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3 Ways You Can Escape While Staying Indoors

The house has now become our whole world, our all-in-one

Our quarantine life has been quite a journey. We had the freedom to do anything and everything under the sun and, at a snap, that was taken from us. We were (and are) advised to stay indoors.

Our daily routines have been disrupted and now we suddenly face a new reality: being stuck in our homes.

Home is where you relax and de-stress, it’s your escape from the chaos of every day. Being in your house supposedly gives you that peaceful feeling—where you find solitude from the everyday battle we face at school or at work.

Before quarantine started, work would usually take me out to the city, so I was used to planning my day and enjoying the drive to and from events, shoots and parties. Meeting people and being social were part of my day. I was used to getting work done while I was in the city. When I would get home, it was time to relax.

But suddenly it all changed.

Home has now become our work station, our school desk, our gym, our movie theater. The house has now become our whole world, our all-in-one.

With work setup and school requirements turning online—Zoom meetings and Viber chats suddenly take over your day, answering emails and messages as soon as your phone dings—even when you’re at the dinner table, you can’t help but answer because it’s right there looking at you. And before you know it, you forget to eat your dinner because you’ve been answering those messages.

Suddenly, your home becomes a bunker. You can no longer escape your responsibilities. You start to disassociate your home from being that place to relax, and it starts to become a warzone—and it’s affecting you more than you would have expected.

I saw my home as a refuge but it has turned into a battlefield now. Not just for responsibilities, but for emotions.

It was difficult but I was able to find my balance during this time. I was able to get the rhythm of being within the four walls of my house and making it work.

I want to share three key things that helped me get through being “stuck at home.”

1. Create your special routine with a checklist

What I miss most about pre-quarantine life is the routine I had: waking up early and having breakfast, heading to the gym to lift, going to my favorite café and getting my usual order.

One of the things that I first did during lockdown was to create a new routine.

My day starts the night before. I will make a checklist of the things I have to accomplish or the day and the time that I have to accomplish them. I notice that I have something to look forward to and something to give me a sense of accomplishment every time I ticked a box off the list.

Being home tends to make you procrastinate a bit because there are just so many things that can distract you. Having a routine and a list helps you get in check and keep tabs on your responsibilities for the day. Trust me, when you see all the boxes checked at the end of the day, it’s the best feeling!

2. Zone out!

Like I mentioned earlier, home suddenly becomes your world. This is where you eat, sleep, go on Zoom dates with friends, watch movies, play, exercise, etc.

You don’t have to dress up for work or school and you have the freedom to do work right on your bed…sounds comfy, right? It may be comfortable, but it will affect you in the long run.

Creating separate zones where you work, play and relax will help your brain associate these areas with the tasks you want to accomplish. Simple setups like where you work and study should be a well-lit corner in your house, your living room as a place where you watch TV or Netflix and play games and your bedroom should only be a place for sleep.

Having zones will help you be productive, as well as help maintain your body clock and help put you in the proper mood—whether that’s for work, leisure, fitness or rest.

3. BREATHE

Lastly, remember to breathe, both literally and figuratively.

Remember that we are living in a pandemic; not everything has to be productive, not everything has to fall in place. Do not pressure yourself into thinking that all this “newfound free time” should make you productive.

If your phone beeps but you’re still having lunch or dinner, don’t be pressured to answer right away. There’s still a time and place for everything; even if most people are in a work-from-home setup, there is still that separation from work and home. Do not forget to clock out from work.

You can also look at staying indoors as a time to, perhaps, be a better version of yourself—even if that means that you take more time attending to your physical health and, most importantly, your mental health.

Now is not the time to pressure yourself. Enjoy your hobbies, enjoy your movies, enjoy your time with family.

You’re not stuck. You’re home. You’re safe—and that’s what’s important.

Remember: You may feel stuck in one place, not stuck with life. Keep going, but at your own pace ☺

Read more tips on how to enable your life from home with Lifetech by Globe Postpaid.