How to deal with confinement and lockdown?
50 ideas to try to make something positive out of a tumultuous and surreal period of time
Europe is affected, the world is affected and many people are confined and can no longer go out to work, can no longer work at all. For most people this is a completely new situation to face. We are supposed to stay at home for an unknown period of time, confined to the house, alone, with our partner or with our family. Or we can still go out a bit, but schools, clubs and all other entertainment are closed. So now what?
Yes, we are living a strange moment in time, difficult for many and worrying for most, a lot is still unknown and therefore it is unpredictable how things will evolve, how things will turn out for each of us individually. But it is also an interesting period we are living, an unprecedented moment in time.
It is a period that can open up to an important resetting and refocusing for each and any of us, for humanity. At this very moment, the important things in life are put forward; the less important things have been abruptly put on hold for a while.
So, what if we tried to stay calm?
What if we tried to make something out of this?
What if we tried to enjoy it?
What if we (re)connected to what is important for us, what is really important?
What if we (re)connected to what is possible in the here and now?
In the uncertainty of tomorrow, there's only one thing we can do.
That is to enjoy what we have.
That is to enjoy the here and now.
That is to enjoy the present and all it has to offer.
In this time of survival, when many are fighting for things to go as well as possible, I think it’s important for those who can to enjoy life, to live.
At this very moment history is being written, and there will be a before and after.
But for now, that is before and after.
This very moment is giving many of us time.
Time that can be scary at first, as most of us are used to running around every day, all year round.
Time we often spend running from not so very important things to other in the end not so very important things.
Time we often end up not having enough. Time we often don’t spend on the really important things, the things that really matter.
So what many of us have got now is time.
Time that allows us to live, to live here and now, whether we are confined or not, with what we have.
Of course, there are a lot of things to worry about, and concerns to have, for the elderly, for our parents, the grandparents, the family, for our wallet, for our future, and I really hope all will go for the best for any of you, but for the moment there is nothing else to do but to let go and to try to enjoy what is and make something out of it, in any way we can.
Doctors, medical staff and many others are working hard, are fighting as much as they can, to make things go for the best. An enormous THANK YOU to all of them !!
All the others, who are stuck at home and not working, let’s try to make something out of all this, please !
Here is a list of ideas of things you could do, set up, try, integrate or forget if it doesn't suit or please you.
These are just a few ideas that could do you some good, that could help you pass time differently, that could help you make something positive out of these intense, harsh, surreal, stressful and interesting moments. Maybe they can give you other ideas :-)
Be inventive, be creative!
50 ways to deal with confinement
50 ideas to try to make something positive out of this all.
1) Every beginning is chaotic and different from usual. Set up habits that you try to stick to: get dressed every day, continue to have breakfast, lunch and dinner normally around this or that time, clean your house on such and such a day, or every day a little bit, keep a healthy lifestyle, eat three meals a day. Set up an approximate daily schedule.
2) Be careful not to deregulate your pace of life too much. Of course, everything is different, and you can have a good time and enjoy your freedom in time now that the alarm bell doesn’t ring at 6 in the morning to get you to go to work, but try not to let yourself go. Try to keep a “normal” daily rhythm. And from time to time, do yourself “a favour” and allow yourself to go to bed later and/or to sleep in. When it's once in a while, it will stay a pleasure, and a time you really enjoy.
3) Allow yourself moments to fool around, to do something completely different, something a little crazy
during the day, during the week. If you have children, play hide-and-seek in the house, jump on the sofas, make huts with all the bed sheets in the house, organize a pajama party, have a candlelit dinner, ... No matter how messy it gets, the fun and memories created will be well worth the tidying up afterwards.
Oscar Wild said, very rightly I think : Follies are the only things we will never regret !
4) Do some breathing exercises, very nice to do with children too. You can find a lot of exercises on the Internet, just type in the words “breathing exercises” or "cardiac coherence" for example. Make a game out of it. Moreover, it strongly helps to regulate and manage stress and calm the spirits!
5) Our brain likes change, so please it. Create a change in your daily, automatic habits. For example, take a shower in the afternoon rather than in the morning, or whatever your habit is. Brush your teeth with the other hand or in another room of the house.
6) During the meals, take the time to eat, taste, and find out where ingredients, fruits and vegetables come from. Make yourself and/or the children more aware of food, and maybe it will even make you like cooking better and make you try new recipes.
7) Establish a few rules such as no television before the evening, or 1.30 hour of television a day max. Like this, watching television remains something special and positive and you will continue to enjoy it. If you watch a screen all day long, boredom will install itself in your daily life and depression may come along. And of course you can always treat yourself every now and then and make an exception to the rule.
8) Read. Take the time to read. Reading allows you to be with yourself, to discover something else, to take a break from everyday life, to rest. Even if usually you don't read much, try to read a little now. Find out what it is, how it is.
9) Read stories to children, young and old, to yourself. Take a moment for this every day. It's a time of sharing, a time of peace and quiet. You can also read to people/children through the Internet, via Whatsapp, Facetime, Zoom or whatever. And why not make up stories together? Be creative and have fun together, you'll be surprised how creative you / your child can be once you get started.
10) Be gentle and kind to yourself. Without you the world is not the same, and without you the world doesn’t turn around in the same way. It is therefore important to take good care of you and to be kind, gentle and nice with yourself. The current situation is unprecedented, few people have ever lived this, so reacting, acting and managing life has become different from what we are used to. We have never gone through something like this before; we have never lived like this before. We’re all finding out. So, be gentle and kind to yourself, and try to enjoy it.
11) Bake a good cake and enjoy it. And yes, treat yourself, you deserve it! Why deprive yourself of a good cake to celebrate life? And if you have children, bake the cake together, cook together, and organize baking and cooking workshops.
12) Welcome your emotions. Nobody asked for this situation, you have the right not to like it, not to know how to handle it, not to know what to do, to panic, to be fed up, to have had enough or to freak out. Accept this negative emotion, but don't stay with it, don't drown in it. Take a moment to welcome what shows up, take a moment for yourself to do so. Respect yourself in your emotions, and respect others in theirs. Welcome what comes, then talk about it together.
13) Do all you are doing consciously, with full awareness. If you do the dishes, do the dishes and nothing else. If you peel carrots, peel carrots and nothing else. And if your attention goes somewhere else, as it is used to doing, gently return to the dishes, to the carrots, to what you are doing. That's meditation. You too can do it, even, or above all, while peeling the carrots.
14) Be attentive to your bodily sensations. For example, when you take a shower, be attentive to the water flowing over your body, to the temperature of the water, to the bodily sensations that the shower gives you. When you wash your hands, pay attention to all the sensations it gives you. Cream your body and enjoy it. When you are sitting on the sofa to watch a good movie, pay attention to what it gives you in terms of body sensations.
15) Call people, get in touch with at least one person every day, to exchange, to talk about how you are, what is going on, what you are doing. If it's not for you, think of the pleasure it can give the other person. Isolation lurks for many people, be vigilant and stay open to the world, even if you confined at home. And if you feel isolated, don't hesitate to contact people around you. Don't make assumptions that they are busy, that they won't like it, or that they're fine, you don't know until you've called them!
16) When you take a shower, finish with a cold shower, it's very good for our immune system. Probably, at first, you won't feel dare to or like it, but challenge yourself. You'll see it puts you in a good mood!
17) Do your best. Everything that's happening right now is happening without anyone asking for it. Keep cool and embrace the fact that we all have a responsibility to make something out of what is happening. We all do. You can, for example, decide not to let it get you down. Just try your best, that’s all we can do, but it’s a lot already if we all do it. Talk about it with those around you. You don't have to handle everything on your own.
18) Dream about what you are going to do once life gets back on track. Are there things you would like to change? Are there things that you would like to improve? Dream about what you want out of your life, what you really want out of your life. Dream, every day, morning and night. Dreaming is free, dreaming makes you live, dreaming makes you grow.
19) From time to time, dress up, make yourself beautiful, and dress as if you were to go to a party. Treat yourself nicely. Compliment yourself. Compliment those around you.
20) Do what you never have time to do, e.g. finally make that photo album or write that letter you’ve wanted to write for so long. Maybe you can shorten the long list of things you must, want, would like to do? Start by listing and then see what you can start with today or tomorrow. Pick something every day.
21) Ask for news of people who are alone, who live alone, and who you imagine to be alone. Do not assume that they are well or that it is easy for them because they are alone and do not have children. Don't assume anything, just check in and give some news of your own. Maybe it’s not a big deal for you, it can be for them.
22) If you can reach out and do something for someone, do it. It doesn't matter what. Apart from the fact that it may help someone out, it's also nice to contribute to the well-being of others, to do something good for the world. It makes you feel useful. If you prepare a nice little dish, think of the neighbour alone, think of the homeless or the person in need on the street when you go shopping. All together we can stick together, participating is important and enjoyable. A small gesture, a big pleasure.
23) Move. Try to do some sports, some physical movements every day: stretching, exercises, just flapping around with your arms, no matter what will do, but do ! The important thing is to move your body, and what’s more, it's good for your mood. Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, gymnastics… it doesn't matter what. You can find all kinds of exercises on the Internet, or you can just make them up. Doing exercises with the kids can lead to a lot of fun and laughter and create nice memories.
24) Try out a new recipe, try out a new ingredient. Test, expand the range of products you usually use and/or combine what you have at home in a different way than you usually do. Have fun cooking. Be creative. Change something in your diet, eat healthier. You can also exchange recipes with friends, or have a look on the Internet. There's something out there for everyone.
25) And why not have a picnic in your living room, especially with the kids - it'll be a nice party. Changing your habits and doing things differently is exciting and motivating. And remember, it's important to create good memories together, and maybe especially in these surreal and difficult times!
26) Open a cupboard randomly; empty it, sort, clean, and tidy. And if there aren't any more cupboards, move on to drawers and closets, and why not have a go at the garage while you're at it?
27) Visit a virtual museum, or listen to a virtual opera. More and more possibilities are being offered online and made available to everyone, free of charge. Choose one at a time and enjoy them consciously.
28) If you are at home with your family, take a moment for yourself every day. A moment that is just for you. Take some distance from the other, leave them to their occupations or to themselves for a while and take care of yourself. It's important you take care of yourself in order to be able to face the rest of the day !
29) Read the books that have been waiting for you for so long. All those books on your bedside table? now is the time!
30) Reread a book that has marked you, that has struck you in one way or another, your favourite book. Watch that movie that you liked so much many years ago.
31) Take a moment of calm, of meditation every day. On the Internet you can find all kinds of meditation, you just have to settle down and listen. Also to do with the children! Take a moment of doing nothing, just nothing. Have you ever tried? It’s not easy, but a nice challenge.
32) Set up moments where you talk together, where you exchange, where you discuss, where you find ideas and solutions, where you ask questions, where you all share what's going on and how you are experiencing it, where everyone can express themselves. It's about creating space for everyone, giving everyone a voice. All this, of course, should be done with a listening ear and with full respect for one another.
33) Remember pleasant moments spent, alone or together as a family, with the children, with your husband/wife/children, the first day you met, your wedding day, holidays spent together, the moments you were proud of yourself, of others, accomplishments you have achieved, things you are proud of... Remembering these precious moments is good for the mood and leads to the positive.
34) Make a bucket list of things you dream of. Write down at least 100 things you want to do in your life. It can be big dreams, but also just small things that you want to live, do, experience. And if it’s possible, start making them come true as of now! And yes, 100 is a lot, but you'll see, it starts to get interesting after the first 30.
35) Change your routine of always watching the same type of series or movies, always reading the same kind of books, always listening to the same kind of music. Open the field of possibilities and discover what else is there around in terms of movies, music, books, ... You may discover some pearls!
36) Try to learn something every day. Look for this information on the Internet or in a book. How is honey made? How many kilometers is it to get to the moon? and what is a star exactly? How do penguins live? Be creative and think about what you would like to know.
37) Go through your computer and sort out files, photos, papers... Sort out, discard, tidy and create space. You will see, when you create material space, you create mental space.
38) Morning and evening, list at least five things which you are grateful for, which you have liked during the day, which went well during the day, ... In the morning you list 5 things that you think are going to be nice during the day, and in the evening you list 5 things that you have liked during the day. These things needn’t necessarily be big things. Enjoying seeing a nice white cloud in the blue sky is something I can be really grateful for.
39) Sort out your clothes, one shelf at a time, one drawer at a time. Prepare bags with what you can give away once the world goes back to normal.
40) If you have children, you can sort through the toys with your children. Prepare bags with toys to give away once the world gets back to normal.
41) Enjoy the time alone or enjoy the time together, depending on your situation. In general we would like to spend more time alone or with the family and we look forward to moments we are alone / with the family, enjoy it now. Even if it is imposed, enjoy it now, it won't last forever!
42) Look at nature, if only from the window. Did you know that even looking at a picture of nature has a good influence on our brain? Look at a picture of the sea, a tree, a pretty flower or whatever part of nature you feel like, for a few minutes and see how stress slowly dissipates from your body, from your mind. If you don't have a picture or image at home, no excuse, go to Google and search for an image. On the Internet you can even find short videos of the sea, forests, rivers, etc. And if you have a garden or a piece of terrace, take advantage of it. Go outside and enjoy the sun for vitamin D. Do some gardening on your balcony.
43) If you have a lot of books, think about sorting them out. Maybe you can offer them to someone, sell them? Make room for other books. Make room for less dust. You don't have to throw everything away, but you don't have to keep everything either. Maybe it's a good time to keep only what you really like, what's valuable to you. All those books that you've been given or that you’ve bought, but you don't really like... maybe someone else will read them with pleasure. Some bookshops buy them from you, so you can even make some money out of it.
44) Learn something new in a more systematic way. Learn a language, watch videos on the Internet (Ted-X for example), sign up for a course of something online. Every day a little bit, even if 15 or 30 minutes and you'll see, you'll progress quickly.
45) Dance! You don't like dancing? That's okay, but for once play the game and move at least during one song, one tune, with the music a little louder. Choose the music you like, make slow movements or more energetic ones, it doesn't matter, but at least listen to a little music every day and dance. And if you don’t know to dance, just flapper around your arms, jump up and down, or… check out some dance steps on the Internet.
46) If you have hobbies, enjoy doing them: drawing, knitting, gardening,... use this time to do what you like doing. You collect something? Now is the time to enjoy spending time on it, to put it in order. You like to painting and you have the material to do so? Now is the time. Do you like knitting? Now is the time. You like sewing and you have fabric at home? Now is the time and why not make masks or zero-waste products.
47) DIY or draw and make gifts for other people. You can give them once next time you see each other. You can also take pictures of the gifts with your phone and send the virtual gift to the receiver. It's always nice to receive gifts, especially when times are a little bit harsh and surreal. Great to do with kids too.
48) Write letters, e-mails, a diary. Write to whoever you feel like writing to. To yourself, your parents, a friend, someone who has been or is important to you. You can write to send but also to throw away, and do some personal development work for yourself. Do you have children who can write? Ask them to write a letter to their grandparents or to anyone dear to them.
49) Think what in normal times would please you to do, what you dreamed of when you had no time. List them. Can you do anything of it now? Maybe the Internet can give you ideas on how to do it? And if it's not possible to do now, for example going on a holiday, then prepare to do it when it will possible again. Prepare things step by step, so that when the time comes you won't have much to prepare and you'll just be able to do it and enjoy it. For example, when you are dreaming of a trip somewhere, look for information about that place, find travel agencies you might be able to work with, hotels or bed and breakfasts where you would like to stay, make a list of what you would like to do and discover once you get there, etc. Prepare life after today, take a step in advance.
50) You got it, right? Try to make something positive out of this unusual situation, in one way or another. Find the positive in what's happening; turn it into something positive for you, at least for now. This whole situation isn't funny, fun or enjoyable, but giving up and letting yourself go are just not an option. Be inventive and creative and make it something positive for you and for those around you!
Please, promise me to at least try to make something out of all this!
The more we are to try, the better all will go.
I wish you all the best and good luck for this period of time <3
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