10 Things You Can Do During Lock Down

Social distancing measures exist for a reason, and that's to slow the spread of viral transmission from people who come into close contact. Hosting a party at home or crowding into a bar when they reopen will jam people together in a room, giving any lingering coronavirus on an asymptomatic host the prime opportunity to infect others, who then could pass it along.

1. Clean your home

Clean tour home as well as country

It can be hard to find time to deep clean your home during the normal schedule. But since you have a bit more time on your hands now, get into those places that don’t get cleaned often like under the bed, in your kitchen cupboards or even your walls.

 

2. Are you a social butterfly -Be a social butterfly—on the phone

There are at least half a dozen people, at any given point of time that you need to call back. An elderly aunt, that slightly touchy friend, or your former colleague—you really meant to call them back, but … you know how it is. This is a good time to find out how your friends and family are doing; if the seniors among them are coping well. Spread the warmth and stay bonded.

3. Show yourself some love

Your pet gripe has been that you never get any time for yourself? Over the next three weeks, indulge in some self-care. Ask your partner to give you a hair massage. Or, make a face pack using ingredients at home.

Here’s a simple hack: mix three tablespoons of lemon juice with a tablespoon of turmeric powder, apply it on your face, leave it for 15-20 minutes and then wash if off. This will leave your face moistened and glowing.

4. Do an online course; skill up/re-skill

Several reputed universities are offering free online courses. They range from public speaking to blockchain technology and almost everything in between. Standford University’s online.stanford.edu and MIT’s openlearning.mit.edu are among the most popular.

TED-Ed (ed.ted.com) is another platform that has high-quality videos on various topics. There are many other online learning websites that charge you for the courses, but it may be worth the time and money. Check out sites like Udemy, Skillshare, Coursera, and others. Some human resource departments of companies are asking their employees to skill-up during the lockdown. Try to go back to your office with skill-sets that may serve you in the future.

5. Start a blog

 This could be a great time to build your audience, especially if you have relatively cheap, indoor hobbies that you can share.

Interest in pastimes like cooking and board games has shot up over recent weeks – if your hobbies are trending, why not set up a blog and share your knowledge? You can set up a WordPress account and blog for free, and take it from there.

6. Meditate

Meditation and mindfulness doesn’t just help people stay calm – practitioners around the world rely on it to help them focus, remain present, and appreciate what they have.

It’s a simple concept that can be hard to master, but you can start now, at home, and see if it works for you.

7. Improve your communication skills

Worried that being home by yourself is eroding your communication skills?

You can actually improve them while you’re at home to help you smooth over workplace tensions, excel at group work, and add in-demand soft skills to your CV.

8. Read or listen to a book

If your new year’s resolution was to read more, you can definitely achieve that this year.

You can finally tackle the huge stack of novels next to your bed or (if your bedside is actually pretty tidy) you can find something interesting on Many Books. If you prefer audio books, try out Audible for free.

9. Don't get too comfortable

Not to be the bearer of bad news, but as a global society, we can't say for certain what will happen next -- if a sudden surge in new coronavirus cases will make it necessary to reinstitute quarantine measures, as has happened in Singapore and Hong Kong, or, worse, if a new strain emerges.

                                                                                           

10. Don't stop washing your hands

Of course you'll continue to practice common hygiene, but remember that relaxed restrictions won't necessarily mean that the coronavirus outbreak is over, even after a vaccine eventually arrives. There may be economic reasons for schools and businesses to reopen, while the virus continues to spread, albeit at slower rates than today.

Remember that the goal of stay at home orders and thorough hand washing is to keep hospitals from being overwhelmed with patients in critical condition and minimize your risk for acquiring life-threatening symptoms.

Hopefully, the good hand-washing habits you've acquired during this time will stick around, including longer, more thorough washing with hand soap, and more frequently after coming into contact with people and common surfaces.