Life has been a whirlwind these last few weeks, to say the least. As the coronavirus continues to spread, many of us have stockpiled food and other essentials. We’re being forced to cancel travel plans, avoid other humans, and stay home from work. Plus, many schools are closed, leaving parents scrambling to feed, educate, and entertain their kiddos. As you’re stuck at home, here are a few tips to help you stay sane and get through the upcoming days.
Maintain Your Regular Schedule
Just because you’re stuck at home, doesn’t mean you should throw your regular routine out the window. People thrive on consistency. So, it’s still important to wake up early, squeeze in a home workout, eat an energizing breakfast, and be productive. Plan to work remotely during your regular work hours. Have your kids read and finish homework during normal school hours. At the end of the day, sit down to a family dinner at your usual dinner time and tuck yourself into bed at a reasonable hour.
Power Through Your Checklist (The Tasks You Keep Avoiding)
Take advantage of the extra time at home by finally tackling the tasks you keep pushing off. Deep clean your house, reorganize your pantry, clean out your closet, or plow through the ever-growing pile of laundry. Maybe it’s an opportunity to read that book you ordered forever ago … you know, the one that’s been sitting on the shelf collecting dust! Or, what about finally sitting down to map out your life goals? Maybe you can even take an online training class to help further your career! Whatever it is you didn’t have time for before, now may be your perfect opportunity.
Give Your Family Members Their Space
Just because you’re all under the same roof, you don’t have to spend every waking minute together. Everybody needs some alone time to relax and decompress. So, organize a quiet time where you’re all in different rooms. Set your kids up with a book, journal, crafting supplies, or game. While they’re busy, why not squeeze in a workout, spend time meditating, enjoy a bubble bath, or give yourself a pedicure? (Rumor has it, beauty salons around me are closing. Yikes!) As much as you want to remain productive, scheduling in downtime to yourself is also essential!
Stay In Touch With People From The Outside World
Hello, it’s 2020! Even if you’re locked inside your home, you can still be a social butterfly. FaceTime with your family members and friends to help you stay sane. In some ways, I’m more in touch with family and friends around the world that ever before as we all check in with our health, our worries, and support each other’s journeys.
Got Kids? Have Them Learn Something From The Experience!
The craziness we’re experiencing right now is a powerful lesson for all of us, especially kids. Give your little ones a notebook and encourage them to sit down for a few minutes each day and journal. Inside, have them share how they’re feeling, what they’re doing, and what lessons they’ve learned. I bet they’ll get a kick out of it as they flip through the pages in years to come. My kids are also learning how to be more independent, manage their online schooling while learning digital skills, and even making themselves lunch. That’s a win for me!
