This is a difficult time as we all have to adapt our lifestyle to the current situation. For many of us this means working from home and for all of us it should mean spending our spare time at home. Here I’m sharing my suggestions on how to stay productive during our time at home.
Table of Contents
Have the right attitude
I noticed that some consider it a bad thing having to stay within our own four walls and say that we’re stuck at home. But in a global crisis like this, why not be thankful for having the privilege to stay in a safe place? Thankful to have a fridge full of food and loving people around us. Thankful that we can sit this out on our sofa, in a warm and comfy home. To have an internet connection that allows us to stay in contact with all our loved ones. Instead of saying that we’re stuck at home why not call it being safe at home? It’s the same thing but by changing the wording we change our attitude towards it, making it sound more positive.
We need to realise that this could be so much worse. In situations like this, the most important thing is to stay positive. Let’s think about the time when we complained about not having enough free time to spend at home with our families. Not having time to read books, to cook or simply to relax. Let’s be thankful for this time at home and use it in the best way possible.
Learn something new
Now is the perfect time to take an online class, watch Youtube tutorials or listen to podcasts. The internet is full of resources that are free to use. Is there anything you’ve been wanting to learn but always procrastinated it? Be it a new language, photography, coding, playing an instrument,… Go for it! Take a lesson everyday and you’ll have something to be proud of.
Eat healthy
The food we eat everyday does not only affect our body but also our mind. According to Harvard Health, studies have shown that a diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables and unprocessed grains improve our mental outlook, stress levels and anxiety levels. Especially now, when being inside the majority of the day, a positive mental outlook is essential to stay sane. So make sure you fuel your body with the best ingredients.
Being at home allows us to spend more time preparing our meals and to get creative in the kitchen. You can try out something completely new or even learn about new ingredients. There’s so much information and recipes out there in the internet – take your time and try out new healthy meals. Your body, your mind and your taste buds will thank you for it.
Unclutter and organise
Clothes, decoration, photos. Don’t we all have too many old things that are just collecting dust? I sure know I do. One thing that I keep procrastinating is organising my wardrobe and my travel photos. Take one day to sort our your things and throw away, sell or donate what you don’t need anymore. Once it’s done it will feel relieving and you’ll thank yourself for finally having taken the time to do it.
After having organised your photos it would be a lovely idea to create photo books from your past travels. I love having a print out copy as a memory of my trips. Plus, while we can’t travel at the moment it’s a good way to dream about past trips and relive these memories through photos.
Get fresh air
If you have the chance to go outside, do it. Even if it’s just a short walk through the neighborhood. Being outside lowers your blood pressure and your heart rate. It gives you energy and it strengthens your immune system. Besides that, fresh air provides your brain with oxygen which then increases the amount of serotonin (the hormone of happiness). This means that going outside and getting fresh air basically makes you happier.
Plan your next trip
While you can’t travel at the moment, all this free time is great to do some research about your bucket list destinations and to plan a future trip. Go through Pinterest and travel blogs and maybe you’ll get inspired to travel to a certain place after all of this is over.
Here are some of my personal favourite destinations:
Follow a daily routine
Having a routine is beneficial for your mental health as it helps you to cultivate positive daily habits. A list of things that you want to get done every single day reminds you of how you want to spend your time at home. Instead of falling into a hole of sleeping in and Netflix, a daily routine can help you to stay focused on your goals.
This is my personal daily routine:
- 10 minutes of meditation
- spend more than 20 minutes outside
- eat vegetables and fruits
- stretch
- get up before 9:00
- learn something new
- work on my blog
- talk to friends/family
- make someone happy
- STAY POSITIVE 🙂
Having this list in front of me keeps me motivated to stay productive during quarantine. Ticking off the points everyday, one after the other, gives me a feeling of accomplishment.
In the end it all depends on our personal attitude how we handle the situation. If you keep your mind on the positive side – even if it’s hard sometimes – you’ll have a better mental outlook in every aspect. I hope these tips help you to be more productive at home.
Stay safe and healthy!
April 2, 2020 at 5:05 am
This is awesome Maria! You mention a lot of great tips. I’ve definitely taken this time to do all the things that have been on the back burner.
April 2, 2020 at 8:02 am
It’s great that you’re using your time to get things done!
April 2, 2020 at 9:13 am
I love these tips 🙂 I have created a routine too! It keeps me busy and more positive.
April 2, 2020 at 6:06 pm
That’s great to hear. Positivity is what we all need!
April 5, 2020 at 12:13 pm
Love these tips, great little advices! I am off from tomorrow for four weeks, will try to create a routine and stick to it! Thank you for sharing! 🙂
April 5, 2020 at 10:42 pm
Wishing you all the success with your routine! Hope my tips help you a bit 🙂
April 7, 2020 at 5:26 pm
Love these ideas! I always try to get up before 9 and do daily mediation. I also go for a walk every day to get fresh air 🙂
April 7, 2020 at 7:15 pm
That’s great! I feel so much more productive when I have a daily routine.