You obviously can’t spend the rest of the lockdown in your pajamas,binge-watching Netflix and refusing to get out of bed all in the name of social distancing.

Now that a lockdown was announced ,you probably ran into your room ,slipped under your covers and propped open your laptop.

5 days in,your hair’s a mess ,you are bored out of your skull,you are already lagging behind on assignments and  you are simply frustrated due to the small space you are confined to.

But remember-It’s for your own safety.

So here’s how to get out of a productivity slump,stay on top of things and protect your mental health during this lockdown.

Set your attitude for the day

It’s important to get your game face on.Tell yourself what you want to accomplish today

Wear clothes that give you a work hard play hard attitude.

So first things first,get out of those PJ’s

Schedule, schedule and schedule some more

Just because your life has been thrown into a whirlwind doesn’t mean you should lose control over it.

Plan out your activities i.e your regular routine with modifications to make it suitable for a home environment.

Switch your gym workout to a home workout.Office hours replaced by work from home hours.

Have a long list of goals and books lists that you could never get to ?

Now is your time to tackle all of them.

Have a Lazy day 

Today I don’t feel like doing anything

I just wanna lay in my bed

Don’t feel like picking up my phone 

Feelin’ the vibe ?

Pick one day in the week where you choose to do nothing at all.

A day where you stay in your PJ’s and eat Nutella out of the jar for lunch.

Studies & Work

With early closure of schools and workplaces,your studies and work shouldn’t take a back seat.

Instead of jumping into your work immediately ,slowly ease yourself in.

Chunk all your work into smaller manageable pieces and spread it out.

Set a time slot everyday and ensure you have no distractions

Designate a particular workspace and stick to it.

Fitness

The gym and running track being shut doesn’t give you an excuse to put your fitness away.

Try out a few home workout vides.You can mix it up by adding a zumba session in between.

Try incorporating a yoga routine into your day ,first thing in the morning and end your day with some easy guided meditation.

Always promised yourself to make time for your health?What better time than now ?

Mental health

There is quite literally only one major solution .

Limit the news you take in.

Stop indulging yourself into news reports and fake forwards.

It’s bad enough as it is out there.So stop trying to make things more  difficult for yourself.Instead pursue an activity that relaxes you and help others around you too.

Health 

Limit your overall screen time to no more than 2 hours a day.Don’t turn into a couch potato.

Stick to a sleep schedule.Set a designated time for you to go to bed and wake up.

Hobbies

You have a lot of time on your hands now so why not pursue a hobby or two ?

Here are some of my personal favorites.

• Take an online skill course
• Read a book that’s been on your list forever 
• Watch a Ted talk or listen to a podcast 
• Doodle/ Draw /Paint
• Research
• Write /Journal-Start a daily log or journal your thoughts everyday.
• Declutter
• Sing-Smule is free after all 
• Video call a friend or a family member 
• Try your hand at a culinary skill
• Listen to new music and make a summer playlist 
• Binge watch a new series 

Do something different

I recently published a bucket list –

https://99takeontheworld.wordpress.com/2020/03/18/beat-cabin-fever-with-this-summer-bucket-list-2020/

So pick something out and incorporate it into your day.

Your day probably gets tedious and monotonous being stuck at home without much to look forward too.Instead pick a few things out of this bucket list and give it a try.

Take it easy 

Take it one day at a time.The stress of the quarantine and the complete shift in social interactions can leave you in distress.So remember to take things easy when you need to.Reach out to friends and family for support.

Stay safe !