It has officially been a year since we’ve been locked up in our houses and kept away from all the exciting things we had planned. Slowing down has helped me catch up on my reading and spending time with myself, but it has also made clear the importance of socializing and simply hanging out with your friends. I’ve tried these 9 things to keep my sanity during this pandemic.
- 30 Second Relaxation
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Online school has been the most difficult part of this pandemic and sitting in front of a computer for hours straight not only messes with your posture but also your motivation. Take a 30 second break every two hours where you just shut your eyes, roll out your shoulders, relax your neck and stretch out your back. 30 seconds sounds like a small amount of time but it really helps your body refresh and will actually help you work longer and productively!
- Water > Artificial Drinks
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Water is the only way to go! Hydrating your body, especially in the winter, becomes extremely important because the body uses A LOT of oxygen to operate. Drinking at least eight glasses of water is necessary to stay active and clean out toxins from our bodies.
- Sleep At Least 7 Hours
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Getting a good night’s sleep is the first step to staying active and energized throughout the day. A sufficient amount of sleep will also keep you productive, so you can get more things done without feeling drained out.
- Follow A Schedule
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Making a schedule and following it helps us stay motivated and prevents us from feeling as if we are drowned in work. When you keep thinking about the thousand things you have to do without a schedule, it just overwhelms you. In order to get work done, stress-free, get daily goals, and limit time to each task so that you don’t end up spending the entire day on one simple assignment, try planning out your day ahead of time.
- Create More “Me Time”
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Spending time with your family and friends is special in their own way, but spending time with yourself is equally as important. Meditation is an amazing way to recollect your thoughts and feelings. Whenever I have a day all to myself, you’ll find me either painting or baking some cupcakes. Personally, for me, spending time alone, away from social media and all of the chaos, has been the best way to relax and get a clear picture of my thoughts.
- Reconnect With Old Friends
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Reconnecting with old friends has been one of the greatest stress relievers for me during the quarantine. Catching up with them reminds me of the fun we had and it’s nice to revisit good memories when quarantine has got you locked up at home. In the past few months, I’ve reconnected with elementary school friends, middle school friends, and old work friends. I’ve very much enjoyed talking about our times together, as well as their lives now.
- Go On Early Morning Or Late Night Walks
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One of the main reasons I’ve survived this pandemic without having a mental breakdown is because the minute I start getting stressed about work or assignments, I forced myself to take a break and go for walk around the block. I can imagine that in some places it might be still difficult to leave the house in the fear of the coronavirus, but even if it’s only for fifteen minutes, you should go for a walk and stretch out your body a little to shake off the physical stress from sitting in front of a computer all day.
- Remember To Take Break Days
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Taking breaks in between work is definitely important, but taking break days might just be even more important. Days where you do only what makes you happy. Whether it is staying in bed all day, watching movies, or waking up early for yoga, you should create a day in the week which you look forward to and a day where you can genuinely relax and reset. I usually spend my Sundays bundled up in bed, turn off my phone, and binge-watch Korean drama series. On Monday, I am good as new!
- Take Care Of Your Pets/Plants
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It’s said that “the more affection you give out to the universe, the more affection it will bring back to you”. Taking care of pets or plants brings happiness to you and positive vibes into your home. I have adopted three plants over the past few months and just watering them early in the morning starts my day off well!
P.S. if you’re looking for getting your first plant, I recommend getting a succulent because they are beautiful and low maintenance!
I do not know how long we will have to continue this lifestyle, but I do hope that by trying some of these things, you can spend a more relaxed and happy time!