By Sali Sweidan
Amidst the hustle and bustle of the noisy aisles of IKEA pre-quarantine, I make my way through the crowds; face mask on, rubber gloves now sticking to my hands, but ensuring that we stay safe amidst the onset of Coronavirus. Upon nearing the cashiers, we are bombarded with notifications outlining the latest procedures set to combat the spread of the virus.
We are all to get two weeks (now four) off from work (wahoo!)
We are also to remain under quarantine for the next 14+ days.
No restaurants, no cafes, no walking by the seaside. Nada.
I imagined myself serenading the pigeons that regularly visit my bedroom window, or counting all the tiles of my bathrooms and kitchen of my apartment… Alas! I decided that this was the best time to invest my time in the following ways.
Exercise
We all made those New Year’s resolutions back in December to lose those pesky 5-10 pounds and amidst all the December and January holiday feasting, it was a promise that brought us relief. Then… 2020 happened, and well we all know what happened after that. Can I say; disaster?! So, get on those treadmills you have at home, or create your own workout routines because with all the resources online, there are no excuses! And just in time for summer, too.
Cleanse
If you are currently working from home or are lucky enough to get some extra holiday time this year then rather than spending your time raiding the refrigerator, consider a gluten and dairy-free diet or start a sugar-free detox! The good news is that there are no temptations as you cannot possibly get a whiff of freshly baked muffins unless you bake it with gluten-free flour of course! Disclaimer: Flu-like symptoms may occur during detox, but if you’ve stayed at home or have been staying home, you have nothing to worry about 😉
Connecting
Ah yes! Social distancing is the main goal behind the COVID-19 quarantine, and yet ironically, we are all being brought closer together. Whether online with friends or at home with family, this is both beautiful and difficult, as most things in life so conveniently are! So, practice some mindfulness techniques if you are struggling to get along with family members and perhaps, we can all learn to be a bit more compassionate and patient with one another.
Reflection
This must be the most important one of all. If you ever needed to sit in stillness and reconsider all the aspects of your life you need to work on, then there is nothing to distract you from it now. Take time to consider your career, relationships, and your overall happiness. What needs to be changed? And how can you do it? Start planning and perhaps the rest of 2020 will be much lighter.
