Follow common sense
health precautions like diligent hand washing, social distancing,
and unnecessary contact with others.
Work from home if you
can.
Embrace your inner
introvert. Enjoy a time of staying home alone or home with your
family.
If you have children,
take the time to home school them while they're school is closed.
Its a good time to work with them one on one on their favorite or
weakest subjects.
Read a book, instead of
spending too much time on social media or watching the news. My
suggestions in honor of these times are: “Love in the Time of
Cholera” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. And yes, it is set during a
cholera epidemic in South America, but it is also a love story and a
modern classic. I have read this book many times, and it is one of
my all time favorites. Another book I recommend due to its timely
setting is “The Decameron” by Giovanni Bocaccio, which is set
during the 14th century black plague epidemic. Its about
a group of friends who go to a villa in the Italian countryside to
escape the Black Death in the city. The book is the stories they
tell to entertain each other during their confinement. I have not
yet read The Decameron, but have ordered online. I'll let you know
how I like it.
Go on virtual tours of
the world's museums. Follow the links on this page:
Like something more
physical? Clean. Cleaning can be very therapeutic and satisfying.
Putting your house in order can give you a sense of control over
your environment and help beat anxiety and depression. Even if
you're a world class housekeeper, there's always that closet or
those junk drawers or the garage that could use some organization.
Catch up on things
you've put off. Get those taxes done; complete that online course;
or work on your secret manuscript.
Stay in touch with
others. Talk on the phone, face time, and skype are all good ways to
stay “in touch” without touching. Some people need human contact
as much as they need water, so don't deny yourself the sustenance.
Depending on your personality, isolation from others can be easy or
extremely difficult. Know yourself.
Home improvement or
craft projects. Many people have a backlog of materials and to do
lists for projects that they haven't had time to complete. Well,
now's the time. You'll gain satisfaction from a completed project,
and it will help pass the time in a constructive way.
Draw or paint. Play
music. Write a book. Learn a new song. Anything creative will give
you satisfaction and help avoid stress.
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