How to use your time at home wisely during coronavirus lockdown

With the coronavirus dominating the global headlines, many people are staying at home. With the continuously increasing number of COVID-19 cases, many individuals still prefer to stay indoors as much as possible.

The Washington Post recently published an article about how Sir Isaac Newton used his time wisely and worked from home during a pandemic. While quarantined at his home during the Great Plague of London in 1665, Newton spent his time experimenting and working on mathematical problems. When he went back to school in 1667, he carried with him his theories.

No, you don’t have to be another Newton to make your at-home quarantine meaningful and productive.

Here are some things to do while staying at home during coronavirus crisis.

1. Take care of yourself and strengthen your immune system.

Rest. Get enough sleep. Drink plenty of healthy fluids (water instead of soft drinks and sweetened drinks). Prepare immune-boosting meals. Eat foods that are packed with nutrition and that are good for you (tomatoes and citrus fruits are nutritious but must be avoided if you have acid reflux).

Some of the best foods to boost your immune system include kiwi, garlic, onion, ginger, green tea, cruciferous vegetables (kale, collard greens, mustard greens, Chinese cabbage, bok choy, broccoli), berries, citrus fruits, mushrooms, apples, sunflower seeds, red peppers, as well as prebiotics, probiotics, and fermented foods like kimchi.

Exercise. There are plenty of workouts you can do with no equipment, like going up and down the stairs. You can also get fit at home with free online fitness classes. No more excuses for not exercising while on quarantine. 

2. Bond with family.

Spend less time online and enjoy some peaceful time with your family. Grab this chance to connect more.

Play games with the kids. Jenga? Scrabble? Chess?

Draw together.

Look for new recipes, then prepare your meals together. Now you can have breakfast, lunch and dinner together.

Watch funny videos or award-winning films.

Laugh. Laughing reduces stress and stimulates your immune system.

Do things as a family.

For your loved ones who are away from you, check in on them regularly. Get on the phone and call your parents, siblings, and friends. A message or call during this time would mean a lot to them, and to you as well.

3. Make time for your hobbies.

Having a hobby is a great way to release stress and makes you feel more relaxed and happier. Take advantage of this moment to do the things that make you happy.

Have you been longing to write? Pick up your pen and write. Play that guitar. Sing that song. Read that book. Solve that puzzle. Draw. Sketch. Paint. Cook. Bake. Dance like no one is watching.

There’s no stopping you this time.

4. Learn something new.

Learning isn’t only for students. Now that you are not tied to your 9 to 5 job or school activities, you can try some new things too. Experience something new. Learn a new craft. Maybe build your vocabulary or learn a new language through online courses. Have you been wanting to play a musical instrument? Take online music lessons.

It’s never too late to learn something new.

5. Listen to music.  

Check for the latest development from reliable sources of news once or twice a day, but don’t let your brains get overwhelmed with sensationalized news on mass media—leaving you panicking and screaming in fear.

Create more bliss in your life by listening to good music instead. Nature sounds or spa music? Instrumental maybe?

6. Mute the word ‘coronavirus’.

Stop searching for #coronavirus and #COVID19 on social media. After reading the posts or watching the videos, it’s like programming your mind to expect the worst. Looking at things on a negative lens only creates negative emotions. This may sometimes only lead to anxiety or even depression, feeling helpless. Don’t let your immune system suffer.

7. During COVID lockdown, travel by reading.

If you love traveling but not a fan of reading, you may not enjoy discovering new places through reading. After all, you cannot taste the local cuisine or enjoy the beach when you just read.

But reading allows you to learn a lot about the destination, its people and culture. For example, Travel Asia Now features the best places to go, things to do, restaurants to explore, hotels to stay at, and more—inspiring travelers to experience Asia when it is safe to travel again.

Or how about enjoying Asia from the comfort of your sofa with this virtual tour?

When the world recovers from the coronavirus, you’ll be more than ready to update your travel bucket list again.

8. Stop. Pause. Pray. Meditate.

It’s a fast-paced world. Everybody’s in a hurry. It’s all about work, school, activities and deadlines.

With COVID lockdown and community quarantine in place, now is the perfect time to slow down and be mindful.

Connect with God and the universe.

Praying or meditating helps not only to strengthen your spirituality; it also reduces stress, helps you feel calmer and strengthens your immune system.

I’m sending positive vibes and I pray that you and your loved ones stay safe and healthy.

9. Help contain the virus.

Practice good hygiene. The health officials have been stressing on these actions: frequent handwashing, no-touching of faces and cough etiquette.

Everybody’s health matters a lot right now. Isolate yourself if you’re not feeling well. If you really need to go out to buy food and daily necessities, follow the health safety measures not only when you are outside but also when you come back home.

10. Do some random acts of kindness.

Hospitality and tourism/travel industry is feeling the pinch during the COVID lockdown, along with other industries. Hotels worldwide are suffering from low occupancy rates. Restaurant seats are empty. For those who can afford, why not buy gift certificates or vouchers from these establishments? Whatever amount they collect this time would help them keep their employees and continue their operations.

If you can, donate face masks, alcohol, disposable gowns and food packs to health workers and other frontliners who are working tirelessly to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

Because you can make a difference in your community and help others during the coronavirus crisis—from the safety of your home.

Let’s all do our part to stop, or at least slow, the spread of the coronavirus. We can do this together. We can go through this dark time together.

We all look forward to traveling again safely.

Meanwhile, stay safe and be well.

This too shall pass. We are going to be okay.

We will travel again. Soon.

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