Staying Sane During the COVID19 Pandemic

With the number of new cases rising every day, it’s no wonder that the coronavirus pandemic or COVID-19, has been wreaking havoc within people’s lives. Constant news notifications flood phones across the country, citizens are forced to stay in their houses for longer than they could have ever imagined; all of these can be difficult on the human mind. To combat this growing problem, the Kodiak Times has compiled a list of tasks that will help you not only prevent cabin fever, but also manage your time to live as normal as possible in the current situation.

Make a Schedule (And Actually Follow It)

The idea of spending a whole day at home doing whatever you want can be tempting. however, you will quickly realize that this approach only leads to procrastination when it comes to important work. This frustrating issue can be solved by simply writing down a balanced schedule consisting of a wake-up time, a good amount of exercise, and a mix of work and play time. Include a bedtime that you want to stick to throughout the next few weeks. This will help you not only maximize your amount of time, but will also help you feel more fulfilled as you vary activities throughout the day.

Spend Time Outside

Although you should always maintain a 3-meter distance between yourself and people, this does not mean that you should avoid going outside altogether. Instead, use the newfound time to take walks, runs, and bike rides outside to help you feel refreshed and invigorated. Bonus points if you start every day with a walk from now on!

Stay Fit and Healthy

It can become very easy to lose your physical strength due to a lack of activities with no commute or PE class to keep you active. The lower amount of grocery store trips means that you will be forced to eat less fresh foods. This can impact your health and your body’s ability to fight the illness. Therefore, it is important to keep a daily exercise regimen and keep a good variety of foods in your daily meals. The official website of the Canadian Government recommends 6o minutes of exercise a day for teenagers,to eat when you feel hungry, and limit portion sizes to as much as you need to feel satiated. This will help keep your immune system strong, lessening the risk of a severe viral infection.

Clean Your Workspace

Nobody likes spending time in a dirty room, this is especially important when this room becomes the place where you spend the majority of your time. Clean up your desk, open your windows and blinds, and wash the long overdue pile of laundry to keep your room clear of clutter and alleviate the unnecessary pressure of a dark and stuffy room. It has been scientifically proven that dirty rooms often cause irritability and a poor mood, so make sure that your desk is free from messes before sitting down to do work.

Change Outfits

While they may be comfortable, pyjamas are not your best friend when it comes to school at home. Your mind associates them with relaxation and casual situations, so changing into something you would wear to school (or what others would, if you wear PJs) would be your best bet when it comes to productivity at home.

Stay Off Social Media

Pick a specific time and place to check your social media and news sources but keep your usage of these apps to a minimum, since they often cause unnecessary anxiety when it comes to news about the virus.

Call Your Friends and Family Members

Being in self-isolation does not mean being lonely. While you can’t visit your friends or family members in other households currently, remember to call and text them occasionally and socialize. There are numerous apps you can use to connect with friends, such as Netflix Party, which allows you to keep in touch while watching Netflix at the same time. Stay connected with your relatives, such as grandparents too, since the current situation can be overwhelming to older people and your call could help make a difference in their day.

Remain Calm and Follow the Government’s Recommendations

Although the situation remains unpredictable when it comes to the COVID19 pandemic, there are no benefits to panic in the current period. All we can do is to remain calm and follow the recommendations of the Canadian Ministry of Health: wash our hands for at least 20 seconds, keep surfaces clean, stay 3 meters away from strangers, and stay at home when possible.

Written by Soniya Tagirova