10 ways to still stay productive in Quarantine

This pandemic has hit us all in new and unexpected ways. Ways that we never considered. Most places are in another lock down at this point, unsure of when that will happen. Many, like myself, have been laid off this year; some more than once. If you are without a job or just simply trying to staying at home more, either way it is easy to become depressed and unproductive. I had one lay off this year and now I am on my second. And I found that I was just letting time pass by, one day became another became another. Suddenly I realized I didn't know what day it was or how long time had passed. As 2020 comes to an end I really want to use the time that I have and be productive. So here are some things that I hope will help you as much as it helped me.

1. Make a schedule

Even if the things on your list are simply things like do the laundry make a list or a schedule of things you want to accomplish. Do it daily. At the end of each day mark off what you did and make a new list for the next day. It help to keep you on task and feel like you accomplished something.

2. Get active

Regardless of your fitness level you need to make sure that get or stay active. Being at home so much it's easy to just sit on the couch or in a chair all day. Make sure that you get moving at least once a day. It could be going for a walk each day. Though if you live somewhere that is really cold this time of year than you might want to. So you can always do an at home workout. There are a lot of different ways to find an at home workout, like Youtube or streaming apps such as BeachbodyOnDemand. If you don't usually workout than take this time to get in shape. There is no excuse or better time than now. Working out not only helps your body but helps your mind as well. It will help fight off depression if you feel it coming.

3. Start a new hobby or activity

We all have those things that we always said we would try one day but we never do because time and life gets in the way. Now is your time to do it. A great website to try is Skillshare, which you can get a 2 month trial for free. It has so many different classes to help start you on whatever you want to learn.

4. Start a side hustle

No matter what you do this year has taught us that you need to have more than one income stream in this world. So that if you get laid off than you have something to fall back on. Make a list of your skills and think of ways you can capitalize on them. If it's writing, making paintings for people, making something you can sell like jewelry. We all have skills we just need to find a ways to use them.

5. Makes goals you can want to accomplish

Make yourself some goals for your life. It always helps if you have an end goal that you can work towards to make sure you are using your time towards something.

6. Don't isolate yourself

As we are all trying to stay at home more it's easy to isolate yourself from the world. When I started my second lay off I started to feel very depressed and very alone. Don't let that happen to you. Know that you are not alone and you are trying your best. That is all that anyone can ask from you. It can be a friend, family or online community. But find someone that you can reach out to and talk to about things. You need to know that you are not alone.

7. Do projects around the house

Since we are all staying at home more it really makes you look at your space and see all the things you want to change. All those things that you never really thought about all that much or just didn't have time to do. Now is the time to do them and make your house the house of your dreams or at least the best it can be. You should love the space that you are in.

8. Start a gratitude journal

I like to do every night, others do it every morning. Make a list of at least 5 things that you are grateful for. Try to make them something that happened that day and not always the same thing. It can be something simply like fixing the light you never fixed or finding time to workout or getting outside. Every day there is always something to be grateful for. It will help you look on the more positive side of things and not focus on the negative.

9. Get outside

While it is cold now in some areas we still need to get outside. Try to get outside at least 4 times a week. Even if you walk to the grocery store instead of drive or just take a walk around the block. It's important that you don't stay inside all the time and get some fresh air.

10. Most importantly don't be too hard on yourself

No matter what this year has brought know that you will be okay and everything happens for a reason. You can't be too hard on yourself for what you think you did wrong. All you can do is try your best.