As we all do our best to navigate this rapidly changing and unpredictable situation, it’s important to continue your regular routine whenever possible. While the world prepares to stay home and practice social distancing for the foreseeable future, we put together some tips to help busy your mind and uplift your spirits.
Here Are Our Top 10 Things to Do at Home During COVID-19:
1. Spring Clean
The spring season has arrived! A new season marks the perfect opportunity to deep clean and start fresh. Take advantage of this extra time at home to clean your rental apartment from top to bottom, paying special attention to those areas usually left for “next time,” such as: the inside of the oven/microwave, the bathtub, and behind the sofa.
Check out these Weekly, Monthly, and Yearly Cleaning Tasks from our Hollyburn Perks partner, Aspen Clean, to help you get started!
2. Marie Kondo Your Condo
Now’s your chance to discover what truly sparks joy for you. If you haven’t heard, Marie Kondo is a “tidying expert, bestselling author, star of Netflix’s popular show, “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo,” and founder of KonMari Media, Inc.” Her philosophy explains that living in a clean and tidy space can lead to positive life transformations and greater feelings of gratitude. Rather than tackling this room-by-room, the KonMarie method encourages a more mindful approach broken down by categories, starting with clothes, books, miscellaneous pieces and lastly, sentimental items. Be proactive and use this time at home to get organized, de-clutter your junk drawer (we all have one!), and transform your apartment into a sanctuary that brings you peace and comfort.
3. Learn to Cook
As restaurants close their doors to dine-in patrons in order to enforce the rules of social distancing, it opens the door to learn how to cook! Not only is cooking at home an easy way to make smarter and healthier choices, it can also offer a much-needed sense of accomplishment during this uncertain time.
Youtube has plenty of online tutorials to make this an easy transition for those who are not used to spending time in the kitchen.
Tip: Due to the uncertainty of the situation, try making bulk meals that are freezer-friendly!
4. Support Local
If cooking is not your thing – don’t worry! Many local businesses and food joints have kept their kitchens open for take-out and delivery orders. That means you can still get most of your favourite food and enjoy them in the comfort of your own home. Sounds like a win/win to us!
If you are using this time to test your skills as a Master Chef, opt to order your groceries from online platforms, such as SPUD. Delivering fresh, sustainable, local and organic produce straight to your door! What’s better? Hollyburn residents get 30% off your first order of $100+ with our Hollyburn Perks program.
???? via @spuddelivers
5. Pick Up a Book
Reading is good for the soul, always. And we don’t know anyone who doesn’t have a book on their nightstand that they’ve been trying to finish for the last three months. Well, now you have the time. No more excuses!
6. Exercise at Home
Exercising is crucial in times of high stress and helps decrease feelings of anxiety. Your regular fitness studios might be closed, but there are plenty of at-home workouts you can do instead to keep your heart and mind healthy throughout this. For instance, our Hollyburn Perks partner YYoga has many free yoga, fitness and meditation classes on their YouTube channel, and their subscription-based platform YYoga at Home. As of now, you can also use this time to re-connect with nature by going for a walk around the neighbourhood, visiting the beach, or hitting the trails.
Tip: Canned food is great a alternative to weights!
7. FaceTime Your Loved Ones
Since it’s advised to stay home, socializing with friends and family is no longer an option, right? Wrong. One of the joys of today’s technology is its ability to bring us together when we’re apart. Gather your friends for a video-chat, FaceTime your mom, or video-conference with your co-workers. We’re all in this together and staying connected is key to getting through it with your sanity still intact.
8. Binge Watch Your Favourite Netflix Show
As if you weren’t planning to do this already – at least now you can guilt-free!
9. Practice Self Care
Take this time to take care of yourself. Draw a bath, treat yourself to your favourite snack, journal, meditate, SLEEP, learn a new hobby…whatever you enjoy doing, do it. Quietly, gently, and with care.
Bonus: Practicing self care will help keep your immune system strong and healthy, too.
10. Be Kind to Your Neighbours
Most importantly, be kind. This is unfamiliar territory for everyone and the uncertainty of it all can be scary. Right now, community is more essential than ever before. We’ve already seen such beautiful displays of community in our buildings and the generosity that has come from this time of crisis has blown us away. So, thank you — for working with us to keep yourselves, your neighbours, and our communities safe and in good health.
To learn more about what Hollyburn is doing and how you can help, visit: www.Hollyburn.com.