One Week of Quarantine + Five Things You Can Do While Quarantining

Hi guys! I have been MIA (on here) for weeks and I’m so deeply sorry. Things got way out of line back in school but that’s still not an excuse not to write something. I know we all know what’s currently going on in the world at the moment, a very sad, frightful time for humanity. When it was still starting out, I’m sure nobody thought it would come to this, and now look where we are. It feels so surreal to me, like I’m reading it in a book and it’s happening in some other world and not ours but no matter how much I think that way, it’s actually happening and is real.

Well, enough of that. I want to know how you’re all doing and how has life been for you, especially during these times, which is weirdly sweet in a way, we’re all experiencing this together, every one of us in different parts of the world. It makes me think that one way or another, we’d always be connected by something, no matter how far apart we are. I hope you all are safe, in quarantine and you wash your hands whenever you go out and come back home.

Today marks it one week since I’ve been in quarantine, so far, I haven’t been productive much. I’m hoping it would change after today though, I’m just going to take this past week as my trial (relaxation) week. Before the quarantine though, I’ve always been a homebody, so this whole staying at home thing isn’t hard for me. On the other hand, some people are finding it hard to stay at home, they don’t know what to do around the house besides using their phone, which gets boring sometimes. I’m no professional or sage but there are things I want to recommend that can keep you occupied as we wait for a vaccine to be discovered. These activities can be;

Reading

I don’t know about you, but reading is one of the best things I love to spend my time doing. It’s fun, exhilarating and fascinating. I just don’t understand it when people say they can’t just sit/lie down and read something, like c’mon. It isn’t that hard. Just make out time as you stay at home and download any e-reader app (Anybooks for example) for books or if you have books around the house, maybe a sibling’s own or your parents’, pick one and open it. You’ll never know the amazing stories you’re going to discover if you don’t.

Decluttering (Physically and Digitally)

On my second day of quarantine, I was lying in my bed, tired of being useless and of everything in my phone and I was in no mood to read. My mind was a mess, my thoughts were all over the place, I hate feeling that way, so much. Whenever I’m like that, sleeping, listening to music or cleaning up stuff (decluttering) usually helps. I went for decluttering and music. I got up and opened my bags (the one I came home with from uni) and scattered everything on the floor, I did the same to my wardrobe, arranging and putting things away soon got my mind to stop worrying about whatever it was that it was worrying about.

I mentioned something about this in an old blog post, here. I wrote about how cleaning up stuff is therapeutic for me. In no time, I felt a bit relaxed and clear-headed, things were placed neatly and I read a few articles after. You could also do some digital decluttering, like delete old-emails you have no use for, unfollow people whose content you don’t find amazing anymore, delete pictures/memes/videos you don’t use anymore and apps you haven’t used in so long. You’d feel so much better when you declutter, doesn’t matter how or which, it’s always relieving after.

Painting/Drawing (Discover your inner artist)

Okay, okay, I’m aware not all of us can draw or paint perfectly but who cares? You aren’t putting them up at a museum or in an art show/gallery. Get whatever art materials you have in your house and create some magic, it’s fun and relaxing to do. Discover your inner Da Vinci and Michaelangelo or inner 3 month baby (again). Hehe, it should be fun.

Play Games (Board or Phone)

My mother and siblings have resorted to playing snakes and ladders. I join sometimes, whenever I’m not immersed in my phone . Even if I don’t get to win, pinching my brothers so they roll the dice wrongly is really fun. I’m aware that some people don’t relate with their families much or at all, I know what it’s like sometimes, there are other games you can play all by yourself. It could be on your phone, like this one I’m obsessed with Hole.io. Unfortunately, that’s the only game I have in phone, I don’t know what people play these days but if that game can be fun for me, then others could be fun for you too. Games are always fun.

Exercise

Well, since we’re all at home now, not adding some weight is definitely not an option, unless you’re naturally thin or skinny then happy binge eating. If you’re not looking to add any more flesh, you have to exercise whenever you can. You can run in the mornings around 6-7am, remember not to touch anyone (I doubt if anybody would be outside by that time anyway). While inside, you can do some sit ups, push ups, bicycle kicks, planks, crunches and burpees.

Other things you can spend your time doing while quarantining can be;

1. Dance.
2. Make videos of yourself (or anyone in the house) doing stuff.
3. Paint your nails or do some make-up (just for fun).
4. Practice some skin care routine (for people who couldn’t when they were in school).
5. Practice some self-care too.
6. Fold your clothes (if they aren’t folded) or do laundry.
7. Bake something.
8. Make pancakes.
9. Watch shows/movies on TV or your phone or laptop.
10. Write down your thoughts or feelings.
11. Journal your quarantine days so you get to tell your kids in the future what a dark time it was. You wouldn’t want to miss out on anything, right?
12. Do some school work (if you have any) whenever you have the time.
13. Meditate and pray, reconnect with God and your spiritual being.

I think this everything I can think of, at the moment, I’m definitely going to do as much as I can, to be sane and also because I’m disgusted at myself for just lying down and using my phone all day. I hope your quarantine isn’t boring for you, doing any of the activities I mentioned above will be fun, I promise. If it gets too suffocating for you, you can always just step outside and have a breath of fresh air, I’m sure we’re allowed to do that.

And take this from me, I’m usually spending my free times just lying around or using my phone or basically just existing, sometimes I don’t feel like doing anything and I beat up myself for it, you may feel like that sometimes too, and I get it, it’s okay to. It’s okay to just be and exist during this period. If anytime you don’t feel like existing, just try taking little steps at coming out of it, I keep trying to everyday, you’d eventually get to a point when you can’t even sit down for a second and not want to do something productive, well, I’m hoping I get there too. I don’t mean being obsessed with work, no. There’s a huge difference between being useless and lazy and not resting when you have to, I’m talking about the former.

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This is my first post for this month and the month is almost over, lol. Wow. Could I get any lazier? Anyway, thanks for reading and coming this far (I know my posts are usually long but I can’t help it, sorry). If you have any more suggestions or any addition to what I’ve written, please I’d like to know in the comment section. I’d also like to know how long you’ve been in quarantine and what have you been doing those times.

Don’t forget to stay safe and take precautions.

Xoxo.