COVID-19 has set all of us up for a challenge that we’ve never had before. One of those is having to isolate ourselves during quarantine. It is especially hard for those who have to take extra caution because their age or preexisting health conditions put their lives more at risk.
Not being able to freely go out when this all began was not hard, but as time went by, so did our ability to endure this prolonged deprivation of outdoor activity. It is but natural to feel like we have missed out so much in life, more so because other countries are parring better since vaccines became available. Moreover, their younger and healthier contemporaries can now more freely engage in recreational activities outdoors.
It is just easy for one to feel like they’re missing out with social media shoving to their faces how others are already regaining their life before the pandemic. This self-pity is further exacerbated by the reality that there isn’t much to do within the home, but to scroll through one’s smartphone and lead a numbing repetitive routine.
Still, this stage in our lives calls for us to get moving while we are given all this free time outside work. But, it takes our brave decision to unclasp ourselves from the destructing yet addictive effects of social media. Instead, we should approach life more proactively with the following pointers:
Focus on Your Long-Term Goals
Sure, you can only reminisce those hang-out sessions with your best friends almost every weekend back then. But, even if you can’t spend your free time freely anymore, tell yourself: “So what?” You have a lot on your plate that you have set aside that you don’t realize.
Getting rid of clutter in your house, sorting your club memberships, organizing your bank statements, fulfilling unpaid debt, having your general physical examinations, and keeping tabs on your assets are just some examples. Now is the best time to settle these and somehow lessen your burdens. Once you’ve managed these pent-up obligations, then you can focus on developing healthier habits in the upkeep of your home and your finances.
If you are pushing your twilight age, the inheritance you have to pass down to your children may be of particular concern at the moment. Limiting thoughts like how you can run paperwork when you cannot personally deal with them yourself can be easily resolved with the help of people who are willing to run the errand for you like a relative. If not, you can avail of courier or contract delivery services that know how to handle documents that need to be routed for signature. Still, many institutions like banks and insurance companies have pivoted to online form filling and transactions to cater to their home-bound clients.
Explore Hobbies
This relatively more idle period should have allowed you to look back to those ideas that popped in your head but, for some reason, you were not able to execute. Have you always wanted to remodel a part of your house? Or, were you always curious about pottery, cheese-making, or quilting? If not crafting, perhaps, you have been wanting to learn a sport.
Again, now is the best time to get your hands on these things. Starting is always the hard part, and so intend part of your time planning how to go about it. Sketch a design and research online if you must. Small steps like this will keep you from being pressured and, in turn, help you to enjoy getting on the hobby.
Eventually, you will be able to showcase your skill and get acquainted with a community whose members share the same interest. Then, you can find inspiring mentors and be praised for your work. Aside from it being a gratifying experience, developing a hobby just weighs more onto the meaning of your life that you were longing for.
Nurture Your Bond with Your Family
Staying at home with family for longer than we always have revealed a lot of our differences with each other. We learned the hard way that a family is a team, after all, and it takes immense effort to match our energies with each other for the relationship to work. It’s time to take this period of being stuck together to improve communication with your family members, be more understanding of their likes and dislikes, and develop common interests with them.
It could be as easy as starting to watch a television series and anticipate upcoming episodes with them. Through similar interests, you could develop a similar talking style and humor, therefore, improving your dynamic that could be challenged by stressful moments.
There is more to life than lamenting the time you have lost to this almost two-year-long pandemic. Also, you have more things you need and can do without going out than you know. It is a matter of perspective and making the best use of your time and abilities.
