As far back as March 19, local and state governments began ordering citizens to shelter in place. Since then, most of the country is on lockdown, wondering when this sentence will end.
As an aside, thank you to the many essential workers helping to keep this country running. We appreciate what you are doing.
The outbreak of COVID-19 and subsequent quarantines and social distancing have thrown us into unfamiliar territory. It feels like we are unwilling participants in an unplanned social experiment, struggling to understand how we can remain productive while confined to limited space with limited resources.
If you are sick of traveling from app to app, room to room, or tired of watching the same series on Netflix, here are five ways you can maintain a productive lifestyle while quarantined at home.
Many schools and institutions are offering free online courses. Through Harvard, you have free access to courses on topics from coding to entrepreneurship in emerging economies. Yale is offering one of its most popular classes, the Science of Well-Being.
There are dozens of U.S. companies offering e-learning courses and certification programs that will help you sharpen skills and boost professional development. Google’s Skillshop offers product training and certifications in Google Ads, Google Marketing Platform, Google Analytics, and more. Adobe offers design certifications for its many applications.
Can you exercise from home? Absolutely! What if you do not have any equipment? That does not matter. A quick search on YouTube will reveal many personal trainers willing to share exercise routines you can perform from home. Given the circumstances, there are plenty of studios generously offering free trials during the pandemic:
There are great mobile apps that will guide you through a workout right from your phone. For example, the Nike Training Club app allows users to select workouts based on their level of difficulty and whether or not they have equipment at home. And right now, users have free access to premium workouts, fitness experts, and trainers.
If you just want to make use of whatever you have at home, here are a few ideas. Pushups are a great, equipment-free exercise you can do anywhere. But if you want to add a level of complexity, try decline pushups by using a couch or stool. Need a good arm workout? Try some dips from a chair. Lastly, jump squats are a great leg exercise that does not require dumbbells or barbells.
For many, their daily routines vanished only a few days into their quarantine. People began sleeping in, staying up late, and breaking up their normal working hours with errands and television breaks. The temptations to avoid work are much closer while at home, so it is more important than ever to plan out your day. Get a digital schedule or post a calendar above your workspace. Have a detailed to-do list for each day. This will ensure you stay on top of all your tasks, rather than wasting the day semi-conscious on the couch. Further, when these restrictions are finally lifted, you will find it much easier to pick up where you left off if you have kept your routine.
If you are a new parent, you may suddenly find yourself in unfamiliar territory. Having to balance your child’s needs with your professional responsibilities is not easy. One of the best things you can do is to use nap time as efficiently as possible by scheduling your most important tasks for this period of focus. Also, do not be afraid to talk with your employer to see if it can accommodate a modified schedule.
Are you struggling to find ways to keep your children occupied? New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art offers virtual tours, allowing housebound kids to explore its vast collections. You can also plan scavenger hunts at home. The Alphabet hunt is a great game, where you send kids searching for items that start with each letter of the alphabet.
This is a stressful time. It is ok to feel scared or nervous. One of the best ways to overcome negative feelings is to find ways to serve others and still play an active role in your community. Many volunteers are helping create masks for healthcare professionals and essential workers. You can also play a tremendous role by avoiding food waste. According to Feeding America, each year 72 billion pounds of food goes to waste. While of course it is important to store food (and store it properly so it does not spoil), make sure you are not hoarding to excess and preventing those in need from acquiring their own supplies. Lastly, check in on your friends, family, and neighbors – especially the elderly. See if they need anything you can spare, like extra facial tissues, toilet paper, or cans of food. You can even leave it outside their front door to maintain proper social distancing practices.
While this is a time of uncertainty, there are still those hiring. If you are looking for work, see what jobs are available at CyberCoders.com
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