Another person saying anything along the lines of don’t be selfish, stay home and keep everyone including yourself safe will not make a difference, it is simply monotonous at this point. Here are a few personally beneficial ways to stay occupied.
Think of the ‘summer bod’
Get comfortable in your skin. Don’t take this wrong, every body is a summer body. Confidence is all that is needed to look great, change your perceptions of what a beautiful body is by learning to love yourself. Keep in mind that everything you are is what makes you, you. If there is something that you cannot appreciate about yourself, do not hesitate to change it. If you truly feel that changing your physical appearance is what makes you more confident, then so be it. If a more toned body is what is needed, then work towards it! There are hundreds, maybe even thousands of workouts at our fingertips thanks to the internet. Junior Megan Lavin is currently on her journey to weight loss, her advice is, “start slow and steady and switch it up when you are ready.”
Stay present
As global spiritual leader, poet and peace activist, Thich Nhat Hanh says, “Our true home is not in the past. Our true home is not in the future. Our true home is in the here and the now. Life is available only in the here and the now, and it is our true home.” Relating this to the current situation, do not waste time thinking about how long it will take for the effects of the pandemic to subside and when normality will resume. Rather, use this alone-time that you have to discover yourself and work to remember all of it. Figure out what brings you joy, eliminate things that bother you, and either resolve issues with people that frustrate you or take a step back from them. What better time to focus on yourself than now when there isn’t much else you can do. Contradicting the quote mentioned earlier, thinking of a few months into the future, you can practice mindfulness to ensure a great summer.
Build and maintain work ethic
Time management is crucial in a time like this. Having a large time frame to get work done can prove overwhelming. Forming and maintaining a structure to your day without most of the day passing in school and spent for regular activities taken part in can be tricky. It is rare that anyone our age sleeps and wakes up at a reasonable time, but try to limit yourself. Go to bed before 11:00 pm and wake up before 9:00 am to stay feeling fresh, this will help with productivity. Lists are a great way to plan your day. Write down what needs to be completed over the course of the day in the morning. Try to train your mind to follow a routine, this will help with productivity.
Be smart, use this time to your advantage rather than complaining. Lockdown does not have to be seen as misfortune. It is what you make of it.