Quarantine and Anxiety - How to keep busy
Hello everyone,
I hope that when you read this post you are all healthy and safe. If you or a loved one is currently infected, know you are in my prayers. Let's remember that our local governments are not wanting to remove our rights but protect our health as well as our healthcare system.
It's been over a month that we have been on lockdown and although we have three young children, one toddler, an infant and a newborn, we have found ourselves getting restless... Yes, the kids have been keeping us busy, but because we are unable to do anything outside of our community, we are getting restless...
After all the Netflix, YouTube and Amazon...what is left to do? because as much fun as it is to binge watch "The Gilmore Girls", I have to do something else with my mind and body.
I have found it useful to look up what others are doing to keep busy and that has prompted me to follow some of the things others are doing.
The first thing I started was to make a list each day with five things that I could, realistically, do that day. If something could not get done, it would get transferred to the next day. I also keep using my planner because it helps me to know that I am keeping to a routine.
The second thing, yet it is the most important thing, is that I get dressed and put my makeup on each day. Okay, I have to add that the last two days have been a bit rough because our newborn has been more fussy during the night. Makeup is the last thing I have done in the past two days, but I have been getting dressed. Putting on clothes that are not lounge clothes give me a purpose and it helps to keep me on track with my tasks and goals for that day. The makeup is more for personal pleasure because I actually enjoy putting on makeup.
The third thing that I have done is make lists of all those house and personal projects that I have been wanting to do but felt like there was never enough time. For example, I have always wanted to have a booklet with prayers in French and Portuguese. When we homeschool the kids, I will have them on hand and the kids can also learn them. I also have made a list of books that I want to read and once our newborn is less fussy during the night, I will attack that list.
The fourth thing is that we both have virtual gym training sessions with our personal trainer, three times a week. For one, it keeps us healthy because I know myself - I would not have done any training during this time. And it keeps up motivated to keep healthy. A little side note - being at home more often, I have indulged in sweets and salty snacks - that has to stop...
The fifth thing is to enjoy time with your family. If I have learned anything from this uncertain time is that we live ourselves at such fast paces. It seems that we have to do all these things at the same time and we put our loved ones to the side to make more place for work. And so, I have enjoyed going on walks with all the kids and my husband. I have even been able to enjoy walks with my husband alone. It makes things normal and it feels less like we are quarantined.
I know these times are hard on all of us. But, we need to do what we are doing to help prevent this virus from taking over - it has already taken too much! The end goal is to make sure that a vaccine is created so that we can eradicate this virus, like we did with chicken pox, measles, mumps, the flu and so on... We cannot be selfish and only think of our own personal pleasures. I miss going about and running errands, having lunch with friends, going on dates, being able to take my kids to the store... This virus is too powerful, for now, and so, we need to adjust our new lifestyle to make sure that this virus dies out until the vaccine can come out.
Despair is not what we should be giving into. We should be praying, keeping hope and being grateful for this time we are being given with our families. My husband even said that other day that he has never spent so much time with the kids - he was actually getting to know the kids. So, be with your family and enjoy this time because when things get back to normal, and they will...you will miss it.
Remember to keep safe, wash your hands and DO NOT touch your face. Keep to the orders provided by your local state government and be kind to others.
If you have tips to share about how you have been keeping busy, please share and let's build our community!
SM
I hope that when you read this post you are all healthy and safe. If you or a loved one is currently infected, know you are in my prayers. Let's remember that our local governments are not wanting to remove our rights but protect our health as well as our healthcare system.
It's been over a month that we have been on lockdown and although we have three young children, one toddler, an infant and a newborn, we have found ourselves getting restless... Yes, the kids have been keeping us busy, but because we are unable to do anything outside of our community, we are getting restless...
After all the Netflix, YouTube and Amazon...what is left to do? because as much fun as it is to binge watch "The Gilmore Girls", I have to do something else with my mind and body.
I have found it useful to look up what others are doing to keep busy and that has prompted me to follow some of the things others are doing.
The first thing I started was to make a list each day with five things that I could, realistically, do that day. If something could not get done, it would get transferred to the next day. I also keep using my planner because it helps me to know that I am keeping to a routine.
The second thing, yet it is the most important thing, is that I get dressed and put my makeup on each day. Okay, I have to add that the last two days have been a bit rough because our newborn has been more fussy during the night. Makeup is the last thing I have done in the past two days, but I have been getting dressed. Putting on clothes that are not lounge clothes give me a purpose and it helps to keep me on track with my tasks and goals for that day. The makeup is more for personal pleasure because I actually enjoy putting on makeup.
The third thing that I have done is make lists of all those house and personal projects that I have been wanting to do but felt like there was never enough time. For example, I have always wanted to have a booklet with prayers in French and Portuguese. When we homeschool the kids, I will have them on hand and the kids can also learn them. I also have made a list of books that I want to read and once our newborn is less fussy during the night, I will attack that list.
The fourth thing is that we both have virtual gym training sessions with our personal trainer, three times a week. For one, it keeps us healthy because I know myself - I would not have done any training during this time. And it keeps up motivated to keep healthy. A little side note - being at home more often, I have indulged in sweets and salty snacks - that has to stop...
The fifth thing is to enjoy time with your family. If I have learned anything from this uncertain time is that we live ourselves at such fast paces. It seems that we have to do all these things at the same time and we put our loved ones to the side to make more place for work. And so, I have enjoyed going on walks with all the kids and my husband. I have even been able to enjoy walks with my husband alone. It makes things normal and it feels less like we are quarantined.
I know these times are hard on all of us. But, we need to do what we are doing to help prevent this virus from taking over - it has already taken too much! The end goal is to make sure that a vaccine is created so that we can eradicate this virus, like we did with chicken pox, measles, mumps, the flu and so on... We cannot be selfish and only think of our own personal pleasures. I miss going about and running errands, having lunch with friends, going on dates, being able to take my kids to the store... This virus is too powerful, for now, and so, we need to adjust our new lifestyle to make sure that this virus dies out until the vaccine can come out.
Despair is not what we should be giving into. We should be praying, keeping hope and being grateful for this time we are being given with our families. My husband even said that other day that he has never spent so much time with the kids - he was actually getting to know the kids. So, be with your family and enjoy this time because when things get back to normal, and they will...you will miss it.
Remember to keep safe, wash your hands and DO NOT touch your face. Keep to the orders provided by your local state government and be kind to others.
If you have tips to share about how you have been keeping busy, please share and let's build our community!
SM
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