#StayHome

With the health crisis caused by #COVID-19, we have all been asked to be responsible and stay at home except for urgent needs, with the goal of reducing the number of cases and not overwhelming the healthcare system.

Here are some tips to make home confinement more manageable:

Maintain a routine, with relatively stable schedules for grooming, meals, sleep, responsibilities, and leisure. This will provide structure.

Alternate more productive routines (like doing laundry or paying bills) with leisure activities (like watching a movie or reading a magazine).

Avoid obsessing over the news. Stay informed just enough and follow the guidelines. Try not to be alarmist.

Turn the situation around: Instead of feeling trapped at home without being able to go out, consider it a good time to do those other things you never have time for (organizing the attic, reading a book, taking that online course that has been on hold for months, or watching that Netflix series someone recommended).

Use technology: now more than ever, we have ways to connect with loved ones through technology (phone, video calls, etc.). Use it to interact with whomever you want.

It’s not all about technology: avoid spending too many hours sitting in front of the screen. Stand up, take deep breaths, stretch your legs, go up and down stairs if you have them.

If you have to work from home, separate your workspace from the rest of the house so that when you want to disconnect and rest, you can truly do so. No eating while reading work emails! If you have the space, don’t put your work desk in your bedroom, or you’ll end up working right up until bedtime. When you take a break from work, do it properly. And taking a break doesn’t mean using your rest time to do household chores. You need to rest by doing something you enjoy, so allocate another time for household tasks.

Avoid spending the whole day in your pajamas. Maintain your daily grooming routine. Shower and put on clean clothes every day. You can wear comfortable clothes like a tracksuit and a cotton t-shirt. But don’t wear the same clothes from bedtime to wake-up time.

If you’re not sick, set aside at least half an hour each day for a home exercise routine

. There are hundreds of exercise videos on social media about home workouts. Try one out.

If you must go outside, make a list beforehand to be clear about what you need and where to get it in order to minimize exposure.

Ventilate your home to refresh the air, raise the blinds to let in sunlight. This also helps your brain orient itself and know when it’s time to sleep.