All over the world, various countries have severely restricted the movement of people in order to stem the spread of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 or simply SARS-COV2. This novel strain of the coronavirus, which was first detected in China in late 2019 and which causes the coronavirus disease or COVID-19, has since spread across the globe. In the process, it has claimed the lives of thousands of people and infected hundreds of thousands and still counting.
SARS-COV2 virus is aggressive and deadly. There is as yet no known cure for COVID-19, which is the reason why efforts are being made to implement social distancing in order to minimize new infections and avoid straining limited medical facilities. Social distancing is best effected by staying at home.
One of the measures to promote social distancing is the imposition of unprecedented sweeping quarantines. This means shutting down schools, businesses, and mass gatherings in cities, or in other cases, entire countries, and requiring people to stay indoors other than to buy medicines, food provisions, or other emergency cases. As of press time, it is estimated that about a billion people in the world are in home quarantines.
As a result of these community- and country-wide quarantines, a lot of students have to study from home. Similarly, work from home arrangements have also been made for workers and professionals. This is to make sure businesses and government offices continue to operate, as well as so that workers get to retain their jobs and continue earning without having to go out of their homes and risk getting infected.
This rather drastic change in the way people do things -- in terms of either studying or working -- presents a dilemma: How do you make sure to remain productive during quarantine with all the distractions present in your home?
Here are a few tips to get you started:
At home, it is very tempting to do things only when you feel like doing them. But over the long term, this lackadaisical attitude will only result in a stockpile of uncompleted tasks.
Establishing a routine means training yourself to wake up at a particular time and having a schedule of tasks to be done within the day along with the expected outputs. Having a schedule underscores the urgency of your tasks and in more ways than one serves to motivate you to get up and work.
The important thing to remember is that the quarantine period is not a vacation.
2. Refrain from studying or working in bed.
Studies after studies have shown that working or studying from bed is not a good idea for several reasons. First, lying in the comfort of your bed decreases your motivation to stay awake and get going; the probabilty of dozing off is always present.
Second, it has also been found that doing things in bed other than sleeping may impair your ability to get quality sleep the next time you lay in it. This is because our bodies react to various stimuli and in the process learn to associate things with certain bodily functions.
Laying in bed, for example, tells your brain that you are about to sleep. If your bed is exclusively for sleeping, then your body becomes instantly prepares to sleep once it hits the sheets. But if you do other things while in bed, such as studying or working, your mind gets confused if you should already sleep or probably do something else. This is where sleeping problems begin to kick in.
3. Fix yourself up.
Instead of working in your pyjamas, why not consider fixing yourself up? Doing this trains your brain to focus and not think about which Netflix show to watch next.
4. Engage in a new hobby or learn a new skill.
We normally do not have the time to pursue things outside of school or work. Every day we are so busy that we barely have the time, if at all, to do things that we are passionate or curious about.
The quarantine period presents the perfect opportunity to recharge and reinvent ourselves by either improving on an existing skill set or engaging in an entirely new activity.
If you have been putting off recording a song, for instance, now may be the best time to pick up the mic and sing your heart out. The same is true if you decide to paint, or write, or learn animation.
5. Exercise.
With the pandemic in full swing, now is as good a time as any to get fit. During the quarantine period, this means exercising at home. This can be done by watching fitness instructional videos on YouTube, among other platforms. There are thousands of fitness instructional videos on YouTube alone, so depending on your fitness level and workout requirements, there's bound to be at least one video for you.
6. Keep abreast of the news.
Staying indoors for self-quarantine provides the perfect opportunity to read or watch news from legitimate news sources. The last thing we need in this difficult period is the spreading of fake news, which only adds to the sense of fear and panic that has already gripped a lot of people.
7. Seek for ways to provide help to affected sectors and the medical frontliners.
There are various organizations seeking for financial donations to help sectors of the community affected by the lockdown. These sectors include the homeless people, the medical frontliners, and daily wage earners who, with the quarantine rules, are deprived of the chance to earn a living. Donate if you can.
As the world battles the COVID-19 pandemic, it is necessary that everyone does his/her fair share in helping stem the spread of the SARS-COV2 virus. Continue to practice good hygiene practices such as consistently washing your hands, avoid crowds, and generally be aware of the symptoms of the disease for early detection and timely interventions.
Together, we can all beat COVID-19.
How are you dealing with home quarantine? Join in the discussion by posting in the comments section below.