The COVID pandemic has drastically changed our lives. Just a few months ago, we had no idea our ‘world’ would be confined to our homes.
This pandemic is a powerful reminder of how important freedom is – and how much we need human connection.
Remember you are NOT alone, because what is DIFFERENT here is that everyone is impacted! Your neighbours, family, friends, colleagues and everyone around the world are all going through something similar.
This is the challenge each of us must rise to. If we’re going to be stuck at home, we may as well make the most of it.
Here Are 14 Ways to Keep Busy During the COVID Lockdown:
1. Create a Healthy, Supportive Routine
When we feel powerless or helpless (as so many of us do at the moment), one EXTREMELY easy thing to do is to create a routine or schedule.
While we’re all stuck at home, it’s easy to lose our sense of time. Days can begin to blend into each other. A routine can keep us grounded so we have a greater sense of control over our lives. And if you have children, creating a routine is especially important to give them a sense of normality.
This routine or schedule can be as simple as:
- 7am – Wake-up
- 8am – Breakfast
- 10am – Exercise
- 11am – Talk to friends
- 12.00pm – Lunch
- 1-4pm – Learning or a home project
- 5pm – Make & eat dinner
- 7pm – Talk to close family
- 8pm – Reading, Journaling
- 10pm – Bedtime
Be sure to include food preparation, social time, exercise and outdoor time, and some learning or creativity so you get some benefit from this challenging time.
It’s also important to recognise weekends because it’s too easy for weeks to all blend together. So, make a looser schedule for your weekends. For example, you could include:
- Sleeping in/later bedtime
- Brunch
- ‘Treats’
- Movie night with popcorn
- A virtual happy hour with friends or colleagues
- A larger project, perhaps some art, craft, gardening or home redecoration.
So, create a routine for a sense of control over your environment and life circumstances. Reclaim what power you can over your own life, because with all this uncertainty it’s important for you (and especially important for children) to have predictability.
2. Build Your Physical Strength, Fitness Levels or Flexibility
Building your physical strength is powerful and health-boosting! Not only is physical strength and flexibility life-affirming and good for our health, but feeling more physically powerful actually helps us feel more empowered and less helpless in life too!
So, add some physical activity into your schedule; even if it’s just 15 – 20 minutes each day.
There are many options to boost your physical strength and health. Here are some ideas:
- Take up a yoga practice – excellent for strength-building, flexibility, and relaxation. There are lots of online options. Here is one with everything from 10 minutes for beginners to an advanced practice. Sarah Beth Yoga on YouTube has more (free) yoga videos than I can count!
- Learn to do push-ups. Then see if you can get to 10 (or more – depending on where you start)!
- There are so many online fitness classes on YouTube – for beginners and experts – with or without equipment. PopSugar Fitness has many options to choose from.
REMEMBER: BEing stronger = FEELING stronger and more in control! And building your PHYSICAL strength or fitness = REDUCED feelings of helplessness!
3. Gain a New Skill with Online Learning
There are so many opportunities online to gain a new skill and they’re growing by the day!
Grow your personal or creative skills or choose a new skill to learn and take back to work with online training providers like Coursera or Udemy.
There are also many other providers.
If there’s a skill you always wanted to learn, search for it. But be sure to read the course descriptions thoroughly, check reviews if there are any – and check for money-back guarantees, just in case!
And with so many learning options, both FREE and paid, there’s sure to be something out there that’s just perfect for you.
4. Explore Your Life Vision
Rather than watching endless news streams, you can choose to focus on the bigger picture – your future. What do you want from the rest of your life? What would you be disappointed you did NOT do? Where do you envision yourself in 10 years?
Having a clear vision of how you want your life to be is a powerful motivator. A vision helps us work toward our goals, take action and make changes. Soon, we’ll all be super-busy again, and a vision might be just what you need stay focused!
Here are some questions to consider or journal about to delve deeper:
- What do you desire or yearn for in your life?
- How do you want to feel?
- What do you really, REALLY want to be different in your life?
- What would have happened in 3 years’ time such that your life is wonderful and you feel great about yourself?
- What’s your dream for this lifetime? Imagine you’re 90 years old and looking back over your life; what did you do that made you proud and happy?
TIP: Remember to think possibility not probability! Don’t limit yourself and your ideas because you don’t believe something is likely. Instead believe it’s possible – and even if you don’t get all the way there, you may get close – or even find something better along the way!
5. Be In the Moment
In THIS moment you are OK. You are safe. Take one day at a time; one hour or even one breath at a time if you need to.
This tip is about being super-present, not thinking ahead or remembering the past, but practicing BEING.
This is a PRACTICE – meaning you will have to do it over and over again – bringing yourself back to the NOW. Over time it gets easier, and it’s a great skill to have to take back to ‘normal’ life.
So when you notice you’re worrying, feeling nervous and want to pick up your device and find out what the ‘latest’ is about the COVID situation, say to yourself, “It’s OK. In this moment, I am safe. In this moment I am OK.” You can also add or say, “In this moment, my children/husband/family are safe.”
EXTRA TIP: Reduce or minimise how often you watch and read the news! And DON’T read or watch the news (or articles about COVID-19 or similar) just before bed!
6. Laugh
Distracting ourselves from our fears is an effective technique for feeling better!
Laughter releases helpful chemicals in our bloodstream – Endorphins (our natural ‘happy’ hormones) and Dopamine (part of our bodily ‘reward’ system).
- What are your favourite comedy shows?
- Is there a comedian you like?
- Netflix and similar have so many viewing options, so find something that makes you laugh!
IMPORTANT: We should NOT over-use laughter as a distraction technique. And it shouldn’t be used for ongoing and persistent fears in regular life. But for a situation like this, where there isn’t much that any of us can do except for waiting – distraction can be a great coping mechanism.
7. Start a Journal
If you’ve always wanted to journal, now is a good time to start. More than just keeping a record of your day, a journal can help you explore and sift through your feelings and experiences and learn from them. It’s a great way to get to know YOU.
It’s great to choose a beautiful notebook, but the most important thing is to just get started. Here are some prompts to get started with:
- Today I am feeling _________. I think this is because __________.
- One big thing I have learned during this pandemic is _________.
- I remember the last time I was stuck in the house _________.
- One thing that’s surprised me recently is _________.
- What matters most to me in life is _________.
- Describe your ideal day. _________.
“A journal is expressive by nature and it contains feelings, emotions, problems, ponderings and it is more reflective on the meaning of life being lived.” Lynda Monk
You may find this How to Journal article from the IAJW (International Association for Journal Writing) helpful to get you started.
8. Be Kind
Kindness and compassion are one of the most powerful tools any of us have in our toolbox right now.
- Use kindness to comfort yourself when afraid or feeling anxious or fidgety. Be gentle. Imagine you’re soothing a friend, small child or animal who is afraid – what would you say to them? Then say that to yourself!
- Use kindness to give yourself (and others) the benefit of the doubt. Instead of getting upset when you see other people behaving badly, remember that we all do silly things when we’re scared.
- Imagine you have a kind, wise self. A part of you that is unflustered, intelligent and unconditionally loves ALL of you. Now, when you need it, imagine that kind, wise self is with you, supporting you, maybe giving you a hug – and saying exactly what you need to hear (not just the ‘sugary’ stuff, but also the tough love and common sense).
9. Help Others
Helping others is empowering and makes us feel better. Here are a few ways you could help others.
- Check in on a neighbour or friend and see if they need anything. You can do this by phone, or in person.
- Offer to get someone groceries if you’re going.
- Help someone less technically savvy learn how to use Zoom or WhatsApp or whatever they need to get online.
- Host a virtual get-together with your regular friends.
- Reconnect more deeply with friends or relatives who have moved away.
10. Live Your Values
When we know our values, we understand what motivates and drives us. When we build our lives around our values, we create a life that is meaningful. Finally, when we align our actions with our values – we’re being truly authentic. It’s a very satisfying and fulfilling way to live.
And living your values could be the single most important thing any of us can do right now.
Here’s an exercise you can do:
- List your values on a piece of paper or in your journal.
- Give each value a score ___ / 10 as to how well you are living that value in your life now (where 0 is not at all and 10 is fully).
- For the scores that are 8 or more – great!
- For the scores that are 7 or less out of 10, ask yourself, “How could I express this value more in my life right now?” “What could I do differently or approach differently, so that I feel good about how I live this value in my life?”
For example: You have a value of creativity, but you’re only managing to ‘go through the motions’ right now and your score is 4/10. Ask yourself how you could be more creative during this time – whether it’s cooking, gardening, art or writing, or helping your kids do something creative, or even watching a documentary about someone creative you admire.
11. De-Clutter
I bet you have some organisational things on your to-do list that have been on there for a while (like going through seasonal clothes, sorting out toys to donate or tidying the kitchen pantry, laundry, garage or shed). Use this isolation period to get them done!
Getting organised and de-cluttering allows us to exert some control over our lives – and therefore feel less helpless. Plus, it’ll feel amazing just to have it done.
Organise your cupboards, your garage, your books, your photos, home office, kitchen equipment – whatever needs organising. Or perhaps you need to go through your receipts so they’re up-to-date for when you need to arrange your tax return!
- If you need some inspiration (and great clothes-folding tips) you could watch the Marie Kondo series on Netflix!
A simple 3-Step Method to go through your stuff:
- If you’re keeping it, be sure to DECIDE where it will ‘live’ from now on.
- If you’re not keeping it, create two piles:
- Things to DUMP
- Things to DONATE (and if relevant, to pass on to specific people).
- When you’re done, put each pile into bags or boxes, and then once lockdown is over you can get rid of what you no longer need.
- TIP: You don’t need to do any of this ‘in one sitting’; do an hour a day – you’ll be surprised how much you get done if you keep it up for a week!
12. Grow Something – Or Get an Indoor Flowering Plant
There is nothing quite like growing something – flowers, fruit or vegetables, that makes us feel good! Even if you live in an apartment, you could grow fresh herbs on your windowsill or balcony (if you have one) to cook with!
- Get some seeds, (a pot and some soil if needed) and get started. Order seeds, etc. online if you don’t have any.
- Follow the instructions – and remember to water it!
If growing something is just too much work, get yourself a succulent (cacti) plant, or you could get an indoor plant like a ‘Peace Lily’ which is good for cleaning the air of pollutants (and easy to take care of).
* Be aware that some plants are poisonous to pets – so please check.
13. Send ‘Real’ Snail Mail Letters or Cards
Go old-fashioned. Who doesn’t love to receive a lovely card or handwritten letter in their mailbox? Rediscover the lost art of letter-writing and make someone’s day.
Yes, you could send an email appreciating someone, and that’s great. But imagine your recipient’s face as they pick up that hand-written card in the mailbox.
Wondering what to say? Write from the heart! Here are some ideas to get started:
- I really appreciate having you in my life because ________.
- I love hanging out with you when we ________.
- I’ve realised that you bring ________ to my life.
14. Begin a Meditation Practice
Meditation is a practice that has been proven scientifically to calm us, help us be more creative and be happier (for starters). It’s extremely beneficial.
There’s a lot to learn about meditation – and it’s called a Meditation Practice for a reason. But it’s also not as hard as it sounds. You can start with as little as 5 minutes a day – and it’s good to build a routine, so you meditate at the same time every day. Get a book on ‘Meditation for Beginners’ or go to YouTube or Google and search for ‘How to Meditate’.
It helps to have a quiet space without interruptions – which many of us don’t have at the moment. And for some people, trying to meditate when anxious can be stressful. If this is the case, listen to a relaxing guided meditation instead. (Updated 2022). General meditation can be found here, or stream meditation using your favourite app.
Another idea is to listen to a sleep meditation or ‘Body Scan Meditation’ before going to sleep.
Wrap-up
So, which of the above ideas resonated with you?
Believe that you HAVE the skills and power to tackle this situation and you will! Choose to make the best of a difficult situation and no matter what, you’ll find a way.
This COVID lockdown will end. And when it does, you’ll be proud you made the effort to learn something – whether it’s about yourself, fresh knowledge, a new skill, and who knows what else!
