How To Make The Most Of Your Self-Quarantine

Coronavirus arrived in my home state of Ohio roughly two weeks ago. In an attempt to both flatten the curve and protect my slightly immuno-compromised self, I decided preemptively to self-quarantine. Since I work from home already, this isn’t a big deal for me — it’s the least I can do. For the next month (at least), I will not leave the 1000 square feet of my apartment.

Being stuck in a city apartment for the next month doesn’t sound like the most fun I could possibly have. I’d much rather be at my local library or getting delicious takeout tacos.

But voluntarily self-quarantining doesn’t have to be a recipe for boredom, for me or anyone else who is quarantined. There are a lot of ways to keep happy, productive, and occupied, even when trapped in your own home.

Pick up your new year’s resolutions

Back in December of 2019, before most Americans even knew Coronavirus existed, people were making a lot of new years resolutions. Most people allow these resolutions to fall by the wayside around this time of year, but with all of us facing two to three months of being stuck indoors, we’re going to have a lot more time to pursue them.

Get outside

Just because you’re quarantining yourself from public places doesn’t mean you can’t leave the apartment. Unlike grocery stores, restaurants, and local libraries, there are very few places outdoors where people touch communal surfaces. So if you’re feeling terribly cooped up, get outside! Take a walk around the block, visit a local park (but resist the temptation to sit on benches or use water fountains), or drive to a nearby hiking trail.

Catch up on your reading

Most people I know say they don’t read enough. It’s one thing to have no time for reading when your days are filled with work, family obligations, and errands — it’s another when you’re literally stuck indoors all day long. No doubt you’ll want to spend a great deal of time binge-watching Netflix, but once that becomes boring (which, after a few days, it will), set down the remote and pick up a book.

Don’t have any books around? No problem. You can get books without leaving the house. Use the Kindle app on your phone, tablet, or computer to purchase any eBook you want, and use the Libby app to rent ebooks from your local library for free. You need a library card to use Libby, but you can sign up for one by calling your local library.

Exercise

When you’re stuck inside all day long, it becomes really easy to be sedentary. But one of the greatest ways to boost your immune system is exercise, so the middle of a pandemic is no time to be a slouch.

One of the easiest ways to exercise and get some time outside is to go on a run outdoors. The spring sun will boost your spirits and your immune system, and the run will make you healthier and happier. If running around the block isn’t an option, you can still get in some cardio at home by playing with a Wii fit or doing some at-home cardio.

For strength training at home, you can use the 12 Minute Athlete app. This app takes you through a workout routine that will keep your body strong and healthy. It requires no equipment and only takes 12 minutes per day.

Deal with your paperwork

Most of us have paperwork piling up. Maybe it’s in an inbox that is overflowing or it’s scattered all around the house. Either way, it’s been sitting there for weeks waiting for us to deal with it.

Now that we’re all stuck at home, it’s time. Get out your scanner, your record-keeping books, and open your filing cabinet; it’s time to get your paperwork under control.

Declutter

Clutter is the name we give to things we own that don’t really bring us any value, items that often burden more than they help. Clutter is things like:

• That stack of magazines that you swear you’re going to read someday
• That random drawer of mismatched screws that you keep “just in case”
• That beautiful necklace you never wear because your ex got it for you.

Clutter is one of the biggest problems we all ignore, and what makes it such a big problem is the way it affects our psychology.

First, clutter takes up physical space. Each square foot of clutter is a square foot you can’t use for other things, or, more importantly, space to live. Clutter crowds out the items that are more important, making them harder to find. Lastly, clutter requires it’s own cleaning and management, multiplying the amount of time you have to spend taking care of the house. No matter how big a home is, clutter makes it feel too small.

Second, clutter takes up mental space. Each item of clutter is something you own is something that’s holding you back. That stack of magazines is keeping you from reading the books you really want to read, that drawer of mismatched screws is keeping you from clearing a space to pursue your dream of painting, and that necklace you never wear is keeping you from focusing on your love life as it is right now. As these things crowd your house, they crowd your mind, keeping you from focusing on what it is you truly want to focus on.

If you’re going to be stuck in your home for months, why not improve your home? After all, it’s much better to be cooped up somewhere you enjoy being.

Coronavirus is ravaging the planet, and there’s no escaping it. But it doesn’t have to take everything. While we’re taking all the preventative measures we can, we don’t have to place our lives on hold. We can continue to learn and grow even in adverse circumstances. In fact, there’s no better time to.

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