For those of us who are able, local government and health officials have asked us to stay home in order to flatten the curve.
That means by participating in social distancing — creating a barrier of distance between yourself and others — we are preventing the spread of COVID-19 by starving the virus.
Social distancing is essential to protecting not only yourself but others from the pandemic. Staying at home and avoiding others can sound like a dream for some, but there’s only so much you can do at home before you find yourself getting bored.
Here are some things to do — and some things, not to do — while you’re stuck inside.
Do: At-Home Workouts
It’s no surprise that we might be burning fewer calories since we’re not running for the train, making coffee/boba runs between class or meetings or going hard at the gym. It’s a good idea to stay active for your mental and physical health. Fitness gurus such as Cassey Ho of Blogilates have put together workout routines to help you keep moving while you’re in the safety of your home! Grab your favorite yoga mat and take this time to celebrate your body!
Don’t: Drown Yourself with News
While it’s good to keep yourself aware of everything that’s happening, it’s not fun nor is it good for you to endlessly scroll through the news. You can induce anxiety by constantly ingesting negative headlines, harm your sleep schedule by staying up on your phone, as well as spread fake news to others because there is so much of it going around. If you find yourself glued to your phone, it might be a good idea to set time limits.
Do: Stay Connected, Check Up on Others, Virtual Happy Hours
Although we are physically distancing ourselves, it is important now more than ever to nurture our connections. Many of us have been feeling anxious, depressed, panicked or all of the above due to the pandemic. These feelings are completely valid. It is a scary time of uncertainty in which we feel like we’ve lost control. Make sure you stay connected with your friends, family and acquaintances. Make new friends online. You can still have group “outings” through virtual happy hours on Zoom, visiting each other’s “Animal Crossing” islands or by having Netflix watch parties.
Don’t: Panic Buy
Stories of distressed panic buyers fighting over toilet paper, such as this fight that broke out at a grocery store in Australia, have been making headlines. While you might be buying more to sustain yourself and your tribe during the pandemic, you don’t need to go overboard and empty the shelves. Please remember that other people, like the elderly, disabled and low-income people do not have the means to splurge on groceries. Many people who must physically go to work such as healthcare professionals need some of these products as well. We are all in this together. Take only what you need.
Do: Unleash Your Creativity with Arts & Crafts
It’s the perfect time to pick up a new hobby, dare to craft something you didn’t have time to before or just try new things! Crafting can be calming as well as rewarding. Score some serious Happy Home points with embroidery created by you, for you. Here’s a starter kit for punch needle embroidery. Brit + Co is offering free online classes and Adobe is giving away free Creative Cloud.
Don’t: Stop Tracking Your Finances and Schedule
We cannot control the world’s state of affairs, but you can control certain aspects of your life, like how much you spend and your own schedule. If anything, this is a good time to organize parts of your life, like your finances. It’s so tempting to stay up all night online shopping as a lot of online stores are offering sales and free shipping. It’s perfectly OK to splurge sometimes and maybe you’re not spending as much eating out, but this is no time to lose track of your finances. It’s easy to get carried away and realize when it is too late after you rack up a huge credit card bill and require the help from experts like https://www.debtconsolidation.com/credit-counseling/.
Do: Drink Boba & Support Your Local Businesses
Many local businesses have been hurting because of shelter-in-place. Employers are facing the difficult decision to shut their doors, cut hours and even layoff their staff. You can still visit your favorite local Asian restaurants and get takeout. Support shops who cannot open right now by buying gift cards or certificates that you can use later when they re-open! Boba Guys sells gift cards, so start planning your future boba dates!
Don’t: Mass Send COVID-19 Pickup Lines on Dating Apps
I can guarantee you that a lot of people don’t find this pandemic sexy. Also, we know that you’re just copy + pasting them into a million chats.
Do: Go Straight Up Cooking Mama
It’s a great time to work on recipes that take a bit longer! Maybe you saved it but didn’t have time before. Hell yeah, I’m gonna whip up that ganache. Whipped coffee is taking the internet by storm.
Don’t: Be Too Hard On Yourself
Remember to breathe. It’s okay to feel scared, worried or panicked. This has never happened before in our lives. The COVID-19 crisis is unprecedented and all your feelings are valid. Try to think about the things you’re thankful for and rely on your network. Stretch and remember to stay hydrated. Everything will be okay.
Feature Image via Akbar Wahyu
