13 Tips to Excel Mentally During Uncertain Times: Updated 2021
2021 UPDATE:
I wrote the original post a few weeks after the shutdown, and now it’s been over a year. I even changed the title of this post from “10 Tips To Thrive During The Quarantine” to “Tips To Thrive During A Pandemic” because ‘quarantining’ is just part of normal life now. Here are the top three tips that can help you feel your best during this pandemic.
Rethink how you do life.
Don’t get stuck in wanting your ‘pre-covid’ life back, but instead adjust to what’s in front of you. Sometimes we need things to shake us up a bit and interrupt our normal to get us to switch from autopilot. We can adapt and look for new opportunities that weren’t there before and embrace them.
We can rethink our habits and routines and make changes.
There are some unique opportunities that came out of the pandemic so far and here are a few to consider:
You have more free time! (Less commuting, less events, not as many places to be). Okay, maybe you don’t have more free time if you have kids, but you still have less commuting, less events, and not as many places to go to.
We are in close contact with our closest family and friends. Maybe not by choice, but you could take this opportunity to invest in those relationships.
More businesses are online. Maybe it’s time to shift yours.
We have new needs now, like needing Zoom or delivery. You could start a new business (something the world needs now, and didn’t before).
All school is online! You could get a degree online (it’s the norm now).
Rethink how you have fun!
We have to be a bit more self-sufficient with our entertainment. No more movie theaters, amusement parks or basically any indoor entertainment businesses. Trying to create our own fun has some unique pandemic barriers as well, such as many things are on back order now. We looked into getting a hot tub and to get one will take six months. It was almost impossible even finding a sandbox for my kiddos last year. You can try to be creative in finding ‘toys’ and try places like Craigslist, Facebook, MarketPlace, OfferUp or yard sales.
Hike; try some new trails or take a road trip to an exciting one!
Get a pet (that will help with loneliness as well)
Garden
Bike, snowmobile, four-wheel
Get a boat or go fishing from the shore
Make a backyard paradise you don’t want to leave:
Firepit
Grill with outdoor dinning
Add outdoor lighting and sound system
Swimming Pool / Hot Tub / Sauna
Feed the birds
Hammock
For the kids; swing set, sandbox, water table, trampoline
Build a deck or patio sitting area
Get a basketball hoop
Get a Ping-Pong table, pool table or air hockey table
Travel!
Safely of course. Getting out of your house or an environment that you spend most time in can give you a new perspective and recharged you.
Take a day trip to a National Park or beach.
Go to an outdoor zoo.
Go Camping (with a tent, or rent/buy an RV)
Rent an AirBNB
Visit relatives you haven’t seen in a while.
The following are the original 10 tips from 2020 (still good tips!):
Carpe Diem. Seize the day! Let’s seize this quarantine opportunity and come out the other side stronger. Use it as a time to thrive instead of just getting by or surviving. Don’t get me wrong, this is hard. It is a global pandemic that affects every one of our personal lives. Helen Keller once said: Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.
Here are some tips I’ve gathered from all of you over the last couple weeks (hasn’t it been longer?!) of being home -
1.Take care of the ones you love
This is the most important tip. I’m sure you might even be quarantined in the same house with your loved ones.
Be nice to them.
Help each other through this.
Safely take care of each other if they are sick.
Call and check up on your mom and dad, siblings, grandparents, friends, neighbors, etc. Remind them that you love them.
2. Get A Routine
For many of you, your routine has changed the most. You may be working from home now, not working at all, looking after your kids, trying to homeschool, or all of the above! Readjusting and making a new routine for your new normal can make a big difference. This is your life now (at least for another month or more).
Get yourself dressed in the mornings. If you want to keep on the stretchy pants or pajama pants and look professional or put together on top, that works!
Mealtimes can nicely break up the day.
Have a set working time when you want to be done with work or schoolwork so it doesn’t overtake your entire day.
Get up in the mornings and start your day. Set an alarm if you have to. Don’t roll out of bed at noon and stare at your phone for an hour.
3. Set A Goal
Do a workout challenge. I know there are a lot of different virtual workout challenges and programs right now. My personal goal is to up my step game to 10,000, steps a day. Find the one that fits your personality and your goals.
Learn to cook. Try out that new Instant Pot or Air Fryer you got for Christmas or work your way through a cookbook that you own. Or try out a new recipe you found online.
Take an E-Course.
Learn something new on YouTube (like how to paint, draw, woodwork, fix your car, knit, start a blog, ect.)
4. Make Your Environment Pleasing
You are literally staying in the same place 24/7; make it a place you enjoy. Or at least one that doesn’t make you anxious or depressed by being so cluttered and untidy.
Give your plants some much-needed love.
If you find yourself working from home, make sure you have a dedicated place to work. Set yourself up a workstation you enjoy being at — maybe even with a plant!
Open your curtains and blinds to let natural light in.
Clean your house, take care of the clutter or junk piles.
5. Do Things
Do things from your to-do list that you’ve never gotten to or find new opportunities!
Spring clean, clear out that closet declutter (check out the, “Joy of Tidying Up with Marie Kondo” on Netflix).
Fix broken things around the house, paint a room, rearrange, or redecorate your bedroom.
Plant some seeds.
Do yard work, get those garden beds ready for your seeds! Clean the old foliage, trim back some branches.
Read the books you’ve been wanting to.
Go fishing.
6. Take Care Of Yourself; Mentally, Physically And Spiritually
Don’t stop listening to your podcasts, music, or audio books! Many of us are in the habit of listening to them in the car or at the gym, but since we aren’t doing much of that anymore, listen to them while you clean or workout at home.
Get outside everyday if you can. Go for walks or runs. Sit on a deck or balcony for a different view.
Go for a drive just to see what the world looks like. Explore new roads that you’ve never been down before.
Go to church online and listen to sermons on Youtube.
Keep your mind occupied, don’t let it get too bored. If all you are doing is binge-watching television shows, your mind will get bored.
Eat healthy. The better you eat, the better you will feel physically and mentally.
Schedule alone time. We all need some time to refresh and recharge. Take as much time for yourself as you require, as we all have different needs.
7. Connect With People
Try "HouseParty", a fun video app you can talk to your friends and play games with on the screen.
Zoom
Facetime
Write letters (old-fashioned, put-in-the-mailbox letters).
Text people to check in on them.
Have conversations with the people you live with. Play games together. Focus on nurturing your relationships.
Make care packages for neighbors or those needing a little extra help and put it on their front steps. Or make an Amazon care package and mail it to them.
Find out even more ways to connect with people during quarantine over here.
8.Manage Your Money
What a perfect time to cut out unneeded expenses. We switched to driving one car during the quarantine because only one of us currently commutes. We also aren’t eating out as much as we did or stopping to pick up snacks at gas stations.
Cancel one of your TV subscriptions.
Sell something on Ebay (its free to list right now).
Take advantage of all the free media out there right now.
Learn to budget and start paying off some debt. (Free budgeting website here)
Look into stocks (and learn about investing if you haven’t already). I hear this may be a good time to buy some. (I just downloaded this app to buy stocks)
9. Limit Media Exposure
Too much media of the pandemic coverage will mess with your head. It’s a lot of negative information that you’re better off without.
Check the news at chosen times and avoid checking it too often. Maybe check the headlines each morning and then don’t look until the next morning. I recommend checking it even less than once a day.
If you feel out of the loop, ask your loved ones to update you every so often instead of turning to your phone or TV.
Know you aren’t missing anything. We are all in quarantine for at least another month.
10. Stay Positive
Sure, there are a lot of not-so-great things happening in the world right now, like the pandemic, but there are also a lot of good things. Take a look around you right now. Are you healthy? Are your loved ones healthy? Do you have a safe place to be? Do you have Internet? TV? Food and coffee? :) Toilet paper…?
Your thoughts matter! What you think will affect your emotions.
Focus on what you have control of, which includes all of the points that I mentioned above. You don’t have control over this pandemic
Disclaimer
Don’t feel like you have to do all of these tips to thrive during this quarantine. Some have more time than others. But if you find yourself getting anxious or depressed during quarantine, it’s time to do some adjusting.
Do you have any other tips that have worked for you?