I would consider myself a fairly regimented person who thrives off of the concept of a good routine. And the current state of things is sending my rhythms into retrograde. I’m sure many of you can relate: being forced to WFM (work from home), having shifts cut, being put on furlough, or even being fired from your position. COVID-19 has had widespread effects on our day-to-day living, and will continue to do so until we heed the warnings of the WHO, CDC, and our government/state officials.
We need to STAY HOME
The only reason you should be leaving your house right now is for necessities (groceries, medicine, food, doctor’s appointments, etc.). We CAN do this and we WILL do this. Why? Because of your grandmother who has COPD, your neighbor who has an autoimmune disorder, your sister that has breast cancer, and your nephew who’s only 6 weeks old. We need to stop treating this like it’s a joke, and consider the reality that this virus is virulent. Okay soapbox, over and out!
Embrace the change
Right now, we have a choice: we can either embrace this change of routine by using it to our benefit OR we can begrudge it, fight against it, and live however we dang well please. Personally, I wanna live this season out with intentionality rather than complacency. I wanna embrace the change and use it to harness growth. So, how are we going to choose to occupy our time during quarantine?
We can either choose to view this time as
a GIFT or a GRUDGE,
a PLEASURE or a PAIN,
a MIRACLE or a MISTAKE.
My prayer is that we would use this season to better ourselves, our spiritual lives, our health, our families, our connections, and our world. We CAN and we WILL, with God’s help!
50 Things You Can Do in Quarantine
1. Read a book
2. Listen to a podcast (Rhythms for Life, Go + Tell Gals, Made for This, Living Proof Ministries, Behind the Bliss, She… just to name a few!)
3. Go for a walk around the neighborhood
4. Talk to Jesus
5. Try a new at-home workout routine: Beachbody, MadFit YouTube, Fit Body, Tone It Up, Kayla Itsines BBG
6. Watch a documentary (Icarus, Gaga: Five Foot Two, Period. End of Sentence.)
7. Try a new baking recipe
8. Create a themed dinner party for 2
9. FaceTime family members
10. Write snail mail to your faraway friends
11. Organize your closet
12. Donate clothes to Goodwill or local charity
13. Go to the grocery store (only if necessary)
14. Get in your car and go for a leisurely drive
15. Organize your pantry
16. Deep clean your kitchen/bathrooms
17. Buy a new plant
18. Watch your favorite Disney movie
19. Start a prayer journal
20. Take up a new hobby (needlepoint, knitting, dancing, running)
21. Online shop
22. Zoom video chat with friends
23. Get outside (while social distancing at least 6 ft apart)
24. Open up a cookbook and try a random recipe
25. Have a Harry Potter (or *insert favorite TV show/movie*) marathon
26. Spend time in stillness and quiet
27. Create Spotify playlists for different moods/genres
28. Contact your local city council or county school district to find out the needs of your area
29. Donate money to your local church
30. Get dressed up for no particular occasion
31. Stay in your pajamas all-day because you can
32. Try makeup tutorials on YouTube
33. Offer to buy groceries for a neighbor who’s home-bound, pregnant, or has kids and can’t get to the store
34. Watch the sunrise/sunset
35. Write down 5 things you’re thankful for everyday
36. Pick one day/week to go on a social media cleanse
37. Cull through your Instagram followers
38. Get take-out from your favorite local restaurant, create a pillow fort, and have a romantic night-in watching movies with your SO
39. Have a baking contest with your bff, boyfriend, sister, or spouse
40. Self care: take a bath, do a face mask, and/or paint your nails
41. Make sourdough starter
42. Venmo a friend just to say you’re thinking of them
43. Support your local businesses by buying local when possible
44. Do yoga: Yoga with Adriene, Yoga by Candace, SarahBethYoga
45. Enjoy the simple joys of each day
46. Buy your neighbor flowers or sweets to say “I miss you”
47. Create a photobook online
48. Tour the British Museum, The National Gallery, the Uffizi Gallery, Musée d’Orsay, and the Guggenheim Museum all from the comfort of your couch
49. Clean out your email inbox
50. Play a board/card game, start & complete a puzzle
And in case you need some resources during the COVID-19 pandemic for stats and preventative measures, the below links are incredibly helpful for education and awareness.
Up-to-Date Information Resources regarding COVID-19:
Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Map
Worldometer Coronavirus Statistics
WHO (World Health Organization) Coronavirus
CDC (Center for Disease Control) Coronavirus
kitchyliving.com 