At-Home Activities To Get Started Today
As COVID-19 slowly makes its way into major cities and small suburbs across the nation, it’s becoming increasingly more difficult to remain calm and not panic.
We have been told by authorities to stay in our homes in order to prevent spread, but that doesn’t mean that we should go crazy inside and solely focus our attention on what is happening with the world outside. Try to limit how much news you watch, especially some of the overhyped reporting that only propagates fear and anxiety. First and foremost, get updates and facts from reliable sources, and then focus your attention elsewhere.
You can avoid contact with other people and wash your hands more carefully, but your ability to remain calm comes from within. That means you’ll have to take the necessary steps in reducing your stress and anxiety and promoting calmness while the virus runs its course.
I’m going to share with you three of the best ways that you can stay calm and centered in times of COVID-19 panic!
Meditation & Mindfulness
So, you’re anxious and stressed as a result of the rapid spread of Coronavirus. If you’ve never attempted meditation or any mindfulness techniques in the past, this is the perfect time to try them out and get some practice under your belt.
According to the Mayo Clinic, meditation can play a huge role in helping you to maintain your mental and emotional health, even benefiting aspects of your physical health. Here’s what meditation can do for you…
- Greater outlook on life (positivity)
- Increased feelings of calmness
- Greater self-awareness
- Reduced levels of anxiety and stress.
- Improved focus
The best part is: There are plenty of different types of meditation.
If you’re able to focus for long periods of time, you might want to try out guided meditations or visualization techniques. When you’re looking to stay more active while you’re quarantined, you can give yoga or Pilates a go!
And never worry about doing meditation “right”. There is no right as far as I’m concerned. Worrying about doing it “right” stops more people from actually practicing meditation than any other thing other than time. Right now, you may have a lot of time on your hands.
Finding a Creative Outlet
You might be stuck in the house for the next few weeks, but that doesn’t mean you have to resort to going stir crazy. In fact, that’ll probably only increase your feelings of panic during such trying times!
This is a great time to try out some new (or old) creative hobbies. When you’re focused on building or creating something new, you’re reducing the amount of focus on the negativity surrounding you. That means creativity is a solid way of helping you to relax.
A creative outlet can be almost anything. Here are a few things you might want to try out (if you have the supplies in your home and if not, you can always order some things online).
- Painting, coloring, or drawing (I personally love to color)
- Singing or playing musical instruments
- Taking photos or videos of things you enjoy
- Building something with things lying around the house
- Writing
- Puzzles
- Reading something and then writing an essay about it (yes, remember English 101 class?). This is a great way to take your mind off the world’s troubles.
Basically, the goal here is to find an activity or task that requires an intense amount of focus and makes you happy. You won’t even notice that you spent the last hour drawing your favorite cartoon characters.
Giving Back & Helping Others
It’s completely natural to be fearful of the unknown but giving back to others can help you to tackle this fear once and for all. When you’re giving back to the community or helping those in need, you’ll be working to spread compassion and happiness rather than fear and anxiety.
With so many people sick or self-quarantined, most people aren’t permitted to leave the home. However, these individuals do still have needs that they now can’t meet on their own.
As long as you’re keeping your distance and not exposing anyone to the virus, you can deliver food and groceries or do things like their yard work. It’ll make you feel good about yourself while also helping those who need it! So, call your neighbors, post something on your Facebook to let those in need know you are available and how to get in contact.
There are many community Facebook Groups and forums these days. Just remember, there are nervous people out there who may lash out on these forums. In our own community forum there are a few people on there stirring folks up with scare talk and political talk. My advice is to ignore them and refrain from responding. They are just looking to get a rise out of somebody and to argue with someone. You won’t change their minds either, so just let them go.
And speaking of community, we are meeting some of our neighbors that we’ve never talked with before and that is great fun. If you’re out for a walk, be sure to say hello to anyone else out for a walk or in their yards.
Final Thoughts
You can’t do anything yourself when it comes to curing or stopping the spread of COVID-19, but there are things you can do that can reduce your panic and invoke an overwhelming sense of calmness.
By taking advantage of mindfulness, looking for a creative outlet, and even giving back to those who need it, you’ll be able to stay calm and centered, even now!
Publisher of Great Living Today, your one-stop source for greater living featuring tips, techniques, and programs in the areas of health & wellness, wealth, time management, business, love, relationships, and happiness. Marty is a life, business, and wellness coach helping his clients to live their best lives.