play more with your children, watch more movies with your loved one, talk about your life.
If you have a board game, play together; if you have a computer you can find puzzle games that can unite the family.
People living with their loved ones often get used to living as roommates. Take note – a person is a planet, a galaxy, an universe – this is the perfect moment to re-live and experience those first moments of falling in love when you talked for hours on the phone.
Spring Cleaning
Quarantine around the world happened in spring time. Now without haste you can re-arrange the house, clean it, throw away unnecessary things and see what else you can furnish. There are many options and a clean house is a clean mind.
You can also allocate your budget, household bills, groceries – the layout will help you see things more focused in the coming weeks.
Cleaning of Mental Processes
This can be directly related to previous advice – cleaning your home, if done as a type of meditation can help support your mental processes, clarify your mind, restore energy. It is important not to rush.
Of course you don’t have to clean your house to put your mind at ease. You can make a report for the year, think about a diary of what you did and what you want to do, sample plans for where and how to move forward. We live in an information age – use it for your growth.
Make some notes about your hobbies or search for new hobbies like painting, music or just meditate on your life.
Think Positively and Constructively
Besides the negatives, there are positives. Emissions from cars, buses, planes and factories are dramatically reduced.
In this regard, go outside for a breath of air – of course cautiously and don’t collide with large groups of people. If it is permitted – take short walks, enough distance from the next person, take protective equipment and still avoid adults and children as much as you can – their immune systems are more fragile.
Also, if you have a balcony or window – breathe. In this connection, try yoga breathing exercises as well:
- close one nostril and inhale and exhale 10 times slowly from the other; change the nostrils;
- close your eyes quietly and breathe slowly with the full capacity of your lungs;
- you can try slowly while breathing: 1. Inhale for 5 seconds, 2. Hold for 5 seconds, 3. Exhale for 5 seconds.
You may experience slight dizziness. This is due to the presence of more oxygen in the blood and slowing down the processes in the body while at rest. Do things slowly and calmly.
Edit: Because of the current restrictions of some regions and states all over the world, it is becoming prohibited to go out in the park. But still, the text stays and I employ you – concentrate on the breathing exercises. Sunlight, oxygen and health!
Be the Change
Use the situation. All the tips so far are for your benefit, you decide.
Educate yourself as much as possible about the consequences of the global situation and offer solutions in your field.
There is much to learn and much more to apply. Criticism is good when it is constructive; complaining doesn’t do the job.
The writing of this article is inspired by COVID-19 – there is a lot of emotion and frustration in this global quarantine situation. Let this occasion not be an excuse not to look for solutions, but on the contrary – to be more creative and work as much as we can for our personal development, for our career development, for our family relationships (to your beloved, to your children, to your parents ).
Be the Change, Be reasonable in your decisions!