It’s only June but 2020 sure has been passing by very slowly. Quarantine and all. Ontario is slowly opening up again after about two months of basically everything temporarily closing. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the frontline workers for everything they do so millions of people can stay home. They don’t nearly get enough credit for what they do. People don’t appreciate others/things enough until they’re put in a situation where they can see things from a new light. I hope this situation will allow all of us to appreciate frontline workers more moving forward.
Unlike my other friends, I’m at home quarantined alone. I’ve been watching quite a few dramas. I call my friends and family to have some human contact but they have their own schedules too. I can’t sleep all day either. Watching movies and YouTube videos are great but I can only do this for so long before I get bored. Spending all day on entertainment makes me feel bad about myself because I didn’t accomplish anything. I can’t control everything going on outside but I CAN control how to spend my time every day.
I want to take advantage of the time I have now and do things I’ve always wanted to do (i.e. start a blog) but made excuses for myself. This went on FOR YEARS. Things are slowly improving around here. Retail stores are slowly opening back up but we still have to cautious when we go outside. I think we’re at the time where it’s getting harder and harder to stay in since the weather is so nice outside. However, at the end of the day, I still spend the majority of my time at home.
Here is a step-by-step instruction guide on how to actually get things done and feel good about yourself.
1) Make a List of Everything You Want to Accomplish During Quarantine
Start with a brain dump of anything you want to accomplish during this time. Don’t know what a brain dump is? Basically, you spend 5 minutes writing down anything that comes to mind without filtering. I love this activity because we overthink a lot as people but during this time, I don’t have to.
These are some examples of what you may have came up with:
- Taking a course (Udemy has a TON of options)
- Brushing up on a skill
- Learning a new skill
- Working out
- Applying for jobs
- Reading books
2) Choose 3-5 Activities From The List
After doing a brain dump, the next step is to focus on what you really want to do. Eliminate the ones that aren’t a priority and narrow down the list to about 3-5 activities. This is just a rough estimate. It can be more or it can be less.
3) Decide What You Can Reasonably Accomplish Per Day
Take time to figure out how much time to allocate for each activity and be reasonable! For example, one of my goals during quarantine is to finish reading 2 books. I know that doesn’t sound like a lot but I’m not the type to read books. I broke it down so I told myself to read a chapter a day. Sounds doable, right? Using the book example again, instead of reading a chapter a day, another way of breaking it down is by allowing myself to spend 30 minutes reading per day.
4) Draft Up a Daily Schedule
Once you have decided how much time you want to spend on each activity, draft up a schedule. If you are serious about accomplishing something during quarantine and improving yourself, it’s important to follow the list. Now, I’m not saying every day, you have to read from 2 pm – 2:43 pm but drafting up a schedule and seeing it in front of you gives you an idea of how your day will look like. For those who are working from home or are in school, please take those into account.
5) Put Up Reminders
Remind yourself what you want to set out to do. Consider putting a sticky note on the fridge or put it on a bulletin board (if you have one) so you have self-reminders around your place. There are many times where I remember something just to forget it quickly the next second. If my goal was to just finish the book by the time quarantine ends and there are no reminders, I’ll probably forget/be distracted. Then, it will be buried with all the other things I want to do.
6) Do it!
The last step is probably the hardest. For the first few weeks, I would suggest following the list as closely as you can. Those several weeks will be tough but it will be easier as you form habits. There are going to be days where you don’t want to do anything and that’s okay. For those days, do at least one thing on your list so you don’t feel shitty. I know I can be hard on myself if I don’t finish everything I want to do in a day. Things happen! Just remember to get back to your routine the next day.
This is the time to accomplish what you’ve always wanted to do. There are ZERO excuses. Things are slowly starting to look up and we have a new ‘normal’ but we still have to tread carefully since COVID-19 isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Take advantage of the time and do what you’ve always wanted to do! Although it will be challenging in the beginning, you will feel better about yourself.
‘Til next time!
Xoxo,
Nicole