With self-isolation and drastic changes in many of our work and social schedules, we have been definitely spending more time at home. I have to admit, it has been nice to have the extra time to catch up on my chiropractic pediatric and pregnancy-related newsletters and articles, as well as more self-care like exercising and yoga. But, I don’t remember ever doing as much baking as I have in the last 2 weeks, so I suppose an increase in exercise is a must to combat the extra calories consumed!

With more time on our hands, there is the risk of boredom. I think teenagers feel this the most, but there are times when I have to keep myself motivated to keep being productive when it can be easy to sit around with my nose in a book or on my screen.

Here are some helpful hints to keep focussed and productive during this down time:

Write a short list of what you would like to accomplish for the day.
Keep it simple and realistic, like:
-do a load of laundry
-read 1 chapter
-tackle 5 emails
-cook a big portion of 1 meal to freeze the extra
-go for a walk around the block
It is very satisfying to feel like you have accomplished tasks, even the most mundane ones. And this keeps you focussed, and less likely to watch cat videos on Facebook for an hour straight.
Learn something new
There are some really good (and FREE) online course that I have done many times through websites like coursera.org or edx.org. There is no catch, no fee, just access to online courses through prestigious universities like Harvard and Berkeley and MIT. I have done courses on Astronomy, the psychology of happiness, mountain ecosystems, sharks, and the pyramids of Giza to name a few.
Keep a Routine
I find it helpful to maintain a routine or schedule, even if we don’t really have to be anywhere at any time. I like to try to go to sleep at approximately the same time and wake up at around the same time, so it keeps me trained for when I return to work. This will avoid sleepy mornings when you stayed up too late and help keep that productivity up since you are not going to be fighting against a mixed up internal clock.

In the midst of this strange time, enjoy the little things and try to find something positive to be grateful for every day.

-Andrea