So the entire world has been hit with a novel pandemic and the best way to fight its growth is through social distancing. It is pretty self-explanatory, but what does it mean in terms of your social life, your schedule, and even your sanity?
My fiancé and I decided a few days ago that we were going to stay at home and self-quarantine ourselves. We had made this decision before our county issued a public mandate for ‘shelter in place’ which basically means we can’t leave our home (with the exception of a few vital reasons).
Now, when I first heard about what was going on and what we were planning on doing, I was not apprehensive. I am a homebody and love being with my little doodle! I am that girl that is perfectly catching up on the latest celebrity gossip, content cooking breakfast/lunch/dinner, and watching trashy tv shows.
But looking at how long we are going to be ‘stuck’ here, I came up with a list of different things we can all do to keep ourselves busy and mentally stimulated. If you are not working right now, or feel like you have a little extra time – try out something new or something you have been putting off!
*Keep in mind my list is taking into consideration that I am not a mother, working a corporate job, or taking care of elders in my household.*
Puzzles & Games
This is a great way to have fun with everyone in your home. Whether you are living alone or with another person, there are games for everyone. Since I am at my home with my fiancé, I am looking forward to finding a big puzzle and perhaps a game of Speak Out!
The last time Ben & I did a puzzle it took a couple of days (I am a little impatient), but it was so relaxing. I find that it is a simple way to encourage communication between people!
If you have a larger group staying with you – perhaps some teenagers – there are even more games that can be fun! One of my all-time favorites is Cards Against Humanity! There are so many extension packs to choose from as well in case you run out!
Spring Cleaning
So it is officially the first day of Spring, so why not start cleaning out your home. There are SO MANY different ways to spring clean!
I like to start with the most obvious category for me which is my closet. I go through everything: tops, bottoms, undergarments, shoes, and accessories. I ask myself a few questions that help me to decide which will stay and which need to go.
- Have I worn this in the last year?
- Is there something coming up that this is perfect for?
- Is this still my style?/Is this a classic piece that will never go out of style?
As well all know, fast fashion can get the best of us sometimes. I have definitely fallen guilty of buying a trendy piece that wasn’t really my style and then never wore it. It happens! But luckily there are easy ways to get rid of your things now. You can sell your clothing on Poshmark or ThredUp, swap things with your friends, or even donate to a thrift store. I try to make sure that my clothes always have a second life!
Next, head over to your kitchen! More times that not there will be something sitting at the back of your pantry that has gone bad. Go through everything (especially opened boxes) and make sure they are all edible.
One of my favorite new things are OXO containers! We bought tons of them and now store our food in them to preserve their freshness. It also helps the pantry look extra organized and helps me when I am looking for something.
Exercise
Exercise is not always everyone’s top priority – and believe me, it didn’t use to be mine either. I started working out again about a year ago to prepare for my wedding, and boy let me tell you it is hard! But once you are in the groove of things, it is a major downer to not be able to get into the gym. For me, I have done a terrible job this first week of being home. I did some crunches here and some pushups there, but no cardio. At this point, our county told us we can go on walks or runs, but walks aren’t much better than jumping in place and I am not a runner (nor do I wish to be). So my options are fairly limited!
However, with everything that is going on right now with Coronavirus, many fitness apps and studios are offering free online workouts – streaming and prerecorded. Check out some of the top workouts below that could help you with your fitness journey!
Barry’s Bootcamp: Join their IG live for full workouts.
Tone It Up: Download the app for a free month.
Sweat with Kayla Itsines: Download the app. Kayla also offers postpartum workouts for new mammas!
CorePower Yoga: If you are a Yogi you probably already know about this.
Virtual Hangouts
In this time of isolation, I find myself making FaceTime dates with all my gal pals. They are keeping me sane, and I fully intend on making it a weekly (if not more) occurrence. If you are trying to get lots of people in your friend’s group on the same chat you can use Google hangouts!
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