This whole situation sucks. There is no getting around that. Parents have been called upon to homeschool while still working; or in some instances they have lost their jobs without having any inclination of when they work again. Kids have been taken out of schools and health care workers and grocery store workers have shown us all what true heroes are.
And this is just the beginning.
Since we all know this sucks and it’s hard, we have two options: we can wallow in our misery and be overtaken by the doom and gloom or accept this situation for what it is and move forward. I have cried, felt anxious and wanted to run away (with no where to go) and am finally emerging with some clarity; albeit still finding myself at a loss on most days. And now, I’m realizing that there are some amazing things we can all do during this time–many of which are free or low-cost–that can help you to feel like yourself. And who knows, maybe even emerge a better person?!
Amazing You Can Do During Your Quarantine
- Take an online courses: There are so many amazing free courses that you can take online, including courses taught from Yale, Princeton, Harvard and more.
- Take care of yourself: Health is literally our wealth, which is especially apparent these days. Use this time to focus on eating healthy, trying new recipes, getting plenty of sleep, and drinking a lot of water.
- Exercise: While the gyms may be closed, you can take advantage of so tons of online programs like obe, Orangetheory, and pureBarre, to name a few options. Don’t want to commit to a program? Have a dance party at home with your kids to bounce the stress away!
- Get some fresh air: Daily walks, while also maintaining social distance, have also been a part of a our new routine. Living in Westchester, there are so many cool places to explore like Ward Pound Ridge and the Zofnass Family Trail.
- Take it slow: My pre-COVID-19 life was typically rushed and I bounced from one activity to the next. Now, it’s all about slowing down and focusing on the simple.
- Work on something in your house: We all have that project or something we have been trying to tackle in the home that never gets done. I’m using this time to declutter and conquer my messy closet.
- Work on that hobby/side project: What do you love that you never have time for? For me, it’s writing plays. During this time, I am going to work on my full-length play, chipping away at it everyday. What is the one thing you will be working on?
- Reread books on your bookshelf: If you’re like me, you have tons of books on your bookshelf that you have read once and then put away for another time. Well, that other time is now. Think back to your old classics, books you read in college or high school and revisit them. You can also see if your local bookstore is offering curbside pickup and/or delivery. I also love GoodReads for some reading inspo, too.
- Sleep in: One of the best parts of this situation is being to sleep in (a little). Typically, I’m up at 4:15am for a workout which has been swapped for 6-8am wake-up times. I still prefer to wake up before the kids to get a workout in, but the few times where I have slept in have been heavenly and stress-free.
- Mediate: This is something I have been wanting to do for years. Never having the time, it also never became a priority. Now that there is more time in the time, and likely more stress, I am trying to mediate 10 minutes per day and have been using Giseptte Nuñez’s mediation series and mediations on obe. It’s amazing what just 10 minutes of mediation to do for you.
