How is Staying Home Treating You?

The past few weeks have been tiresome. With the Covid19 situation going whirlwind and restrictions on movement forcing us back indoors again, we have been facing the storm before the calm. However, we can still do our best to maintain a healthy balance mentally and physically as we adjust to another week of staying indoors; some are studying, some are working, and others are just trying to be, and that’s alright.  
 
According to our personalities, some of us enjoy the opportunity to stay home and work or study. Unfortunately, others are having a hard time finding the motivation to even get out of bed. In order to ease the added stress on balancing work or studies with the chores around the house, we hope the following tips help you get the creative energy flowing again.  

 
The morning routine 
One of the most important components of a healthy morning routine include stretching the stiffness out of you. Yoga and some light cardio exercises are proven scientifically to boost your mood too. Take a moment to yourself before going about with your day by sitting down with the morning coffee, journaling, planning out your to-do list, basically anything that will give you a proper vision of how you want your day to unfold. This is much easier to achieve if you can wake an hour earlier than the rest of the house.  

 
The set-up 
Clutter can be distracting. Clean your workstation and organize the books, your desktop, homework, and so on. A designated space can greatly help in setting the right mindset to getting productive work done in a short period of time. Throughout the day, if possible, allocate times where you rest and to take these breaks in their entirety - this means keeping your devices away. Momentary refreshments can inspire a fresh mindset and prevent you from exhausting both your mind and body at a stretch.  

 
The after-hours 
These trying times are hard on all of us. Take a mental note to work and study only for set times during the day. By practicing a routine and perfecting how to get work done productively, you will notice how you get free time at the end of the day. Use this time to check up on yourself and your loved ones. Give your friends a call, spend some time on social engagement, talk with family members. It is important to share grief and happiness alike, and by reaching out and telling someone about what you are going through, you relieve yourself of the burden of being stressed out about everything at the same time. It is perfectly okay to even take some me-time and finish that book you have been reading for so long, treat yourself to a good meal or even prepare for a good night’s sleep.  
 
It is understandable that everyone is on a different kind of boat through this storm. The Maldivian Red Crescent toll-free helpline 1425 is available for those who want to reach out for help in achieving better mental health and emotional wellbeing. If you know someone who needs support, encourage them to reach out. Let’s all make staying at home easy on ourselves and our loved ones.  

Inspiration and Photos: Maldivian Red Crescent