In the first few days of 2020, some people might have felt that tensions and shifts in international relations would define the year. Events such as Brexit, or the US trade war with China, loomed heavily on the public consciousness. We all heard about the emerging threat of the coronavirus from Wuhan, but its scope was still fairly limited; everyone had reason to hope that sufficient measures could be undertaken to prevent its spread.
With the passing of days, weeks, and months, that hope has dwindled as the outbreak has grown exponentially. Every country has considered and implemented measures to contain its spread and minimize the risk of exposure for each citizen; major cities are now experiencing lockdown or strict travel restrictions. But even if these steps prove sufficient to ultimately halt the pandemic, the potential remains for similar outbreaks to happen in the future. These tips will help you adjust to living in a period of isolation and anxiety.
See to necessities
Human beings need food, water, and shelter to survive; to a certain extent, these necessities may prove more challenging to come by during a time of lockdown. Most city-dwellers take it for granted that when we’re hungry, there are dozens of places to choose from in any neighborhood. You can drop by a convenience store or supermarket to grab drinks, snacks, or ingredients for a home-cooked meal. Home maintenance or other issues such as leaks are just a service call away from being professionally attended.
While you don’t need to panic-buy goods as they do in zombie apocalypse movies, planning for proper nutrition is essential. Stock up on goods with a long shelf life such as canned vegetables or pasta, and learn some simple new recipes to keep your home menu appetizing. Look up DIY repairs for home issues and fix what you can as soon as possible.
Maintain physical activity
Even people who are accustomed to a sedentary lifestyle will find that living under lockdown reduces our physical activity significantly. Office workers are given remote working arrangements and no longer need to walk to the station for the daily commute. Being at home 24/7 also means more time binge-watching on the couch or in bed. This is bad news for many people with preexisting health conditions or those trying to lose weight and get into good shape. To stay fit and healthy, you can try to follow a home-based bodyweight workout. Many effective exercises can be performed without equipment, or with basic gear like dumbbells.
Stay positive
People are social by nature, and even a minimal level of social interaction with our neighbors or colleagues can help improve well-being. An unfortunate consequence of lockdown measures is increased isolation. Individuals with a history of depression or mental health issues need to be especially careful. But even active residents of busy areas like Brooklyn could need a therapist or find some outlet for positive conversation. If you’re conscious of your choice of content on the internet or through social media, you can filter out stories which only add to the stress, and stay in touch with loved ones throughout a challenging period; this way, mental health problems can be avoided or addressed.
Everyone around the planet is hopeful of a solution to and complete recovery from the crisis posed by the coronavirus. But as long as the potential remains for future outbreaks, keeping these measures in mind will help you adjust to any emergency measures which might be implemented.
