BEST THINGS TO DO DURING COVID-19 QUARANTINE PERIOD

COVID-19 emerged as an unseen enemy hitting our lives harder than anything else ever did, and scared us to the core making us try every possible step to safeguard ourselves and our families. Some took all the necessary precautions and still couldn’t save themselves from the fatal virus; some hardly bothered about it and still remained unaffected. The huge variation in opinions and thoughts has led to mass agreements and disagreements, but one thing that has remained constant throughout the world is the 2-weeks quarantine period whether you have tested positive for coronavirus or have travelled to a different region where quarantine as a precaution is mandatory.

The question that everyone asks is that what can be done during this quarantine period to remain productive, active and positive. Although the lockdown phase taught us a lot about surviving through the lonely period with essential items as priority and without the luxury items, quarantine period is still a more serious and more complex period wherein your movement is totally restricted to just one room, that too when you are suffering through the trauma of this very unpredictable disease!

Here are some of the best and most useful things to do during COVID-19 quarantine period either at your own home or in a hotel room:

1. KEEP IN TOUCH WITH YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS, FRIENDS, COLLEAGUES AND OTHERS WHOM YOU KNOW
Now this is something that might not sound very important, but believe me, this is something which has been missing from our lives because of the super-busy lifestyles and excessive work-load. Those who undergo a monotonous 9-6 work routine in their lives hardly get time to socialize; those who have a business of their own have no specific time of work and can get an urgent call any time. Such a life hardly leaves us with a space for our own selves or for our friends. Being in a quarantine with nowhere else to be busy about, it shall be considered as the best time to retain the lost contacts or to break the ice and talk to those whom you haven’t been able to interact with since long. Remember, its only in times of loneliness that we realize the importance of togetherness.

2. FOLLOW A FIXED WORKOUT ROUTINE
This is another thing that we often plan to begin in our lives but end up skipping quite often. The benefits of working out consistently and being fit are known to us all, its just that fixing a specific workout routine never reaches the top of our priority charts in lives. Being in quarantine, you can follow various fitness enthusiasts and their pages on social media platforms such as Youtube, Instagram, etc. You don’t even need any particular equipment for such workout routines, and we all know the importance of strong, healthy, immune body in this phase of COVID-19 pandemic, so even if you don’t feel like gathering yourself up for a fixed workout routine, you still must start with it and be constant with at least 1-hour workout routine every day, making sure you don’t exhaust yourself too much.

3. WATCH DOCUMENTARIES ONLINE
This may not be everyone’s cup of tea and may not suit everyone’s interests, but is a good way to break the boredom of loneliness and divert yourself from the stress of corona virus, while gaining knowledge about untouched topics. Most of the youngsters these days prefer watching entertaining web-series just to pass time, and avoid documentaries made on real life stories which impart bundles of knowledge. However, factual programmes are far better than the fictitious ones, so you should invest time in learning your subjects of interest deeper along with watching the entertaining series at times perhaps.

4. READ THE LONG-PENDING BOOKS OR START WITH THE NEW ONES
Again, this is something which may not be followed by everyone in general, as the interest of reading books has reduced by leaps and bounds with introduction of internet and the exuberating sources of pass-time that it provides. Still, habit of reading is an amazing one, wherein we immerse ourselves in the book, its characters, its storyline and concentrate in it keeping aside all the distractions and stress. Books help us by improving our vocabulary and exercising our brain in the very right way. Doesn’t matter if you are a constant reader or quite naïve with reading books, you should definitely invest time in reading everyday and shall continue the same even after the quarantine is over.

5. ENROL YOURSELF IN ONLINE COURSES
There are a lot of interests and hobbies in our lives which get left back somewhere in the past while we move ahead in pursuit of our goals. This is the time to look back at those interests and subjects and learn more about them by enrolling yourself in online courses related to them. There are various platforms which provide free short-term courses for quick guidance about various subjects while at the same time, there are many specialists delivering online classes on request and some institutions provide long-term courses as well. Practicing your skills and making them better can be done by following this step and new skills can also be learnt along with gaining perfection in the existing ones. This is a very productive means of passing time in the COVID-19 quarantine period.

6. MEDITATE
Meditation is quite helpful in attaining peace of mind at times of uncertainty and stress. While being in quarantine, it is quite imperative to be mindful of your wellbeing and the surroundings, and meditation can help a lot to achieve this much-needed peace and to relieve the ever-increasing stress.

7. LISTEN TO MUSIC
Music is a therapy in itself and can heal the lowering mood and the negative vibes. Spending time in listening to your favorite music or exploring and finding new potential songs which could last for a lifetime in your playlists is worth giving a try while being there alone in quarantine. All sorts of music is available online these days both in audio and video formats. You can find those rare old songs that you used to listen many years or decades ago, and can also watch your favorite music videos while dancing out to those tracks and enjoying them in your own company.

8. MAINTAIN A PROPER SLEEP-CYCLE
It is not a piece of cake to stick to the regular sleeping and waking patterns during the quarantine period when the whole routine has taken a massive hit. However, you can still feel that urge to sleep if you undertake some of the above-mentioned activities which would lead to both physical and mental involvement and a desire to rest by the end of the day. Once you are done with your everyday tasks along with taking care of your health by consuming the prescribed medication, make sure to sleep for at least 8 hours and give much-needed rest to your mind and body.

EXPLORE FOR MORE!
This article enlists some of the productive ways of engaging yourself during the quarantine period but in a very general way and not at all field-specific or subject-specific way. You are your best judge, and you know more than anyone else about your interests, skills and capabilities and how to motivate yourself in tough times. Therefore, you can explore a lot more ways to spend your quarantine period in a productive and positive way rather than following general guidelines and opinions.

Make sure to utilize this time wisely, and make sure to acknowledge the people who stick around you in this lonely phase, and make very sure to keep yourself away from overthinking about unnecessary thoughts which are just going to ruin the peace of your mind and eventually, yield no results at all.