As of April 7; 42 states, Guam, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico have issued stay-at-home orders requiring that all residents stay at home except when they need to buy essential items, such as groceries or medicine. As a result, 95% of the American population (or about 306 million people) are in quarantine.
According to medical experts, self-quarantining is not only good for the person practicing it, but for society as a whole. The CDC advices a practice of social distancing, meaning avoiding crowded areas, keeping at least six feet apart from other people, and to
A graph explaining the concept of Flattening the Curve. Originally featured in a CNBC article titled “Flattening the coronavirus curve: What this means and why it matters” published on March 19, 2020
not gather in groups. In doing so, we can “flatten the curve,” or prevent the spread of Coronavirus to the point where it overwhelms the Health Care system. In doing so, you not only protect yourself from the disease, but also society’s most vulnerable, such as the elderly or the immune deficient.
But while it is for the best, quarantine can be boring. You can find out how boring just by logging into Twitter—you’ll immediately find tweets of people complaining about their boredom, wondering what day it is and making plans for when this is all over. But while things may seem bleak or boring now, there are things that can be done to keep this quarantine productive.
- Catch up on reading
It’s hard to find time for reading when you’re between work and school, but now we all have enough down time to pick up a good book. Not only can reading regularly help strengthen memory function, but one 2009 study done by Sussex University showed that reading can reduce stress by as much as 68%. You can pick up that book you’ve been saving, or find a new title while practicing Social Distancing by joining Audible, Amazon’s audio book company, where you can sign up for a 30-day free trial and a choice of one free audiobook.
- Learn a new skill
With all the free time most of us have now, now is a good a time as ever to try to learn something new. A good resource for this would be Skill Share, a subscribed service that offers a plethora of online classes. The company sponsors a number of YouTube Creators, so there are numerous codes you can use get free months or a reduced subscription cost. Coursera, a website that offers massive open online courses, specializations, and degrees, is also a good resource for learning something new.
“[Coursera] offers free classes,” says WCU Senior, Hannah Fink. “I’m taking a Harvard class called ‘the Science of Well-Being.”
Tutorials on anything from make-up to crafting can also be found for free on YouTube, Pinterest, Tik Tok, or WikiHow.
- Exercise
With gyms closing across the country, this may seem like an excuse to laze around all day. But the benefits of exercising go without saying, and there are multiple ways to stay fit at home. YouTube is filled with a number of work out videos, but if that isn’t your style, going on a walk with your family is a good way to exercise while also getting out of your house for a little bit.
- Practice Self-Discipline
When you’re at home for countless hours a day for days on end, it’s easy to lose track of time. I’m sure most of us haven’t gotten out of our pajamas in days and sleep in until two p.m., but there are benefits to keeping a schedule even when you don’t have to.
Not maintaining a proper sleep schedule can disrupt our circadian system (a 24-hour cycle of sleep and wake) according to Boris Dubrovsky Ph.D., in an interview with Psychology Today. This causes stress, lack of sunlight, and a lack of proper physical exercise. To keep yourself motivated to wake up at good hours, try to think of little activities to do throughout the day.
“Make a chart and timetable for self-care and safety tasks: wiping down surfaces, taking stretch breaks, washing your hands, or eating a proper meal at a proper time,” says Nancy Costikyan, the director of the Office of Work/Life at Harvard, in an interview with the Harvard Gazette. “Tools and rules help. Rules like regular schedules, regular meals, regular exercise, and regular sleep patterns are essential. I’m struggling with all of these at the moment, but another rule is simply to begin again each day.”
- Tidy Up
Take a page out of Marie Kondo’s book, and use this time to keep your living space clean. Decluttering your home can help you feel happier, more comfortable, and less stressed.
Marie Kondo, or “KonMari,” also front runs her own Netflix show, “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo.”
“Once you have experienced what it’s like to have a truly ordered house, you’ll feel your whole world brighten,” says the best-selling author herself. “Never again will you revert to clutter.”
Kondo has a simple method: picking up an item and asking yourself, ‘does this spark joy?’ If it does not, throw the item away. If Kondo’s minimalistic method isn’t for you, there are a number of cleaning methods out there, all easily accessed through the internet.
For more ideas on how to have a productive quarantine, check out the video below:
