Hello everyone!
These are certainly some strange times that we are living in and if you’re like me, you certainly did not expect the next few weeks/months (hopefully no longer than that) to pan out they way they seem to be. During this time it is extremely important to practice social distancing and to try to practice self-quarantining with only those who live with you. As most of you know, the “flattening of the curve” is really crucial at this time for mitigating the potential consequences of COVID-19.
With that being said, working from home, online classes, and the lack of socializing and going about normal daily activities can be extremely detrimental to your mental health. These sudden changes can be difficult to cope with as we have quickly found that this may last longer than we wanted. It’s no longer a little “vacation” from routine, but rather it is a complete upheaval of what we’ve all come to know as normal. We here at 6AM Health recognize what a difficult time this can be for many, as we too are feeling the negative effects of social distancing. But, we hope that you are finding ways to cope and to make life at home feel more normal and positive.
Thankfully, this comes in a time where we are so all interconnected by technology that social distancing does not have to mean complete isolation from the outside world. While we cannot hang out with our friends and loved ones like normal, we still have things like Facetime, Skype, and all of our social media platforms that we can use to stay connected.
However, we all know these are not the best substitutes for face-to-face human interaction and it can be quite lonely even with the aid of these technologies.
Hopefully, if you are practicing social distancing, you live with others and are able to spend quality time with them as we navigate our way through this confusing time. But I know many people are by themselves during this time or you may be getting stir crazy being cooped up with your family or roommates, so it’s important to understand the value in hanging out with yourself.
Hanging out with yourself and simply enjoying your own company may seem lonely and boring, but it doesn’t have to be!
At this point, we’ve all binged Netflix, endlessly scrolled through Instagram, and sat on the couch enough to last us a lifetime. Self-quarantining doesn’t have to mean being a couch potato!
To help give you some ideas of other activities you can do during this time, we’ve compiled a list of some of the things we’re doing to keep busy while practicing social distancing. So put down the phone and turn off Netflix and enjoy some quality time with yourself!
Home Workouts
Just because the gyms are closed does not mean you can’t keep up with your fitness goals! There is an abundance of online workout programs both paid and free on the internet right now. Whether it’s Kayla Itsines' program or just searching “at home HIIT workout” on YouTube, there are plenty of options for people of all levels. Working out is a great way to pass the time and feel more productive during the day. And wouldn’t it be so cool to come out of quarantine super fit and ready for summer?!
Playing an Instrument
This is a great time to pick up that guitar or hop on the piano bench again. Many of us feel like we don’t have the time to dedicate to learning an instrument or getting back into our musical mindset. Whether it’s the ukulele, guitar, or flute, why not utilize this time to practice and learn more?
Painting
Painting is really cathartic and helps you destress- a perfect antidote for all the craziness going on right now. You may be saying, “Well, I can’t paint. I’m not artistic at all...” That’s fine! It really doesn’t matter what level of artistic ability you have, just get some brushes and paint of your choice and have at it! There are tons of YouTube videos and Instagram accounts dedicated to showing you step-by-step instructions on how to paint landscapes, abstract, portraits, and many other forms of painting. Even if it’s not the most beautiful Picasso, it’s still a great way to practice and relieve stress.
Home Projects/Organization
I don’t know about you guys, but in my house we are using this time to do all of the decluttering that is long overdue. Whether it’s getting rid of old clothes, cleaning out a room to turn in into a new home office space, or just re-organizing your bedroom, this is a great time to tackle the home projects that you haven’t had a chance to. In fact, at my house we are in the process of painting the bedrooms which has been a major affair in and of itself.
The best part of this is that you get that stress relief from painting while also making improvements on your living space!
Learn a New Skill
This is a great time to take on something you’ve been wanting to do for a long time but felt that it was too time-consuming or too big of a commitment. Well, now that we literally can’t do much of anything but hang out inside- except for the daily family walk- you should take on that hobby or interest and devote some time to becoming really skilled at it.
I’ve personally been using the Duolingo app to learn Spanish and you’d be amazed at how much you can progress when there’s not much else to do!
Let us know what your doing to keep busy during this time by commenting below or sharing photos with us on Instagram!
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