The coronavirus arrived and turned the world upside down. What once seemed to be a harmless virus, suddenly has caused a wave of panic and runs to the supermarket and pharmacies around the world. Millions of people are quarantined around the world and, with so much fear in the air, it can be difficult to remain calm and keep a positive mindset during the pandemic.
There are several ways to maintain your well-being and even help vulnerable people without leaving your home. Check out our tips for maintaining positive thinking during the quarantine:
EXERCISE GRATITUDE
I know we are all stuck in a pretty shi* situation. Many of us don’t know if we’ll lose our jobs, how we’ll pay the bills and worry about the health of our loved ones.
But as long as we are stuck at home, feeling tense and worried will only make things worse and cause frictions with those around you. More than ever, it’s time to unite. So how about trying to get something good out of a bad situation? If you have a home to stay in, plenty of food in the kitchen, a loving family and supportive friends, you have plenty of reasons to be grateful about.
Every night, write down in a notebook something you are grateful for or something good that happened in your day – as hard as it might seem. After a few days, you will find that this simple exercise helps a lot to improve your mood and keep a positive mindset.
IMPROVE YOUR INTELLECT
In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it can be difficult to read that book or start that Spanish course that you have been putting off for years. How about buying a book or taking an online class? These can be great ways to spend time at home constructively, pass time and learn new things.
ENJOY FAMILY TIME
The daily family routine can be crazy during the week. One person works until late at night, another one has classes all day and never eats at home, families have dinner together and no longer talk. How about making a movie night, with popcorn and Netflix? How about family meals, where everyone helps to cook and learn to make new recipes? Or a night of stories, discovering more about the lives of your parents and grandparents, listening to incredible stories of overcoming? Our elders are the most inspiring people alive, and listening to them may teach us a lot about how to deal with a hard time and growing from difficult situations.
PRACTICE ALTRUISM AND EMPATHY
In the past few days, it has been beautiful to see how people are coming together and becoming aware that staying at home is an immense act of empathy and altruism for vulnerable people. This way, you reduce the risk of contagion for them, even if you are young and healthy. It is a time of union, of understanding that, as humanity, we are one. It doesn’t matter our colour, country or age. We are all together on this tiny planet, and it’s nice to see that people seem to have created more empathy in times of so much polarization in the world.
Few things are as good for the soul as altruism – and you don’t even have to leave the house or spend money for that. Many risk groups are vulnerable during the coronavirus, such as the elderly and people with health conditions. You can make a donation to old age homes in your city by transferring money to it, or organize online fundraisers.
Another option is to buy vitamins and hygiene products online and have them delivered to NGOs that care for people with cancer or to donate food to those in need. Look for cool NGOs in your city and get in touch to see what items they will need most in the coming months. We guarantee you it does a ton of good – to them and to you too.
TAKE CARE OF YOUR MENTAL WELL-BEING
It can be scary to watch the news on TV and the internet about coronavirus all day. Although it is important to stay informed, do not let it consume your day and energy. Practice meditation, there are several free classes on the internet and live classes on Instagram. Listen to cheerful music! There are even playlists about the quarantine period, and the song selection is hilarious. Look for COVID-19 Quarantine Party on YouTube and Spotify. Watch a comedy movie or other things that make you laugh and keep your mood up. Taking care of your mental well-being is imperative in order to keep a positive mindset during the COVID-19 pandemic.
CREATE TIES WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS
Nowadays it is common that we don’t even know our neighbours anymore, especially in Western countries. Often, we don’t even know their names. If you are in an area, where you are allowed to leave the house just to go to the market, think about your neighbours. Perhaps you have an elderly or debilitated neighbour who is at high risk by going out on the streets alone. Offer to do weekly shopping for them. In addition to helping them, you will be building stronger bonds in your community.
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