Staying Home

We are currently living hard times and we are faced with an unseen danger. How we can avoid something we can't see and don't know where it is. It could be anywhere and we can catch it in a matter of seconds without even knowing. Also the symptoms don't help us know how to differentiate it from other illnesses like the flu.

At first I was skeptical and I didn't take it seriously, but as time passes we can all see that it's not something that will go away anytime soon. I think something that helps me keep my sanity through this period is considering myself lucky and making myself believe that there's no chance of me catching this virus.

I think this whole period is even tougher for people with anxiety and people who are not that good at managing stressful situations like this one. My advice would be to keep your mind busy and to always have something to do even though you are in your house most of the time - and I'll give you below some ideas of what you can do -.

If you still have to go to work then it's very important to make sure you're safe all the time and to try and avoid as much as possible putting yourself at risk ( like taking the bus numerous times, getting close to other people etc). I know you've heard it a lot of times, but wash your hands as frequently as possible and if you're travelling by public transport please use hand sanitizer or wet wipes.

However, don't panic because it won't bring anything good and think of the positive side of things which is you get a well deserved break and you can focus on things important to you that you maybe ignored for some time because you didn't have enough time. Yet, you also have time to reconnect with those you are living with - if you are living with your family take this time to bond with them , if you're living with your partner start growing your relationship more and if you're living with friends/flatmates start knowing each other better and have fun together.

Be grateful that you are living and of the people you have around you.

Appreciate your time and make it count.

What you can do while staying at home

1. Start making Art

- I know not all of us are good at Art, but it won't do any harm to give it a try. Whether it's painting, drawing or other form of Art you may find some hidden talents in yourself. And if you don't then it's fine, you'll have fun. Look on the Internet for inspiration or copy a famous painting see what you get out of it. If you have newspapers or magazines around the house you can do a Collage.

2. Write

- Maybe you've always wanted to write a book or a short story or just write something; well this is the moment you have to start doing it. Or maybe you never thought about it, but you may be an excellent writer without even knowing it. In any case, writing is fun and it makes your mind working. See what attracts you and start there - if you enjoy fiction, non-fiction, children's books , an autobiography , crime etc. Arrange a work space which opens your creative channel. Get a cup of coffee/tea, some snacks, put your favourite music in the background and start working your magic.

-You can also start writing : - a journal, a list of things you want to do in your lifetime, a shopping list for after this virus passes and life turns back to normal, a quote diary with your favourite quotes, a letter to someone you love or appreciate, things you want to do as soon as possible, and so on...

3. Read

- You know that book you said you're going to read and you keep forgetting about it or you just put it away over and over again? Now is the time to actually read it.

I'm sure you have a lot of books in your house that you didn't have enough time to read so now is the moment! If you don't have any book in the house you can search for some books and order them online - I think at the moment Amazon is the best option for you to receive the order as fast as possible.

4. Bake or cook

-Whether you like to cook or not and whether you're good at cooking/baking or not, it's a nice way to pass the time. This is a good way of learning new skills and this activity is known to relieve stress and make you feel content. Plus, you get to eat what you did with your own hands.

So, start looking through your cookbooks or search online for some recipes you really want to try.

5. Exercise/ Do Yoga

6. Discover new music/ Do a karaoke contest

7. Play board games/ Play console/PC/phone/etc games

8. Shop online

- Most stores are physically closed right now, but they still offer delivery at home if you shop on their website.

9. Do online quizzes.

- A fun way to fill your spare time is by doing online quizzes. A website that I use for online quizzes is Buzzfeed and a good app that I recommend is Kahoot! If you live with someone in the house you can also ask them to join you.

10. Do challenges!

-Whether it's a TikTok challenge you never had the guts to do or a Youtube challenge, now is the time for you to make it. First of all it's fun, second of all you can do it with other people too and lastly, some challenges are for getting to know others.

This is a hard time for everyone and if you're an active person like me, staying home for such a long period is not that pleasant, but there's plenty of things you can do while sitting in the house. Take this time to relax and enjoy all the things you are able to do now. Get enough sleep, take care of yourself, treat yourself, hydrate properly, have snacks, eat good meals and just be grateful to be alive and healthy.

Keep a positive attitude throughout these times and most importantly WASH YOUR HANDS as often as you can.

Stay safe!