Lockdown
We are in the midst of a global pandemic.
It's not clear how long it will take for things to go back to normal, or what normal will look like once this is all over. All we know for certain is that for the time being, in order to keep ourselves and others safe, we must stay at home.
For some, it has been days, and for others, weeks since state and national governments around the world set new directives instructing the general public and non-essential workers to stay at home. This includes working from home during the week and staying indoors at the weekends. This is completely new to most of us, and unsurprisingly, people are struggling - that's right, you're not alone.
As long as you're part of the privileged groups of people who still have access to food, water, shelter, electricity and a steady internet connection, your main concern right now is probably how to stay busy, or at the very least, how to prevent yourself from dissolving into a puddle on your couch or bed.
Evenings and Weekends
You probably have a lot more time in the evenings and at weekends than you're used to. You might find yourself wondering what to do with that time. Rest and sleep are perfectly fine answers, by the way, but there's a limit to how much of that you can do, and to the benefits of doing nothing.
If you're tired of sleeping and watching TV here are some other suggestions:
Find a fun home workout - Yoga, pilates and aerobics can all be done with little to no additional equipment and will ensure you stay, fit, strong and flexible. Youtube is a great resource and it's free.
Start or join a virtual book club. If you've been saying you want to read more, then this current is a perfect time. The books don't need to be too long, serious or heavy. If books feel like too much of a commitment, then you could try articles instead. Pocket is an excellent resource if you are in the habit of bookmarking and losing or forgetting about saved online articles you want to read.
Learn a new cooking recipe or perfect one you already use. With restrictions on movement in place, it's likely that you're eating out a lot less. What's in your fridge and cupboard? Check online for quick and easy recipes. This is a great way to use up random food items and to reduce waste.
Start or join a virtual film club. Since most of us are watching a lot more TV and film, why not turn this into a social activity and brush up on your film-critiquing skills? It'll force you to pay more attention and help you find new ways to process and analyse visual information.
Play Games: Boards games, card games, trivia and puzzles are great ways to pass the time, and connect with others. Keep your brain active and have some fun.
Work on Professional Skills and Personal Development
Pick up a new language or resume learning an old one. Learning a new language can be done from the comfort of your home. Rosetta Stone, Duolingo and Babbel are available online and via mobile apps. My personal favourite is Duolingo. I refreshing my French and learning Brazilian Portuguese.
Update your CV and LinkedIn. I've seen plenty of people complain about this advice, but this really is the perfect time to do it. This pandemic has created a lot of uncertainty, job insecurity, and in some cases, a spike in unemployment. Now that you no longer have to commute to and from work, you may have some extra time on your hands, and figuring out how best to market your skills and abilities is a huge plus. Take advantage of this time - it could be a great distraction.
Learn something new. This could be a topic, skill or acquiring a certification. If the thought of having to submit work to follow an academic timetable feels a bit much there are self-paced options for online learning; Coursera, EDX, Udemy, HBS Online and others offer an array of free online courses. You can also use books, podcasts, or live online learning events.
Get Your House in Order
Focus on putting things in place at home, both literally and figuratively. If ever there were a time when you should have a clear view of your finances cash inflows, outflows and investments, it's now.
Money
Create a budget. If you're not usually one for budgeting, you might want to consider it now.
Track and analyse spending: Going out less, should mean spending less, but that might not be the case if you're not properly tracking your spending. Cancel all non-essential spending, and hold onto your cash.
Do some financial planning: Hopefully, your job isn't impacted by current global events, but act and plan as if it might be. What might change if you lost your job next month?
Home
Tidy up: You have time to tidy - that's not as easy when you're stuck in your normal routine. Now you can tackle it little by little, and if you're home with family or friends everyone can get involved.
Clean: Our homes need to be cleaner than ever. It's an ongoing effort, and you will need to be more conscious and deliberate about keeping surfaces clean.
Clear out: consider getting rid of old possessions such as toys, books, shoes and clothes. Bag them up and put them aside for charity donations (lots of churches and other organisations collect clothes and shoe donations).
DIY: Your home may need minor superficial repairs. If there are things that you can learn or do yourself, do some research online and see if you can solve the problem. If you have a garden, you could learn how to take care of it and save some costs there too.
Get Creative: Start that Passion Project
If you've always wanted to learn how to:
Write
Dance
Paint
Draw
Take pictures
Cook or bake
Whatever it is, now is the time!
The strain and stress of current events, as well as the constant bombardment of bad and scary news, can have a draining effect, so it's up to you to push yourself. We don't yet know how long it will take for this to all be over, but however long that is, it's important to remember that life hasn't stopped, and neither should you. By no means am I advocating that you do everything in these lists? Why not pick 1-2 activities to keep yourself busy? The more you can find to do at home, the less likely you are to step out and risk getting yourself or others sick.