Hey Y’all!
This year has been rough on us, hasn’t it? I mean, it’s only March, yet we’ve lived through being on the verge of World War III, locusts have swarmed East Africa, a wild bush fire in Australia was so severe it caused millions of animals to perish, there was an extremely rare earthquake in the Caribbean, Kobe and his daughter Gianna, along with 7 other people died in a plane crash, and now the dreaded virus COVID-19 has threatened our very existence and life as we know it.
Whew! I need to catch my breath because that was a lot! Does anyone else feel like 2020 set us up for failure before we even had a chance to prove ourselves?
I mean, let’s talk about it. We are currently living in a worldwide pandemic and it doesn’t matter what country we live in, our age, race, what social class we belong to or what religious beliefs we may have, we are all in the same position. We are on lock down.
So as concerts, sporting events, graduations, award shows, churches and more get cancelled, planes become grounded and airports await travel bans to be lifted, borders between countries are closed via air and sea, schools, libraries, museums, cinemas, theaters, restaurants, court houses and basically every single job closes their doors, what is left for us to do?
Below I have listed my top 10 things that can help us pass the time.
1. Read a Book
Now I don’t know about you, but this is the perfect time to turn off the news and distract yourself- if even for an hour or two each day, and immerse yourself in a good book. I remember a time when reading was my life. I was basically Belle from The Beauty and the Beast. I would envision myself as a character in whatever book I was reading and it would help me escape my actual life. Sometimes, depending on which book I am reading, I still find myself in situations such as this. Do you have any books that you’ve put to the side but haven’t read yet? Well now is as good a time as any to pick it back up.
2. Take a Nap
Raise your hand if sleep feels like a luxury. Every time you lay your head to rest, you are prevented from sleeping because your mind is racing from one thing to the next and you find it difficult to close all the tabs in your brain. Or maybe you can only get so much sleep because you are a parent or you simply are just juggling too many things in your life. Well insert sleep here because this is the time to catch up on some z’s. This will cause you to reset and feel more refreshed for the day we all get sprung free from our isolation camps aka our homes.
3. Have a Watch Party!
Have you heard that Netflix has launched a program called “Netflix Party?” Well, it can have you watching the same show at your varied places of abode at the same time while communicating via chat. It also “synchronizes video playback” too. If for some reason this isn’t a viable option for you, or you want to watch something from a different platform, try the next best thing which is to load your program on your tv or computer, wait for the person(s) you plan to watch it with to do the same, get on Skype or FaceTime, hit play at the same time and have fun with your friends while effectively practicing social distancing!
4. Solo Dance Party
Who says you need people to have a good party? Make a playlist, crank the music up, and let loose all by yourself. Dance it out. Dance out all the worry, fear, thoughts of doom and gloom, and just have fun. And you wanna know the best part about this? Even if you can’t dance, no one is watching, you are in a judgment free zone. Go wild!
5. Do a Puzzle or Color!
Jigsaw Puzzles- Puzzle Game
Puzzles are a great way to bond with those in your household and kill the time while actually having fun. If you are stuck at home riding out this quarantine with siblings, nieces/nephews, children, parents or your significant other- whomever it may be, this is a good way to keep your brain in check. And yes, if you do not have a puzzle at home, there’s an app for that.
Pigment- Adult Colouring Book
If isolation has begun to cause you to experience some stress or anxiety, coloring books are a proven way to help with that. It helps you to relax, and de-stress. Who knew this wasn’t only meant for kids? I sure didn’t. Not until a couple years ago. So if you think this may be beneficial for you, you can either purchase these books in a store or online via places like amazon or even try the modern way as mentioned above- an app.
To find the apps shown above, simply search your app store (Android/iPhone) for “Jigsaw Puzzles- Puzzle Game” and “Pigment Adult Colouring Book.”
6. Spring Cleaning
Despite the fact that this year is proving to be difficult to plan for, we can continue to do things that will bring some normalcy back to our lives. For those of us living in colder countries, we can begin our spring cleaning. We can get our gardens ready, swap out our thicker curtains and bed spreads for lighter ones, pack away our winter clothing and pull out our spring/summer wear into the forefront of our closet, etc. Now I know spring has just arrived less than a week ago, and for us Canadians this doesn’t mean that we will be getting spring weather anytime soon– someone call for snow?– but since we are under self isolation, we should have copious amounts of time to get a head start on these things. Also, if you were thinking of re-decorating a room in your house, why not do it now while you have the time?
7. Get Fresh Air
Let’s not get it twisted. Just because we are forced into isolation does not mean that we cannot go outside the confines of our walls. Go for a walk down your block, sit on your balcony if you have one or sit in your back yard and get some vitamin D and fresh air into your lungs. It is important to keep ourselves as healthy as humanly possible right now.
8. Listen to a Podcast
Now, I know the photo above seems to have absolutely nothing to with podcasts but I promise, I will tie it all together. I’m just a bit hungry at the moment so this photo seems perfect haha. But seriously, podcasts are amazing. It’s like listening to the radio, but without ads and with multiple different personalities and topics based on the person(s) you have chosen to listen to and what you like. This could range anywhere from business, exercise, book clubs, religion, pop culture and the list goes on and on. So how about multitasking and listening to it while cooking (see I told you I would tie it in), doing laundry or other household chores. In addition to that, why not take the time to stock up your refrigerator with multiple home cooked meals. Instead of chips, your choice of snack could be fried dumplings or a beef sandwich. The best part about this is that the time you spent cooking will fly by because of the podcast you’re listening to and it will feel like you have people in your home with you.
9. Prioritize Self Care
Feeling overwhelmed? Uncertainty about the future making you nervous? Not to worry. We live in a generation where there is an app for everything. Sometimes, these apps help us to become more centered and become more in tune with ourselves. The calm app is amazing for this. However, you will find that because it is basically the best app out there when it comes to relaxation, it is pricey. Well, they have currently released a free resource page so any and everyone can benefit from their content which was curated to support our “mental and emotional wellness through this time.”
They have recordings for categories such as “soothing meditations, sleep meditations, sleep stories, calming music, calm body, calm masterclass, calm kids, mindfulness resources, practices to find ease.” Go check it out, the website is linked above.
10. Group Chat
My family, friends and I have been utilizing this step a lot during our quarantine. It’s been helping to bridge the gap and to minimize feelings of loneliness, which is incredible since none of us needed to catch flights in order to see and talk to each other at the same time. There are many platforms that can be used to accomplish this task; FaceTime, Skype, Instagram group video, Whatsapp video, etc.
If you are not an introvert like I am, this entire situation may be exceptionally tough for you. Just hang in there, think about the many reasons we are all quarantined. Pray for those individuals and their families who have been personally and tragically affected by this.
If you have a job that allows you to work from home, or if you have a job that had to close during this period but you are fortunate enough to still get paid each day; that is a blessing.
This world is causing us to slow down right now. God is telling us to take a break and appreciate the smaller things in life because we could easily be here today and gone tomorrow. Staying home is not a prison sentence. Get to know yourself, learn to enjoy your own company and use the resources you have available at your fingertips to keep yourself sane.
Be sure to drink your fluids, always wash your hands with soap as many times as needed, sanitize your phones, doorknobs, groceries, tables, etc and practice social distancing. If not for yourself, be responsible for others.
As usual, thanks for taking the time to check in with me.
Xoxo,
CandyQane 💕
2 Comments
Judez
Love number 4 I’d pay money to see you doing 4 as well 💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾😆. Nice post!
Eloise
Excellent writing. Very informative and I will sure to do more reading, puzzles? But I will try the app for de-stress for sure.