5 Ways to Prepare for the Possibility of Quarantine 2.0

Let's face it. Last Spring's Quarantine, or Shelter in Place, as we called it here in California, was really not fun. We weren't ready. Even after seeing every other country going through their versions of lockdown, we were still woefully unprepared for what was to come.

We saw this when we looked at how American's decided to stock up on toilet paper and Lysol wipes completely disrupting the supply of household staples for months!

This time around, we're more experienced. We're smarter and we know what we will need and what we won't. Or at least, we think we do.

Here are 5 Ways to Prepare for the next quarantine, if necessary.

1. Stocking Up on Sanitation Essentials: One standard bottle of sanitizer per person per month should be enough at all times. This is assuming you have access to regular soap and water. During the fall and winter months, hand washing will be vital to preventing illnesses, including the Coronavirus that causes COVID-19. It is also helpful to maintain a steady stock of anti-bacterial wipes. Grocery stores and even stores like Target are all freshly stocked right now. No need to go out of your way to get these items. Simply remember to restock whenever you go to the grocery store.

Don't forget the key to is have enough on hand to get you through the next supply/grocery run. No need to have a lifetime supply of Lysol wipes.

2. Maintain a steady stock of baby wipes, toilet paper and paper towels. You'll need to estimate how much you go through depending on the amount of people in your household. You'll want to keep a month's supply for everyone in your home at all times. This can seem a bit excessive, it's not.

3. Plan for entertainment. In the even of another quarantine, going out becomes more and more of a concern. Make sure you have board games and coloring books for the little ones. You may also want to set schedules or limits for electronic devices. Do this for your children as well as for yourself. Don't let your family fall into the trap of endless scrolling through the internet. In this sense, the old adage is true. Idle hands really are the devil's play things. Always have something for everyone to do.

4. Work out a meditation as well as a work out routine. If quarantine life has taught us anything, it's that our minds are fragile things that we must take great care to ensure optimal health. Set up days and times that you'll work out and you'll reap the benefits within a few days. You'll start to look better and feel better. Soon enough, you'll begin to wonder how you ever lived without.

5. Stay Away from the news. Figure out what the headlines are every morning and move on with your life. News stations tend to keep just a few stories on an endless loop. There is no reason to have the same news repeated and regurgitated to you round the clock. The news stations attempt to keep your eyeballs glued to your tv or phone screen with news stories meant to terrify you. No one can live in a paranoid state for long without suffering major health effects. It is not your duty to know or be aware of everything. Let it go!

Hopefully, you'll find these tips useful should we go through another round of quarantine.