Five Guaranteed Tips for Relaxation During the Pandemic
The current pandemic has limited our movements, and we are left with no choice but to stay home. This can get overwhelming since we are restricted within the four walls of our homes. But it doesn’t have to be this way, as there are tons of ways to de-stress and unwind. This blog will share guaranteed tips to help you let go of the stress of work and life. Here are these tips:
1. Read a Book
Reading a book is probably one of the most effective ways to de-stress. You get to be in a different world of fairies, vampires, superheroes, and werewolves—a make-believe world. You’ll be immersed in their world by imagining that you are the heroine or the villain of the story. Not only does this challenge your imagination, but it also improves your vocabulary. You can opt to read a book in paperback or as an ebook.
Don’t know where to start? Head on to Goodreads and explore book genres that are fit to your taste. You’ll also see comments and ratings from people who have read the book.
2. Cook or Bake
Cooking and baking are hobbies that few have picked up on during the pandemic. The idea of making something new from scratch is satisfying and fulfilling. You might not have the penchant to cook or bake, but starting small might do the trick. Lookup a kind of food or beverage that’s easy to prepare and start there. And then work your way up until you can manage a more challenging recipe. Who knows, this might become one of your hobbies even after the pandemic.
Starting with the easy recipes is advisable since you’ll be making the most out of the cooking tools that you currently have. Once you realize that this is for you, you can slowly buy the cooking apparatus that you need for your next recipe. Just make sure that these are within your budget.
3. Try Gardening
Gardening reduces depression and anxiety. The manual labor of gardening gets your mind off things, and your garden can be the closest thing to nature. You can also try landscaping as long as you are equipped with the right landscape materials. Gardening and landscaping provide zen or a relaxing ambiance when you want to rest your eyes from gadgets. You can start by listing down the plants or flowers you want to plant and buying the materials afterward.
4. Join the Hype by Joining TikTok
TikTok took almost everyone by storm when the lockdown started in 2020. Millennials and Generation Z started doing dance trends, comedy skits, recipes, and even sharing their Starbucks orders. To say that this social media app has become one of their coping mechanisms would be an understatement. You are never too old or too young to participate in such trends. Download TikTok now and join the hype to uplift your spirit.
5. Meditate
With the effects of social media in our lives, it’s hard to be grounded nowadays. The current events and the life lived by our friends are enough to spiral us into depression and jealousy; therefore, making us lose sight of what’s truly important. Meditation is a grounding activity where you clear your mind by closing your eyes in a peaceful environment. The experience requires you to pay attention to the sounds around you, your breathing patterns, and the overall stillness of everything. Look for a quiet space in your home—free of distractions and meditate for at least 40 minutes.
6. Work Out
Working out is proven to eliminate stress. With COVID-19 restrictions in place, you can’t go to the gym to work out. That’s where you compromise—use sacks of rice, paper plates, and filled water bottles as alternatives to gym equipment. But if you find this a hassle, you can always buy weights, resistance bands, jump ropes, yoga mats, and other small workout tools that won’t take up space. You can head on to YouTube for workout inspirations for you to be guided.
This pandemic has taught us many things—life is fleeting, time is precious, and most of all, it taught us how to stay present and be practical to things that matter. To be secluded in the many months of lockdown has made us appreciate the little things in life. This challenging time is beyond our control, and we have no choice but to cope in healthy ways. We may not exit the same as we entered this pandemic, but we will bring the thought of not taking things for granted again.
