How to avoid losing your mind during COVID lockdown

We have entered into new territory with the “Safety in place” and “Lockdown” warnings from our cities and governments due to COVID 19. Though we may agree it is for the best, it hasn’t been easy!

Where we once could meet for Happy Hour at our local bar/restaurant to “let loose”; we can no longer do that. If the gym is your jam and that is how you blow off steam, but now your gym is closed-what now? 

So what do we do? Curl up and hide under our blankets and binge eat and watch Netflix until this passes? Maybe, but even that gets boring and can create a different kind of stress. 

We will need to find another way to de-stress in this new, socially distant environment. 

Tips on activities so you don’t lose your mind during COVID

*Download Zoom or Facetime-set up a Happy Hour meeting with your friends, bring your favorite drink and hang out with them on your porch

*Pull out that dusty journal and write down your annoyed and cooped up feelings, it may feel weird at first but do it anyway!

*Ladies, paint your toenails, take a bath, put on that face/hair mask and pamper yourself! 

*Men, play with your facial hair. Shave a handlebar mustache, preen your eyebrows, shave half of your head, get weird with it! 

*Hobbies-those of you lucky enough to have a skill like playing an instrument, painting, drawing, song writing-now is your time to shine! Perfect that song, so that when we get out of this you can entertain all of us!

*No Hobbies–so many of us are scared to paint if we have never done it but there is no “Creative Police” that say you can’t try! Michael’s is offering awesome deals on paints and canvases. Do it for fun and then throw it away if you don’t like it. Or give it to mom for Mothers day. 

*Food-Time to learn how to cook legit Asian, Mexican, Indian, Ethiopian or whatever you enjoy. No one is there to judge you! 

*Exercise–there are sooooo many things you can do from home. Lunge your way to the kitchen to get your 5th snack of the day. Drag yourself off of the couch and do squats and punch between your Hulu commercials. 

*Organize and edit all of those photos on your phone, add them to your  computer, put them in files and send some out to print! Make a photo book of your last trip! Blow them up into 8×8 tiles and put them on your wall. 

*Games and Puzzles-If you are fortunate and have a buddy you are hunkering down with, learn how to play Poker, War or any other card or dice game. Haven’t done a puzzle in years? Order one from White Mountain, grab a glass of wine and watch the hours unfold while something beautiful comes together. 

*Meditate-this one is hard for many of us as we are used to going, going, going. But seriously, all it takes is you in a room, quiet for 5 minutes with no one else around. I prefer to sit cross legged on the ground but do what suits you. Do it every day. Try not to think but if your mind starts to drift, focus on breathing in and out, filling your belly with breath and letting it out your nose. See how you feel after a week. 

I am sure there are many more Blogs and Pinterest Posts on this subject so don’t be shy to look around! We are all feeling the same way and need some reprieve. 

Best wishes to you in your journey, from all of us at the Svendsen Agency.