Surviving the Quarantine 101

Gianna Valela, Staff Writer
April 29, 2020

  1. Being trapped inside everyday is not necessarily easy. Working from home is an adjustment everyone is still trying to make, and so it’s quite normal to feel unmotivated or find yourself being unproductive during this time period. If you’re having trouble trying to conquer the quarantine, here are some tips and tricks you can follow to help yourself out of the slump and find the greater good in this difficult time.
  2. Develop an “everyday quarantine routine:” For the majority of us, our typical everyday routine before quarantine was probably pretty jam-packed – between schoolwork, sports, and clubs, our plates were pretty full. But now, life looks a little bit different for all of us. Establishing a new everyday routine that you can follow will most definitely help you to find motivation. Wake up at the same time every morning, get yourself out of bed, change out of your pajamas (you don’t always have to do this but it tends to help increase productivity), create a “To-Do” list for yourself, accomplish everything that you’ve written down on your lovely “To-Do” list , and then finish off the day however you please. Having a routine during this time will keep you on task and ultimately leave you feeling a lot more productive.
  3. Don’t overwork yourself: Since we are completing all of our assignments at home, it’s very easy to get in the flow of wanting to finish everything in one day. This may sound good, but attempting to turn in all of your assignments in one day can end up being very stressful and mentally draining. Know when it’s time to wrap up the homework assignments and make sure you allow yourself to have some relaxation time.
  4. Take a break (or a few): If you find yourself feeling mentally exhausted, listen to your body. Take a break from staring at the screen and workout, go for a walk, play with your pet, spend time with your family, or even FaceTime a friend. It’s important to let yourself feel the crazy wave of emotions that you may be feeling at this point in time, and if you feel like you just need to step back from it all for a minute, an hour, or even a day, that is completely okay.
  5. Do at least one thing that makes you happy everyday: Now that we have so much free time on our hands, we have the option of learning more about ourselves and what it is that we are passionate about. Take this time to explore and pursue activities that make you happy. Maybe you can even go back to an old hobby you had to give up due to lack of time. There is no better time to learn about yourself and expand your individuality than now. Use this free time to your advantage.
  6. Know that this too shall pass: It’s understandable why most people are having such a challenging time accepting the situation that we are currently facing: there is no end date in sight. We do not know when life will resume as it once was, and that is a heavy concept to grasp. But, you must keep in mind that eventually, we will get to see our distant family members, friends, significant others, peers and teachers again. We will get to hug our loved ones. We will get to visit our favorite restaurants. We will get to travel. Just remember that we will get through this, together, and we will come out stronger than ever.