What You CAN Do During Quarantine — A Positive Take
This is an inconvenience, yes. End of the world? I don’t think.
We all complain there is never enough time. Now, we’ve got copious amounts of time, and are sitting on pins and needles until this brush of panic is over.
I think this is happening for a bigger reason we don’t yet understand. And I think we are somewhat to blame.
Why do people die from tragic plane crashes and freak accidents? Why did you get cancer and I didn’t? Why are some babies born blind or deaf? Why is coronavirus killing people?
These things simply cannot be explained.
It isn’t a secret that society has lost sight of what’s important in life — community, nature, serving, connecting with one another — and I think we’re being forced to look at life in a way that serves us communally, versus individually.
Am I saying we deserve this pandemic? No. I’m saying there are some things bigger than us that can’t be explained, and this is one of them.
If you are fortunate to be in good health right now — aka your immune system isn’t compromised and you don’t have corona — here is what we can do while we’re on lockdown.
Keep a quarantine diary
20 years from now, we’ll be able to look back on a time in history that we will never forget. Why not document it via a handwritten journal?
And it doesn’t have to be serious. I’m going to recount how my days were spent and what I’m grateful for, but I’m also going to record ridiculous phrases from my son — the latest being, “Mom, your boobs are beautiful. They look like pitcher’s mounds!” — conversations had with my husband, and the way we dressed and spoke in the year 2020.
Read good books
Whether your cup of reading tea is fiction, non-fiction, memoirs, romance novels or murder mysteries, reading a physical book is a gift of imagination, inspiration and motivation. All feelings that we need right now.
Podcasts are going to help us right now, too.
Play outside
We have been given the gift of reconnecting with nature, and it’s truly a waste to not relish in that gift.
Go for a hike in the woods. Go to the beach and bask in the glory that is a sunrise/sunset. Bring your family to a wide-open soccer or baseball field and play a game together. Work from your laptop on your porch. Go for scenic drives. Have a picnic on your lawn.
Find new ways to exercise
With fitness studios closed, I can only assume fitness addicts like myself are going to go (rightfully) insane.
I will do HITT workouts in my bedroom, go for long walks if I can persuade my 4-year-old to sit in the stroller, and force myself to take afternoon runs. All of these things compared to indoor cycling are going to seem mediocre because I am obsessed with indoor cycling, but we have no other choice, friends.
If you have the peloton, I’m jealous. Mine isn’t here yet and I am impatiently waiting for it.
Watch good movies
Every genre of movie serves a purpose. Depending on what mood you’re in, I believe movies (and tv series) to be extremely empowering in conveying relatable and inspirational messages to us when we need it most.
We can’t go the theatre, so bring the theatre to YOU by making popcorn, blasting the surround sound, turning all the lights down, and most importantly…turning off your cell phone for the duration of the movie.
FaceTime friends
We no longer have the excuse of being too tired from a long work day to call our friends back. So, schedule FaceTime dates with friends, and give yourself a 2-minute limit of complaining about being quarantined.
Have virtual wine nights. Play a game together! Have a heart-to-heart. Make each other laugh. FaceTime with someone you’ve been wanting to reconnect with but haven’t because you “haven’t found the right time.”
The right time is now.
Start a business
This lockdown is already hurting businesses, so starting one may sound stupid. But I think the opposite to be true.
I think new businesses are going to benefit from this because communities are going to come together to help. I think this is going to force current business owners to get creative with their marketing and selling, hence increasing engagement.
If you’re someone who postpones fun because of “bad timing,” it’s time to reframe your mindset. Now is the time to do anything and everything, and not only because we’re in the era of corona, but because life is too short to keep waiting.
Write a book
You’ve heard the saying. “Everyone has a book in them.”
Whether you’re a writer or not, businessperson with expert business tips or not, or a celebrity or not, I believe every person has a story inside of them that can (and should!) be turned into an epic book to help someone they don’t yet know needs helping.
In my case, I need to finish my book. And what better time than quarantine time to do it? That way, I can tell generations after me that I wrapped my book up during the historical pandemic that forced modern society to fend for themselves in a way they’ve never fended before.
If you are rolling your eyes at this post and shouting, HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO DO THIS WITH KIDS?…
I feel you, because I am you.
We’re missing the point if we think that way, though. Maybe this is the perfect time to teach our kids discipline and patience, because we will be practicing those qualities — and they will be watching.
I’m going to set a “schedule” for each day, providing a loose structure around time outside, reading books, playing games/doing puzzles, coloring, TV time, MOMMY LEISURE TIME, and the like.
Momfluencers are already posting on Instagram what they are doing to stay safe and sane, so look at their feeds for advice.
And perhaps even more helpful? Contact your stay-at-home mom friends and ask them for advice. They know better than anyone on how to handle this lockdown in a civil manner because they do it every day.
Quarantine Conclusion
If nothing else, this is a slap in the face reminding us that we aren’t special. Everyone — Every person, every small business, every large corporation, every celebrity, every author, every mother, every father, every truck driver, every healthcare provider — is being affected by this. Some a lot more than others.
If you are someone who is “suffering” by being stuck in your house for a few weeks, keep in mind that a lot of people are being hit harder than you are.
While we’re in the midst of practicing social distancing, remember that we’ll be back to our normal lives in no time.
XOXO,
Ash
Thanks for reading!
