How to get things done during the quarantine
I can't leave my house and I have to follow online courses and study in order to prepare for a competitive exam. It's pretty hard since I'm not in a working environment and the virtual classes don't always work well. But I've managed to slowly get into it in spite of how unmotivated I am. Here’s my advice :
• Try to wake up at the same time everyday.
I struggle with this because I don't sleep well. I watched a few videos for advice and everyone said this : waking up at the same time every day is actually more important than going to sleep at the same time or trying to get exactly 8 hours of sleep. It's the waking routine that helps your body adjust.
• Start the day by getting dressed up.
It may seem futile, or maybe you already do this. When I was in high school, I would wake up, get dressed, then eat breakfast, wash my teeth and face and go to school (I shower before I go to sleep). But as the years went by I changed my routine and ended up taking my breakfast first thing in the morning. Here's the rub : it feels like I'm much less efficient. When I'm finished eating, I feel lazy if I'm still in my pajamas and it takes me so long to get ready. But when I start by putting my clothes on, I'm already more awake and all that's left to do after eating is brushing my teeth and my face : takes 10 minutes max.
Something you've heard again and again. I’ve never really been able to keep a schedule, and maybe that’s your case too. Well, never thought I'd do this, but I’ve been scheduling absolutely everything I need to do (instead of just making to-do lists), leaving blank spaces in case a task takes longer than I expected, and trying not to feel guilty if I can’t do everything as planned. So far, I'm much more efficient. And apparently, when you visualize the whole week, you're less tempted to procrastinate because you know you actually won't have time to catch up.
I'm always rooting for paper vs technology but I must admit that it really helps when you can move your plans in a mouse click.
• Walk, and take as much vitamin D as you can.
Here we are allowed a 1 hour walk or outdoor exercise. I've made it a routine to go in the end of the afternoon and it's so, so great. I can't believe how sedentary I am since I can't walk to uni etc. Walking once a day is a strict but efficient minimum.
If you can't, or if you need more (and you probably do), try to get contact with the outside as much as you can. Open your bedroom window every.single.day. If you have a garden, go there ! And do some garden work : plants will say thanks and it counts as soft exercise.
If you can't, try to go to the window a few times a day. It really really helps.
Recently I've had the time to focus on my habits and more particularly the way I eat. These days, my breakfasts are the same and I try to eat at the same hour + the same type of meal each day. As I said, I walk every day, pretty much at the same hour. I read every evening. Etc. It helps you to anchor yourself in time, to feel the days passing by - and then you want to do more of your day.
I started writing this post in the beginning of the quarantine and put it to sleep, so this piece of advice may come a little late, but : what I’m trying to say is that I’ve established a new routine in the beginning of the situation. Many people worry about going off tracks, gaining weight or so. First of all : it’s not that big of a deal. Second of all : changing my routine specifically for this situation has tremendously helped me not feeling guilty or anything. I study less than usually, but at least I’m doing okay. In fact, I am less stressed than before (but that’s due to my personal environment and stuff I guess).
• Focus on specific goals.
If you have to work or study, then it's clear. If not, try to set other goals. It can be reading a certain amount of pages a day, learning a new language, focusing on your health, etc.
• Make the most of your environment.
I'm lucky enough to spend this quarantine in a nice house. I don't have all my current belongings with me. For example, I've been wanting to paint but all of my good stuff is at my student flat. But I managed to find an old brush and some cardboard to paint over with my old school supplies and it's still soothing ! Next time I went out for groceries I bought more cheap paint. Still fun. Also, I enjoy the kitchen by baking from time to time. If you're in a smallest place, maybe you can re decorate, build some saving-space storage, etc.
