10 Things To Do While You're Practicing Social Distancing

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve definitely heard about the coronavirus. There’s a lot of information flying around and lots of things happening quickly. In case you want the most up to date and accurate information, here’s the CDC website with all the details. One thing the CDC is encouraging people to do is practice social distancing. Social distancing refers to a conscious effort to reduce close contact with others outside of your home. This leaves many people with a lot of free time and wondering what to do to fill it. Here are some of our favorite ideas:

Practice self care

This is a time of high anxiety, and one of the best things you can do is to take care of yourself.

1. There are so many ways to journal, and no right way to do it! You can write down your thoughts, write about your day, track your gratitude, or follow some prompts. Studies show that journaling can improve mindfulness, reduce anxiety, and even improve your sleep. Here are some of my favorite journaling prompts.
2. Take a nap. Studies show that the average American gets up to 40% less than the recommended amount of sleep. Now is a great time to catch up on your sleep. And who doesn’t love a nap?
3. Your favorite relaxing activity. Do you love to draw a mandala coloring page? Do you enjoy stretching your legs on a walk? Choose your favorite relaxing activity and give yourself permission to enjoy it.

Eat the frog

Mark Twain once said  “If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.” We all have that one thing on our to do list or in the back of our head that we are absolutely dreading. That’s the “frog.” The best way to accomplish that task, is to “eat the frog” or just jump in head-first and get it done first thing. If you just do it when you first get up in the morning, or when you first get home from work, you don’t have to keep stressing over it. What is your “frog”?

1. Clean the house. Now is a great time to get your spring cleaning done! If you have to spend all of your free time at home, you want a clean space to hang out in. Clean it first, then do all the fun stuff.
2. Finish your taxes. I know some of you out there are still working on yours (or still need to start – I’ve been there)! Even though the tax deadline might be pushed back, you could knock it out online while you’re hanging out at home.
3. What is that organizing project you’ve been bouncing around in your head and never have time for? Have you been meaning to Marie Kondo your closet? Now is the time to do it!

Learn a new skill

Is there a language you wish you spoke? Or something you wish you could do, like drawing or computer coding? Take this free time and learn it!

1. Free educational resources. This is a super comprehensive list of free educational resources to learn just about anything, from math to computer programming, even free ebook downloads! P.S. If you have kids, there are a ton of great resources in here for them, too.
2. Lynda. This is a super resource with videos on learning graphic design, marketing, photography, and many more topics. The best part is, you can access it free with most library cards!
3. Craft kits. There are so many talented makers who share their talents through kits. You can learn how to make a mala, or slime, or even a bonsai tree. Not only do you get to learn a new skill, but you get to support a small business owner who may be struggling during this time. Here is a list of some great kits I’ve found.

What are YOU choosing to do right now? Drop a comment and let us know!