The recent outbreak of coronavirus has put many of us in lockdown or self-isolation. Constantly watching the news to keep count of the updated stats regarding coronavirus cases is such an energy drain which is making most of us frustrated.
I’m not saying that we should avoid listening to the news but worrying constantly about what’s going on outside is not the best use of your time. Alternatively, here’s what you can do to make your self-isolation more meaningful and productive.
Exercise
With the tough routines of 9 to 5 jobs, colleges and universities, we find it difficult to manage some time to keep ourselves fit and healthy. It is understood that you have to work from home to attend lectures online, but without all the time involved with getting ready in the morning and commuting, you still have a lot of time on your hands.
The best use of the morning free time is to work out. Exercising during the morning have many benefits; it helps you control your weight, improve your mental health and mood, makes you feel happier, increases energy levels and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
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Watch Netflix
You can use this time to catch up on your favourite movies and series on Netflix. Here’s a list of some of the most-watched and famous content on Netflix.
- Sherlock
- Money Heist
- Messiah
- Suits
- The Big Bang Theory
- Friends
- Narcos and many more.
Read Books
In this time of social distancing and self-isolation, we’ve got a lot more time for reading. Imagine the number of books we can read during this time to increase our knowledge and get introduced to a different perspective on life. Reading books is the best alternative to wasting time on phones. Here are some of the books that you can consider reading or you can come up with your own list:
- Rich Dad Poor Dad
- The Alchemist: A Fable About Following Your Dream
- Where the Forest Meets the Stars
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
- The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck
Contact family and friends
This goes without saying that we humans crave social interaction and while we may feel that we were out of touch with a lot of friends and family members due to busy schedules, now is the time to reconnect. You can stay connected on social media like Facebook, Instagram, twitter or Snapchat. Use Skype or WhatsApp video calling features to e-meet and greet your relatives and friends from around the world.
Plan your Business
Many of us constantly think about starting our own business but when it comes to action, we procrastinate. This may be due to the fact that we think we need more time to plan things out and get started and with our busy routines it won’t be possible.
But now, with all the time we have, one of the best thing we can do is to activate our action mode. If you are thinking of launching an online business, maybe an online clothing store, you can start right away. Start working on creating a website for your business or you may hire a web or app developer to do it for you remotely.
You can find a lot of talented developers on Fiverr, Upwork and Guru to create an amazing website for you. If you want to enter a traditional market, you can still brainstorm an idea, look for suppliers, check out rents and do some financial analysis to start with.
Learn a New Skill
Many of us feel that we are underpaid in the job market. The amount of work most of the companies demand is way more than the offered salaries. However, this is not always true. Mostly, the skillset we possess is no more demanded or of less value.
For example, with the advancement of technology, there has been a shift in marketing trends. More and more companies are shifting towards online marketing or social media marketing. While the majority of employees are familiar with traditional marketing, few are acquainted with social media marketing.
Learning about the latest trends in-demand skills will surely help you in future. Invest in yourself by learning new skills. There are a lot of websites you can use for learning online, e.g. Coursera, Udemy, Khan Academy, edX, MasterClass and many more.
Play online games/ board games (learn which you always wanted to)
Just because you’re not with your friends during coronavirus pandemic doesn’t mean you can’t play with them. According to research, games help you tackle stress and makes you relax. Start off by playing your favorite online games with friends and enjoy this time. Similarly, you can learn different board games like :
Meditate
Meditation and mindfulness help us become self-aware along with tackling anxiety and depression. This is the best time to learn meditation and you can watch different Youtube videos to help understand how to meditate.
Groom Yourself
You don’t have to be ultra-rich or stylish to go for grooming. On the contrary, it’s quite inexpensive and easy to self-groom yourself. Research shows that there is a high correlation between grooming and self-confidence. With all this time in hand, put in some extra effort to groom yourself which will eventually boost your self-image. Watch grooming videos to learn about self-grooming techniques and tips.
Jack Kelly, a senior contributor at Forbes says:
“Maximizing your time to improve and help others is a wise decision. Instead of feeling helpless, sorry for yourself and complaining about the current state of affairs, you’ll gain control over your life. When it’s all over, you’ll enjoy a great sense of accomplishment and appreciate that you didn’t waste this blessing in disguise“.
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