By MAGGIE SNAVELY

(Markus Spiske/ Pexels)

Having to be isolated from the rest of the world can leave us with many conflicted feelings. Maybe you feel happy to stay home, or maybe you feel lonely. Either way, this quarantine has definitely left us feeling different than before. It is important to find ways to keep a healthy mindset during this tough time. 

There are plenty of good habits and activities that can help you keep busy during quarantine. Staying busy is one of the easiest ways to keep yourself sane. If you find yourself constantly pacing back and forth from one side of your room to the other, it may be time to find something new to do. Whether that means picking up a new hobby or going for a walk, it can help take your mind off how bored you are. Try to catch yourself when you find yourself hopelessly wandering around the house.

Staying busy during quarantine is best done through new hobbies. You may have heard this one before, but it really works. Some may feel discouraged when it comes to trying new things and will avoid them if they don’t think it will be a success. However, this mindset will keep you from engaging in activities that you might have enjoyed in the end. There’s no harm in trying. Now especially, you have the time to start something new. Who knows, you might just find your new favorite hobby.

Being isolated can lend to a state of confusing thoughts and stress. It is important to find a way to clear your head during this quarantine. A simple such method is spending some time outside. It may seem silly, but by simply getting some fresh air and enjoying nature, you’ll become more clear-headed and focused. If that doesn’t work for you, maybe doodling or another form of creative expression will help you de-stress. The main idea is really about making time in the day for yourself. You may even just need a good solid nap. Everyone needs a nap sometimes.

One of the problems that could be causing stress is the clash of schoolwork in a home environment. Before you would go to school and learn. Then you would come home and it would be time to relax. Now, it’s hard to know when to relax and when to work on school, leaving you even more stressed out. It will be helpful to try and separate the two as much as possible. Set times during the day for when you will work on school, and when you can relax. This will guarantee that you won’t end up spending all day stressing about school and not getting time for yourself. It can also help with organization and time management.

You may not realize it but keeping your mind healthy and happy will be one of the most important aspects of this quarantine. Even if you don’t agree yet, there’s no harm in trying.