We know, being on locked down gives us a feeling that may be new to us. Some of us are worried about their health, finances, their family members that are away and even what the future will be after this. And all of us has different coping up mechanism: some do Netflix binge watching, endlessly scrolling Facebook, starting their TikTok dance videos or Playing games just to stay optimistic against this pandemic. Those activities are not totally unproductive. It’s our own way of being sane (tap in the back). But when we spend our whole day just doing those things, then that’s unproductive.
While all your investments (businesses and work) are on hold, investing in your self doesn’t stop.
Use this crisis as an opportunity to invest in yourself by building habits and daily routines that will pay off even after this lock down. This doesn’t mean that you will no longer watch your Netflix or scroll your Facebook, it’s just spending time that will be worthwhile in the long run and will make you a better person after this crisis.
10 Habits to Develop this Enhanced Community Quarantine
1. Sleep 8 hours a day
Binge watching Koreanovela or Money Heist episodes until 4am sounds tempting cause there is no need to wake up very early and work the next day. But the luxury of time that this lockdown gave us is a good way to redeem the sleepless nights we had before and give our body and mind a healthy 8 hours of daily sleep.
2. Wake up Early
We know that not every one are morning person especially the young ones. But rising up early and starting the day early will give you a head start to become productive for the day ahead. Beside, this can be a great training so that you will no longer have to struggle on waking up early for your work when the Enhanced Community Quarantine has ended.
3. Praying and Meditation
Talk to God about your dreams, your plans, your worries and your fears. Ask for His guidance. This pandemic made us fearful and anxious. Giving to God all our worries and fears and thanking Him for His guidance and provision makes our heart settled.
4. Practice Gratitude
Still waiting for the relief goods from your local government? We know, that can be frustrating. But amidst our disappointment and delayed provision, let’s think of at least 3 things to be thankful everyday: you are working from home, you are with your family, you have food on your table, your family is safe and healthy- see there are more than 3 things to thank Him and that gives us more reason to be thankful for.
5. Learning
Read the books that you bought few years ago that was left unopened, watch motivational videos, listen to podcasts. It depends on your learning style: videos, books, podcasts. They say that the more body faculties involved, the more that we learn. Learn a new skill or a new mindset. Do this for at least 30 minutes a day. Aim to at least be 1% better than you are yesterday. The compound effect that you will be after a year will surely be great!
6. Exercise
I know most of us are guilty of this. We’ve been putting exercise in the back burner because either we do not have time or we no longer have energy to do so. Allot 20 mins a day to do exercise. Use an App to guide you in your exercise. It really feels good to have some good sweating even while you are at home.
7. 16 Hours Fasting
Read or watch Youtube videos about Intermittent Fasting and you will be surprised with the health benefits it can give you. Aside from losing weight, it will help you have a clear skin, mental clarity and minimizes your risk of having diabetes, high blood pressure and other lifestyle diseases. Trivia: Most successful people do intermittent fasting. This is a good time that you try it and observe its benefit.
8. Being Organized
It’s time to declutter your room a la Marie Kondo. Throw or donate all the things which no longer spark joy. If you did not use a thing for more than six months, chances are you will not use it in the future – a good rule in decluttering. Take your time to organize your stuffs or even do a general cleaning of your whole house.
9. Doing What You Love
Awaken your long-forgotten passions or hobbies. Cook, bake, make diy crafts, sew your own cloth, draw, paint, plant a seed. Any of your favorite hobbies when you were a kid. This is an opportunity to unleash your creativity. And maybe you’ll want to pursue your passion after this crisis. Start a blog. Start a Youtube account. Any thing you wanted to do for a long time but you set it aside because you didn’t have time. Now you have. Build a habit of doing what you love.
10. Reflecting
Before you sleep, imagine who you really want to be. Where do you see yourself and your family 10 years from now? Where are you now? What part of your present life do you want and do not want? What will you change and improve so you can be the person you want to be? Imagine, feel and visualize.
Building these habits won’t need a lot of your time. With proper allocation on your time, it is achievable. You can stay the same or come out of this pandemic a better person than you are, you choose. God has given us all the time we need to finally prepare for who we want to be. We still have a few remaining days, use it wisely.