GOODBYE CABIN FEVER, HELLO PRODUCTIVITY!
Writer: Dara Ayu | Illustrator: Carina Audrey Budiarto
The coronavirus pandemic has indeed introduced a new type of “normal” to our daily lives in which everything is now done within the screen of our gadgets, but perhaps we all should start considering doing more than just spending hours upon hours binge watching movies and TV shows, as well as going through all of our social media apps. Although there is nothing to be ashamed of with what's done in our free time during quarantine, doing the same things repeatedly might become disorienting and cause a series of negative emotions, which can be very distressing and make day-to-day life much more difficult. Lucky for you, we have curated a list of fresh ideas to help you stay productive during quarantine!
1) THE LONG-AWAITED SPRING CLEAN
Have you ever felt like your house is so cluttered that it’s starting to drive you crazy? Try sorting the area into several sections and prioritize them based on how much time it will take. Don't forget to double check whether you have the appropriate tools to do a deep clean and perhaps consider ordering a few extra equipments ahead of time, but don't get tempted to buy ALL the cleaning supplies that you can get a hold of! Truthfully, you can just go and grab a few good ol' microfiber cloths along with an all-purpose cleaner, and you're ready to go! This way you are not only saving money but also protecting the environment. When in doubt, just remember that your parents are always just one call away! Perhaps they also have their own little tips and tricks on helping you tackle what just might be your biggest decluttering!
2) EXPLORING NEW THINGS
Have you been meaning to try to learn a new language or play a certain musical instrument? Well, the time is now! You can try browsing for some help on the internet as there are many blogs and video tutorials dedicated to help you learn some brand new skill sets, or maybe you can also look into signing up for some online courses that can offer you more challenges throughout your learning process. With these newly garnered skills, you can either please your folks at home or try making some extra money out of it. Let's also not forget to finish that project we've never had the time to work on to finally shush that nagging voice in our head and face it head-on. Imagine the feeling of relief and accomplishment you will feel after seeing the fruits of your hard work.
3) TREAT YOURSELF: FINDING A BALANCE
At the end of the day, what matters most is our personal growth. As we're all cooped up in our own home, we might find ourselves getting glued to the screen of our phones and getting a glimpse of other people’s lives. This can be a great way to be inspired and start new projects, although oftentimes we tend to overlook how our society has formed a stereotype around productivity. We get ourselves tangled up into this frenzy of keeping ourselves busy around the clock, and as a result, we tend to forget what truly matters most--our own well being. As mentioned previously, there is no reason to be ashamed of how we're using our free time; even if it means just lounging around all day long. Because aside from our work or studying schedule, we don't owe anyone anything out of our OWN free time. Do keep in mind that we all still have our own roles and responsibilities to fulfill, which is why perhaps during quarantine we can have more opportunities to not only learn about ourselves even further, but also achieve the well-balanced life we so desired.
With a worldwide issue at hand, it’s important to keep ourselves preoccupied when confined at home during this current pandemic. We hope that our ideas can help keep the boredom at bay and your sanity intact as we do our part in flattening the curve by staying at home!