Take Time For Yourself During This Quarantine

Since early March, the world has been in a very weird spot. This COVID-19 pandemic is unlike anything anyone has ever experienced before. Hopefully, its worst days are behind us, but it doesn’t look like things will return to normal any time soon. Currently, there have been 1.6 million recorded cases of coronavirus across the globe with 97,000 deaths (366,000 recoveries). In the U.S., there are 474,000 cases with 17,000 deaths and 26,000 recoveries.

Since this disease is so easily transmittable, entire cities have been in quarantine for weeks and people might be starting to lose it a bit. Being stuck inside for hours on end day after day is one thing, but add a global pandemic into the mix and that makes for a very stressful situation — for all. During your quarantine, whether you’re staying at home with your parents, your family, a roommate, a new partner, or by yourself, it’s imperative that you take some time to relax and enjoy yourself. Sitting on the couch for 10 hours a day does not count — that’s actually quite bad for you. Thankfully, there are plenty of things you can do that are fun, rewarding, and relaxing.

It’s important to note, however, there are still plenty of things that need to get done around the house or apartment that aren’t exactly fun or relaxing. Consider all the items in your refrigerator. In 2015, the global refrigerated market was valued at just over $5 billion — and the industry will likely take a considerable hit over the next few months. Do your part by properly storing items inside your fridge and freezer. Additionally, spend an hour or two each week and clean out your fridge! Okay… now it’s time for the fun stuff — here are some great tips for better handling your 2020 quarantine that will help you take time for yourself:

Play your favorite sport

So you obviously aren’t going to be able to get 20 of your buddies together and get a pickup game going — but you can certainly work on some skills if you’re an athlete (or if you just enjoy messing around). If baseball is your sport, simply grab a glove and a tennis ball, shut your garage door, and get after it. You can always work on your swing and hit some pop-flys or groundballs, too. Don’t use a shaved bat if it’s colder than 65 degrees outside, though!

You can also practice your golf game by setting up an indoor or outdoor putting green, chipping across your lawn, driving balls into the woods, or simply swinging a club a few times each day.

Plan a relaxing getaway

Unfortunately, the majority of 2020 vacations have already been canceled. That’s just a sad fact of this pandemic. You’ll end up feeling extremely sad if you just mope around your house for a few months. Instead, clean off your kitchen table, get a few vacation books or maps out, charge up your laptop, and plan out your next big trip! Consider taking a nice trip to Alaska if you really want to have a great outdoor experience. Roughly 20% of Alaska’s international visitors use a lodge for their stay. If you’d rather save some money or plan for smaller getaways, it’ll be fun just to do some research on other outdoor activities like checking out camping sites or looking at nature trails.

Shop for yourself

Times are certainly tough on us all right now, so it’s completely understandable to pinch your pennies and avoid making big purchases. That being said… adding stuff to your online shopping cart can be a lot of fun. And once things get back to normal you can easily start checking items off your list. Consider shopping for the holidays or upcoming birthday parties, but make sure you spend some time to actually find some items for yourself. Careful not to click that purchase button, though!

This quarantine is difficult to navigate for everyone. But as long as you’re taking some time to relax and do something fun, you should be able to enjoy yourself much more during these next few weeks. Good luck and stay safe out there!