With free access to abundant remote programming, quarantine can serve as an opportunity to focus on personal and professional growth.
Rabat – Many individuals are experiencing stress and anxiety amid the novel coronavirus crisis. People around the world are spending hours in lockdown mired in negative thoughts or sleeping away from the uncertainty.
In light of the pandemic’s damaging impact on mental well-being, psychologists and personal development coaches suggest undertaking enjoyable activities to achieve professional growth and maintain mental health.
Here is a list of six fun and beneficial activities to best invest ample free time amid the coronavirus lockdown:
1 – Exercise
Sport is important to improve not only physical health, but also mental health.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends staying physically active during quarantine. The global health body recommends “150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity per week, or a combination of both.”
Try out the Nike Run Club app for free or engage in a vast variety of exercise classes offered by Daily Burn, which offers a 30-day free trial. If you like to sweat it out on the dance floor, you can browse classes on DanceBody, which also offers a free trial.
You can exercise with your family members while keeping a necessary distance. In addition to getting in peak physical condition, partaking in such activities as a family can spread joy and create a sense of support, especially for children.
2 – Venture out (virtually)
Museums and art galleries are offering curious individuals a chance to participate in virtual visits amid movement restrictions. You can now tour famous museums and galleries from home. Here are some tours to check out from the comfort of your home:
British Museum, UK
Rijksmuseum, Netherlands
La Galleria Nazionale, Italy
For outdoor enthusiasts, Arizona State University offers a variety of virtual field trips, including to a rainforest, the Grand Canyon, and more.
3 – Help children learn at home
Parents face the task of helping their kids learn at home as studies suspensions continue around the world. The prospect may seem daunting, but parents can use a variety of fun activities for kids to learn, and should try to share in the joy themselves.
Children and parents can try yoga to calm and recenter restless youngsters.
Parents can also try Good Housekeeping’s 50 fun activities for kids.
Khan Academy Kids is also a free and fun educational program that parents can use to support learning for children aged 2 to 7.
5 – Learn a new skill
Quarantine presents an opportunity to develop a new skill, learn a new language, or enroll in online courses offered by the world’s top universities and cultural institutions.
Online platforms such as Coursera, EdX, Duolingo, and Babbel will allow you to explore new fields or practice foreign languages.
Here are more than a dozen opportunities to take completely free courses from Yale, Harvard, MIT, Stanford, and several other prestigious schools.
6 – Practice self care
Wellbeing should be a priority during the stress of quarantining. It is important to allow time for meditation, self-reflection, and setting future goals.
Yoga is a meditative way to overcome quarantine stress and calm your mind. Another popular mindfulness practice is the “21 Days of Meditation Program” from acclaimed author and physician Deepak Chopra.
You can join millions of people around the world in a 21-day journey focused on goal-setting, mindfulness, and manifesting abundance.
The program also involves daily tasks, which should provide psychological satisfaction, and has a social engagement element. Check out the program here: https://the-well.com/stayhome
Setting personal goals during lockdown is a strategy for success in mitigating the pandemic’s harm on your psyche, and for excelling in your personal future post-pandemic. Take some time to map out personal and professional goals for both the short- and long-term.
