5 Tips for Surviving the Boredom of Coronavirus by root

1. Wake Up with Intention

While it may be appropriate to turn the alarm clock off, do not stay in your pajamas too long. Act like you are headed off to a full day at the office or in town. Shower, shave, brush your teeth, and put on your “uniform;” whatever that means for you.

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2. Keep your Home Clean and Tidy

Make your bed, put the dishes away, fold the laundry, wipe off the counters, mop the floors, and clean the bathrooms. There is MORE reason to keep your hygiene in top shape as you spend so much time in confined spaces. A clean and orderly home is healthy for your mind and will also help keep illness away.

3. Get Physical

Ideally you will make it outside everyday for fresh air and sunshine. There is plenty of evidence this too will help reduce illness, as explained in this article about the 1918 influenza epidemic. I also spend my life helping youth get outside for the myriad of other benefits. If you can’t get outside regularly then be sure you are moving around in your home. Yes, I, too, will be rewatching all of The Office, but I will also be on the floor stretching and working out. Can you do 100 push ups in a row? This is one of my 2 week goals.

4. Be Mindful

Within the extreme routine of deployment I first learned to meditate. With very little guidance I practiced mindfulness daily. This not only helped to manage the stress of my situation, I was able to experience a mental clarity that has been difficult for me to reestablish since. This New York Times article highlights the growing interest in mindfulness during stress to improve ability and to heal PTSD. “I was asked recently if my soldiers call me General Moonbeam,’ said Maj. Gen. Piatt, … ‘There’s a stereotype [meditation] makes you soft. No, it brings you on point,” the article reads. When I was at my most Zen I, too, would be asked, “Humes, where the heck are you getting your weed?” “No weed sir, just mellow. But I’ll let you know if I find some,” I would respond.
Photo by Steven Houston on Unsplash

5. Stay Positive

Is there a person in your life that always seems to be complaining about something? Don’t be that person. Not only does it keep you low, but you bum out everyone else. It is easy to break down into negativity when idleness sets in. The above steps will help to ward off the sneaky snake of pessimism, but be aware that even the most cheery of us has their breaking point. If you feel aggravation growing take a step back, admit that you are indeed upset, let yourself be angry, but then work to bring positivity back. There are times in my life when I need to wake up and force myself to smile right away, fake it until I make it style. It may sound silly, but it works.