As we reached the month of May, plenty of countries continued to implement lockdowns around the world.
Social distancing, one way medical authorities suggest we combat the COVID-19 crisis, dictates our current reality in the United States.
At a time when students have to rely on online learning and people work from home, attending to our mental well-being seems more important than ever. Not only because we are carrying out work from a single environment, but also because we have to carry out the same rituals for many days.
The crisis we are going through is dreadful, but being at home and in quarantine doesn’t have to be. Here are some of the helpful and beneficial tips and activities I have compiled that will improve your experience of working and studying from home.
Eight tips and activities for staying productive at home
- Set up an ideal work environment
- Stay active by exercising
- Give yourself breaks
- Invest time in a hobby
- Have virtual tours and look at your old photographs
- Try learning how to cook
- Catch up on reading and music
- Follow a regular meal and sleep schedule
First, find a quiet place. Gather all the things essential for your work and keep them near your desk or table so that you won’t have to go searching for them time and again. Find furniture that accommodates all of your thigs. Make the most productive use of time working in that place. And yes, clean your working space from time to time.
Since “stay at home” orders took effect, we have become more passive and lethargic. Also, gym closures and restrictions have added more reasons why we are not active. Practicing yoga at this time is one of the best ways to achieve physical and mental discipline. Join our Yoga Virtual Stream at UT Dallas.
Working and studying from home in the time of COVID 19 is a stressful experience for everyone. Try to schedule a break every 75 to 90 minutes of work. A cup of coffee, staring at the backyard or out a window of your house or apartment will freshen you up for a new session.
If your hidden talent hasn’t had a chance to shine in many years, now is the time to make the most of it. Writing, dancing, singing and gardening are a few of the hobbies that you can do at home. You can also find your passion by looking inward. The benefit that you get from this will be finding yourself happier and having something to look forward to.
What we miss the most now is going outside and sharing moments with other people. Fortunately, thanks to digital technology, you can have virtual tours of famous landmarks and amazing places around the world from your couch.Touring the world’s best museums, virtual walking trails of beautiful places like Italy, Egypt and many others, are all at your fingertips. You can also meet your friends online and play online party games or have an online happy hour. And let’s not forget the photographs that can take us on our memorable trips. You got it right; refresh your memories.
After spending time on hobbies, you can focus on learning culinary arts. You will get new dishes to eat every day, even while we have limited restaurant choices. And yes, it will taste yummier when you figure out what tastes best for you. Here are a few YouTube channels and chefs you can look to: Bon Appétit, NYT Cooking, BBC Good Food, Tasty, How to Cook That.
“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one,” says a character in A Dance With Dragons, a book in the George R.R. Martin fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire. That’s true. When we need it the most, books will help us travel, develop thoughts, impart endless knowledge, and more.
Also, complementary to reading, we can focus on music. Life would be utterly bleak without it, and the best part is we know that to be a fact. Refine better searches of artists and albums you like and don’t forget to share your good taste with your friends and family. Listen to our JSOM Social Spotify playlist. Reduce your work stress by listening to this playlist and uplift your mood and productivity.
While staying at home, we are likely to disturb our routine, but this should not stand in the way of our eating and sleeping habits. No matter what we have to focus on, staying healthy and maintaining regularity helps.
The list above suggests just a few of the activities that you can do to stay productive. Try to keep your mind calm and composed, as well as try to have fun by staying connected and learning new skills. You know yourself, so you should also find the best things that work for you. And lastly, forgive yourself if you mess up; this is stressful, and we all are doing our best. Watch an encouraging video message by Lisa Shatz and don’t forget to subscribe.
