The world is going berserk because of COVID-19, and government officials have asked people to practice “social distancing” so that things don’t go out of hand.
What is Social Distancing?
A recently coined term that is now becoming a norm because of the coronavirus pandemic means “Stay away from people.” It is a public health strategy to make sure that people remain at a safe distance—six feet apart from one another in a hope to stymie community transmission of the virus.
Social distancing doesn’t mean you have location constraints; it merely means maintaining distances, avoiding mass gatherings, get-togethers, and crowded public places. Per CDC, this is the best solution to limit the spread of an infectious pathogen like a virus and help flatten the curve.
In times like this, there is a certain level of anxiety and stress that lurks around, and it shows no sign of getting better, especially when people have to be on house arrest (aka social distancing). Is there something that we can do to use this time to our advantage? Well, of course, here are five ways to make the most of social distancing.
1. Build up your knowledge base
With commuting out of the way as most of the employees are working from home, there’s more time in hand to take an online course in the field that interests you or dedicate time to research and grow further in your area of work.
Online learning platforms like Udemy, Coursera, etc. offer an array of exciting and up-to-date courses in any field you could imagine. Enhance your skills and come out of this pandemic as a more learned and advanced professional.
2. Read and read more
There’s nothing more refreshing than a good read. Don’t let your day revolve around Instagram stories, Facebook posts and WhatsApp as that is going to do nothing but increase the stress. Instead, invest that time in an activity that requires you to be away from people, i.e., read—isn’t that smart?
Bill Gates carries a tote bag full of books almost everywhere he goes and finishes one book a week. Well, that’s a hard stretch if you’re starting. But the idea is to utilize the time. From mental stimulation, vocabulary expansion, increased focus to stress reduction, and memory improvement, reading helps with all this and more.
3. Work up those muscles
We shouldn’t need an excuse/reason for this—but if that helps, social distancing is the perfect one. With social obligations out of the picture, there’s nothing left to be blamed or used as an excuse. Yes, going to the gym is a big “no,” but “home workout” is a thing, and all you need is a yoga mat.
Schedule your workouts like you’d schedule any other meeting and pump up your endorphins.
Regular exercise has proved to reduce stress, improve sleep, and boost self-esteem. And you can’t miss out the blissful feeling of post-workout, known as “runner’s high.”
4. Video call family and friends
When was the last time you spoke with that favorite cousin of yours? Don’t let social distancing make you feel odd, baffling, and lonely when you can hang out with all those lovely people in the world, virtually (thanks to technology).
Humans are social animals, and isolation can be a curse, but we’re lucky to be in this era where everyone’s just a facetime away.
5. Maria Kondo your home
If not now, then when? Tune in to the world’s favorite Japanese organization expert videos and start your “spark joy” journey. Organize the clutter that has been bothering you for some time now.
67% of people surveyed believe they could save up to 30 minutes a day if they were more organized. Let’s get those 30 minutes a day back!
It’s time to dedicate this new-find time into doing something constructive and come out of these surreal and challenging times as a winner.
Photo by bruce mars on Unsplash