The world is in shambles. Well, at least that's the image I get after reading some news or scrolling through my Facebook feed and seeing my friends' posts. There are people fighting over the toilet paper, or buying all the bottles of liquid soap that were available at the store, leaving nothing for the others. And it's quite understandable, since most of the people are in sheer panic. Many countries are already in lockdown, or are going to enter one soon, Lithuania being no exception. From tomorrow, 16th of March, my country will officially be in quarantine, letting no one in or out of the country, requesting people to stay at home, closing shops and restaurants, leaving only food stores and pharmacies open. Being an introvert par excellence, I thought that I would like share some of my tips on how to handle and even enjoy this mandatory staying-at-home experience.
IF YOU WORK FROM HOME...
...maintain your schedule. This is what I understood while often staying at home doing my PhD thesis writing.
My profession allows me to work from home, so I have already planned my upcoming week's tasks this same as I always do, minus social events, like meetings with friends, attending seminars, conferences, etc. There's going to be one minor difference though - my husband working beside me. Well, I hope that we both manage to squeeze in our working space - that IKEA table that you see in the upper picture was meant for two people, so we are going to test its capabilities. The greatest challenge, in my opinion, lies in sticking to this work-life balance schedule while not leaving the house, as well as maintaining productivity, when there are 101 reason to slack off.
IF YOU TOOK SOME VACATION TIME...
...that means you have plenty of time on your hands! Of course, it's one thing when there's just the two of you or you live by yourself, and it's completely different if you have kids and they are currently off school/ kindergarten. There are articles (like the ones here, here, and here) on what to do when you are in quarantine with your family. However, my tips are for everyone who are thinking how to spend quality time during the quarantine.
CULTIVATE YOUR HOBBIES
Be it knitting, drawing, or electronics, you have unlimited time now to do what you like. You don't have any particular hobby? Well, this might be the right time to figure it out! If you are like me and your hobby is just learning new stuff, there are lots of free courses that you can take up online (e.g. here).
READ
This one is simple. It's time to tackle that pile of books by your bed that you've been meaning to read for centuries, but did not have time for it. Well now you do. Pick up a new book, or re-read an old favorite. It's far better than keeping your eyes glued to your phone and checking upon Covid's statistics every few minutes. Far less stress and it feels like going on an adventure. So what if it's only in your head?
(BINGE)WATCH
It's Netflix time! Maybe you have some series on your "To Watch" list, or maybe there are some movies that you've been postponing for a whole eternity? Well, I have and I am planing on spending my evenings watching movies, especially when Vilnius International Film Festival goes digital and there's going to be a whole lead of good cinema online!
PLAY
Be it board games or video games, just play! It's also like going on an adventure, but just not leaving the room. During the past few years I have collected quite a few of board games (the one in the picture is... "Doom"!), so I feel quite prepared. Although, currently I've been spending my evenings in the world of a "Witcher 3: Wild Hunt", so...
COOK
If games are not your cup of tea, than maybe you are going to enjoy cooking? I bet that there are some recipes that you've been waiting to try out, so now's the time! Experimenting is also highly recommended, so go ahead. I've also been saving some tasty looking recipes, so we'll see how it goes!
GO FOR A WALK
If you don't have any symptoms and haven't had contacts with the ones who are ill, you are quite free not to limit yourself indoors 24/7. A walk in the woods is a very safe option. Take your pet, a thermos of hot beverage and explore! If you meet someone, keep the required distance (around 2 meters, so, basically, 2 large steps), and enjoy the nature!
If nature is not an option, then do some sports at home. There are lots of tutorials on YouTube, and you can practice yoga, pilates, etc.
PAMPER YOURSELF
Do yourself a SPA day. Take a hot bath, put on a facial mask, trim your beard... Finally, you can do everything in no hurry, just enjoy the process!
Stay healthy, stay safe!
P.S. If you're not sure how introverted you are, you can always check here - on Latvian Literature Facebook page.
Photos © Aesthastic
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