First things first, I want to say that we’re very lucky to have financial security right now, as well as food, resources, and home to quarantine in.
BUT as a teen girl with ADHD, this whole COVID-19 thing is really not good for my mental health. With no school until at least April 24th, it’s going to be a rough time sitting here at home. So I’ve put together a list of five things/tips that help me not go stir-crazy.
Keep a Routine
It’s tempting to just stay in bed and binge Netflix all day, but you can have a productive day and still leave lots of time to binge! Start by going to bed and waking up at a reasonable time, so you won’t feel groggy or sluggish throughout the day. Try to eat your breakfast, lunch, and dinner at normal times every single day. Plan out a brief schedule of what the average day should look like! Try to do a 30-minute indoor workout every day to keep spirits high, or even go for a walk or a run if you have some nice paths in your neighborhood. Shower once a day or every other day, because even though no one’s going to be seeing you in that five-day-old messy bun, it helps to keep yourself feeling refreshed. Here’s an example of what my daily routine looks like!
8 AM: Wake up & breakfast
9 AM: Take Mia on a jog!
10 AM-12 PM: Misc. schoolwork /blog posts
12PM: Lunchtime & a Netflix break (see, you can still have those)
1 PM-3 PM: Work, YouTube, and nap time
4 PM: Eat an early dinner
4 PM-8 PM: Hang out with friends, FaceTime friends, and generally try to spend time with people whether it be through physical or digital hangouts
9 PM: Shower
10 PM-12 AM: Look at memes in bed and go over things that I’m thankful for! (Okay, to be honest, I don’t do that yet, but I think counting your blessings is a great thing to do, especially in a time like this).
2. Find A New Location
Okay, just because you’re stuck in your house doesn’t mean you’re stuck in your room. I’m lucky enough to have a balcony in my house, so for me, that means doing my work outside on sunny days with a glass of lemonade and some lo-fi music. If you don’t have that, find the sunniest room in your house and set up a study nook!
Try not to study in the same place that you relax, because it makes it harder to really get your work done.
3. Eat (Somewhat) Well
This is possibly the most painful advice to give because I know I don't always follow it that well. But what you eat really does affect your productivity throughout the day. It is 100% okay to snack on whatever you want, but make sure you're also eating balanced meals throughout the day, and not just tortilla chips in your bed while watching Netflix. Also, drink water. Hydration is key!
4. Set Some Goals!
This time in quarantine that you're stuck in the house is a great time to learn new things. For example, I know Sasha wants to learn to braid her hair, and my personal goal is to learn how to play soccer. Because they know we're all stuck inside, many companies are making their courses available for free or at a discounted rate! Even universities like Yale are offering some limited free courses, so make sure you take advantage of being stuck at home. Hopefully, when this is all over, you'll be able to return to school with a couple new skills to show off.
5. Don’t Be Afraid to Take Breaks
It sounds counterproductive to the whole idea, but sitting at a desk and forcing yourself to fixate on school for hours isn’t productive, or good for your mental health. Although it’s important to stay on track, this whole quarantine thing gives you extra time to check in on yourself and have the ability to pause when you truly need it.
Overall, this whole situation isn't great for anyone, and I think we can all agree we're missing out on things we'd usually be doing. But we can also find the positives in this situation, like having the time to be with our families, try new things we didn't have time to before, or even just being more mentally healthy.
As always,
Stay Happy!
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