Has the pandemic caused pandemonium in your life? Does being cooped indoors due to the coronavirus quarantine lockdown leave you feeling unproductive and miserable?

If so, you are not alone. The COVID-19 coronavirus has caused an unsettling upheaval in all our lives. However, with the efforts to flatten the curve being of utmost importance, let’s look at the free time on our hands as a blessing in disguise.

This quarantine’s the time to double down on your health and well-being. Here, we put down some simply things to do during the quarantine, and lockdown period. 

With routines thrown into disarray, uncertainty about the future looming large, and COVID-19 being the only thing on all our minds, it’s easy to lose focus of your health.

However, this period could be a golden opportunity to get back in touch with it. Below, we explore some of the ways you can do so, apart from the now-prevalent norms of social distancing and thorough handwashing. 😉 

1. Sleep well & establish a daily routine for yourself

Getting a healthy amount of sleep, eating right, and setting small, achievable targets for the next day goes a long way in bringing a sense of normality and lifting spirits.

Amidst this lockdown, it’s normal to not be able to maintain the same routine you had earlier, especially with respect to changed sleeping patterns, not being tired enough to sleep well and so on.

Instead of pressurizing yourself too much, just work with what you feel most comfortable with. You could be an early bird riser or a late-night owl; what’s important is that you work with a routine that feels most comfortable and productive to you, whilst still make sure that you get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep.

If you constantly have troubles with sleeping, read up about Sleep Hygiene and start practicing some tips and tricks which help you sleep better, and quicker! 😊 

2. Limit your screen time

Constantly refreshing social feeds and trackers of the number of cases or being glued to news channels isn’t bound to do wonders for one’s stress levels. Neither will the pang of guilt at the end of an entire day of binge-watching Money Heist or your Netflix show of choice.

Actively monitoring and setting time limits for one’s own screen time will ensure more time being made available for activities which make one feel more productive.

3. Take care of your mental health

We’ve said this many times, and we’ll say it again; physical health is just as important as your mental health! Indulging in some me-time, gardening, meditating, or reading something offline could go a long way towards this end.

Use the time to reconnect with family over a leisurely cards or board game and reach out to one long-lost friend a day.

If all else fails, make a wishful to-do list for yourself for that first post-quarantine day and daydream away! 😀 

4. Stay active

Working out in this period is just as necessary as it is easy to ignore. Setting yourself a quarantine target could keep you disciplined and help bring a routine to your day.

Moreover, exercising even if it is as little as 20 minutes a day can do wonders for you. Apart from helping you stay physically fit, it also helps release endorphins, which ultimately enhances happiness.

Make use of the free home workout videos now being offered by the likes of cure.fit, Fitbit and others, or find an alternative option on YouTube.

Get creative with repurposing handy things around the house as workout equipment, or turn it into a social experience with a yoga session with your friends over a video call or even have an in-house karaoke or dance performance faceoff, all of which help in not only boosting spirits, but also in our endeavor of staying healthy.

We are not bound by the four walls of our houses, only by our own resourcefulness!

5. Pick up a new hobby

With more free time on our hands than before, its more lucrative than ever to start that journal you always wanted to or pick up that long-neglected guitar.

Go back to the classroom with online courses offered on the likes of Coursera and Edx or pick up a new language on Duolingo. Pick up a paintbrush if it’s been years.

Channeling more time and energy into creative pursuits is bound to feel rewarding and put you in a better frame of mind.

6. Cook up a storm

Use this time to detox from bad eating habits. Cooking a wholesome meal goes a long way towards staying healthy. Dust off the apron, find that secret family recipe, and recreate your favorite homemade, mom-made dish. Unleash that inner MasterChef!

7. Check your health insurance coverage

With an economic slowdown, layoffs, and pay cuts, it’s now more imperative than ever to take prudent financial and health related decisions.

Health Insurance is one of them, and the ample time now at our disposal allows us to review our existing policies or evaluate an alternate one online. Take a moment to check for coronavirus insurance coverage.

With Digit’s Health Insurance policy covering all hospitalizations, including the COVID-19, leaves one lesser thing to worry about. 😊 

With that being said, one could embark on this quest of staying healthy just as a distraction from all the negativity surrounding us but could well be the beginning of a lifelong habit. We hope that we all emerge from this quarantine period healthier and happier than before! 😊