Covid-19 Pandemic: How To Cope With Staying At Home
As the world’s largest Covid-19 pandemic lockdown begins (in some countries) and continues in others, a lot of people are swept up in the confusion. Most people are stuck sitting in front of the television and radio, waiting to hear the latest infection and death statistics. The apprehension generated by these ever-rising numbers gives little time to think of the next step to take.
Right now you’re either worried about what the future holds for you and your family or bored out of your mind. Mothers with kids now dream of a clean escape route from all the fighting and the tantrums kids love to involve themselves in. Covid-19 is deadly but shouldn’t we be thinking of our mental health and blood pressure.
What do you do when you’re depressed and stuck at home alone or with family members you really do not want to be talking to at that moment? What happens to your blood pressure when you’re worrying if the money you have in your bank account will be enough to survive through the period of economic lockdown?
You might be grasping at strings at this point. You might be about to explode into a million pieces and just say Damn it! I’m leaving this house! It might seem like the wisest thing to do to prevent your mind and body from falling apart but aren’t you being a little too selfish? Children and adults have died because infected persons refused to stay home.
Doctors are working round the clock, unable to go home to their families. Thousands could die if you step out of your house and you don’t care? In some states, the police have had to use violence on persons who have blatantly refused to cooperate with the world and ensure that the virus is stopped from spreading.
Someone said “we need to stop saying the virus is spreading. We should say instead that people are spreading the virus”. I agree with him that taking responsibility for the number of infected people and deaths will help us realize the gravity of the situation we are in. Staying at home can seem like a terrible sentence when you are feeling antsy and cramped. Millions of people all over the world are longing for a time when we will be able to return to our normal lives but we have a responsibility.
The sooner we decide to obey the directive of government and health agencies by staying at home, the sooner this virus is curbed and everything returns back to normal.
Staying at home can be boring, but we can put a little effort into making it not so awful. Shall we? Here are some tips for making your stay at home productive and fun.
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Buy all The Essentials You Need
Foodstuff, drugs are basic necessities but everyone has other things they believe is essential for their survival. To ensure that you don’t starve in your home, go grocery shopping and get those things you and your family will need for at least two weeks of isolation. This is not the time to cater to your sweet tooth. If you don’t have much cash I suggest you focus on buying real, nutritious food.
Fresh and perishable food is great and all but they will not last very long. This might mean another trip to the supermarket, and you might not be so lucky next time with all the panic buying. Having a first aid kit is also great and useful for emergencies.
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Create a Home Work Station/Get A Job Online
A home workstation is a place at home which is used for work. It might be a room or a cubicle. A good work station only has to have these three characteristics:
- Privacy
- Minimal Distractions
- The Work Atmosphere
Creating a workstation at home would help you be relevant. It might take a bit of time to adjust but you will find that working from home could be exciting and fulfilling so long as your work station has the above characteristics. It is also wise to let your family know where your workstation is so they wouldn’t be tempted to come for “little chats” while you are busy at work.
A piece of advice for the workaholics, it will be nice if you define the number of hours you plan to spend working. The lockdown has given us all an opportunity to slow down and spend time with our loved ones, try not to spoil it by burying yourself in paperwork.
If you’re going to be off work during the lockdown and you don’t have enough money saved up or you want to keep yourself busy then getting a job online is a nice step to take. You’ll be amazed at how many job openings are online and how much money you can make working in the comfort of your home. Stay at home jobs are great because you get to work, save a life and be there for your family.
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Create A Workout Plan
The “I lost so much weight last month, now I’m gaining it all back!” line is a really popular one these days. People who are worried about adding too much weight might resort to other methods of losing weight, however unsavory it may be.
Exercise is great for keeping the body fit and energetic. Since we can no longer go to the gym, home workout plans are our only hope. This is where our creativity will be tested! What can you use as a substitute for a treadmill? Dumbbells? How about bench pressing your kid to add to the challenge and the fun?
There are great workout plans online, 30 day home fitness challenge, home fitness plan for abs and hips, home fitness plans for weight loss. Being a dad and mom is not a day’s job so make sure you include your kids in your work out plan. Realizing that they don’t have many exercises anymore since schools closed.
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Create A Reading Timetable (If you’re off school)
It is so easy to slack off from studying when you’re cooped up at home but do you know reading your books is one great way to keep yourself occupied? I propose a light reading plan, you should be able to read something every day. Whether it is a whole book, a chapter or a page.
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Develop A Hobby To Fit Your New Lifestyle
We don’t know how long the lockdown is going to last although we are all hoping. If your hobby is traveling, going to parties or something else that we’re not allowed to do anymore then it is going to be hard for you to cope if this lockdown drags on. Looking on the bright side, this is a great opportunity for a lifestyle change.
You can now discover new stuff you never knew you’d like. If you’re one of those persons who believe staying at home can never be fun then you need to ask introverts for some pointers. Reading, playing card games, tending to the backyard garden and lots more are great hobbies to cultivate in lockdown.
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Help Others
We’re all affected by the economic lockdown but we have to agree that some persons were hit harder than most. The homeless, people who work daily jobs and basically used to live from hand to mouth are suffering right now. These people need food and drugs to survive. Helping others gives you the satisfaction that you’re doing the right thing.
That you’ll get to save lives is also a great perk of helping others. You don’t have to get out of your house to do it, you could just send money to agencies who are already caring for these people. A friend of mine lives alone but goes to the grocery shop for two, himself and the old lady next door.
Apart from helping others, we cannot deny that this lockdown/pandemic is a great time to reflect on the kind of person you have been. Your attitude and actions towards others, were they kind before? Do you need to change and be nicer to people? Do you need to give more of yourself? Have you been away from your family for too long it is so hard to fit in now?
These questions would help you decide and discern what you have to change about yourself so you could become that kind and admirable person. Do not forget to keep in touch with your family and friends if they live far away from you. A daily call to see how they’re faring will go a long way in making them feel they’re not alone.
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7 Benefits Of Staying At Home
- You won’t get infected
- You won’t infect others
- It’ll be one less person in already full hospitals
- You have extra time for yourself
- Great time for a fun lifestyle change
- More time to spend with family
- You get to be a hero
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Some Private Corporations Playing Their Part
- Netflix posting spoilers
- Schools providing digital learning for students
- Free Ebooks from online libraries
- YouTube and Amazon Prime limiting video streaming quality
- Facebook reduces bit rates for videos on Facebook and Instagram
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Conclusion
The global economic lockdown can seem really scary but there are some good parts to it. There’s so much love in the air now. There’s hunger too and death but we’re hoping that we’ll be free of this virus sooner rather than later. In the meantime, use those tips above and keep yourself occupied and relevant. Always remember that when you stay at home you save thousands of people from dying.
Don’t forget to wash your hands and take all the precautions to stay healthy and free from the virus. Keep six feet away from the next person when going out for groceries and walking your dog. Go out only to get essentials or when it is very important. The lives of many are in your hands. Stay safe everyone.
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