Month: May 2020

After the Janta Curfew and an extended lockdown, India is at home. Everyday life as we knew it has changed. Offices have been asked to stay shut, public spaces remain closed and stepping out of the house is not an option, except, of course, to buy everyday essentials, and in case of an emergency. Staying at home is a necessity at the moment, but it can be quite a daunting task to remain at home for a long time. However, the whole situation can be looked at a lot more favourably with a little shift in perspective. 

The lockdown can also be seen as an immense opportunity to do things you’ve wanted to do for a long time, but just could not fit into your already full and demanding schedule.

So we thought, why not list down some things you can do at home to make this lockdown meaningful, happy, fun and even a time that you can look back at and be proud of when life becomes normal. 

1. Focus on self-care: 

If you’ve had a hectic routine at work or even at home, maybe it’s time to slow down. Use the lockdown as a moment to breathe and take better care of yourself. Take a moment to see how you’re doing physically, emotionally and even spiritually. Are there gaps that need your attention? Analyse the areas that require improvement and create a plan for the next few weeks. Maybe start with a simple meditation session for 5 minutes every day.

2. Let social distancing bring you closer to loved ones- over the phone: 

Social distancing can be a misleading idea. The term refers to a set of non-pharmaceutical measures taken to stop the spread of a contagious disease, by maintaining a physical distance between people. However, you can always use this time to catch-up with old friends and indulge in some good old banter. So pick up the phone and call your loved ones up. Chances are, they are as overwhelmed by the pandemic as you. So why go through this time alone? 

3. Discover the book-worm within:

Is there a book that’s been on your reading list for a long time? Now is the time to devour it from cover to cover. Books make it easier to pass the time while teaching you how to relate to people, cultures and even the world at large. While the pandemic has you at home, a book can help you cope with the anxiety and boredom. So don’t let the dust settle on your reading goals!  

4. Give those muscles a chance to grow: 

Are you guilty of not following up on your fitness resolution for this year? Several studies have shown that gyms are the most crowded during the first few days of January. Within just fifteen days, people lose their zeal to become a fitter version of themselves. But that does not have to be the case for you. Use this lockdown to turn your fitness journey around. Start with small yet progressive goals and work towards making fitness a part of your everyday life. 

5. Get in touch with your creative side: 

Do you remember a time when you flaunted your creative skills in front of your peers? Was this when you were in school or even at university? No matter how small your talent or how long ago you practised it last, you can pick it up again. If you painted earlier, ask yourself why you stopped and start a project that engages the artist in you. No matter what your creative interest, pick up where you left off and create something that’ll bring a smile on your face.

6. Pick up the pieces to get well-organised: 

A lockdown is a great time to assess and work your way through piles of old documents, receipts and even emails that have been piling up every day. There’s always that one corner full of doctor’s prescriptions, bills, bank statements and receipts. Now is the time to declutter. Work your way through the stockpile and do away with the junk. Done with the papers? Good, now look for other things lying around that can be disposed to create new breathing space in your house. 

7. Sleep your way to a more fulfilling lockdown:

Interestingly, all the other activities listed above can become more fulfilling if you’ve been able to sleep peacefully. It’s almost effortless to let the circadian rhythm spiral out of control while staying at home. So pay special attention to your sleeping habits. See how you can allow yourself to sleep better in these tough times. Start by adjusting the bright lighting in your room and avoiding screen-time before going to bed. Find out more about improving sleep quality in our blog section. 

Now that you have some actionable pointers to improve your well-being during the lockdown, we encourage you to get started right away. Remember, the lockdown will get over, but the progress you choose to make during this time will stay with you for a lifetime. 

Everyday life has changed. The declaration of the 21 days’ lockdown in India was a critical step that has altered the way in which people live and organisations function. Staying at home was no more an option but a citizen’s duty to safeguard the nation against the spread to COVID-19.

Such a shift in the environment and the style of work has made time management, focus and even planning a lot more crucial. It is very easy for household chores, family concerns and even urgent tasks to seek one’s attention at the same time. Imagine, if you have a call with your senior manager, but have to help your significant other with a household chore while supervising your kids on a school project, and also have to assist a friend on a personal project, all at the same time. Things can fall apart quite easily on many levels. Therefore, creating a schedule can help. This may seem obvious, but trust us, the rising concern of a global pandemic can be a great time to make scheduling a part of your everyday life as it can provide:

1. The Motivation to Stay Grounded Amidst All the Uncertainty

The number one reason to schedule, especially now, is the glaring amount of uncertainty that stares us in the face every day. It’s everywhere, on the news, on the TV, on client emails and now, even on social media. Every piece of content is tainted with some information or opinion about the Coronavirus. So what can you do to make sense of everyday life while trying to remain in control? You guessed right. Start making a schedule. This will not only help you curb feelings of being lost in the chaos but will also help you track daily tasks and cause mental reassurance when you see the progress you’ve made on paper.

2. The Reasons to Stay Positive

A major plus point of scheduling is that it helps you see all your tasks and goals for the day, the week, and even the month. This is a good way to get a fair sense of all the work that can be accomplished within a given time frame. And every time you check off a task from your schedule, you’ll have a sense of achievement while being aware of your progress. Having your tasks down before starting the day will also continue to give you direction throughout the day. This will help you avoid feelings of being lost and up against an unquantified amount of work, which can cause unnecessary stress.

3. The Ability to Maintain Work-Life Balance

Work-life balance is a crucial aspect of leading a satisfying life. This is an important factor and can have a direct impact on your personal and professional life. Scheduling can help you lead a balanced life, where you have the time and space to accommodate and fulfil your professional and personal priorities to a greater extent. With increased time spent at home it can be easy to not have any boundaries between life and work. The result? Burnout from feeling like you’re constantly at work. A lack of work-life balance is as bad for physical health as it is for your mental well-being. It can further lead to nervousness and anxiety that can potentially damage other aspects of your life too.

4. The Confidence to Perform Under Pressure

Every person has to face a situation at work that demands high levels of involvement and attention throughout the day. Given the immense pressure under which businesses are now functioning, the ability to perform under pressure is a highly valued skill across industries. But how can one keep their calm even when nothing seems to be going according to plan? The secret lies in scheduling all tasks. Knowing exactly what requires to be done and within what time-frame keeps you mentally prepared to tackle the day with confidence. A well-prepared schedule will keep you functioning at a healthy pace in spite of external pressure by empowering you with internal focus. 

5. The Clarity to Make Realistic Goals and Expectations

A pandemic can cause undue stress for individuals, families and even business teams. Coronavirus has become a global issue. Given the high amounts of risk, individuals that have not yet tested positive can overestimate their ability to fight off the virus or the uncertain situations it can cause at work. Such a miscalculation can lead them to set unrealistic goals and expectations not just for themselves, but even those that are living or working with them. But having a schedule can help you avoid such mistakes in approximation. With a clear idea of what lies ahead, you’ll be able to set realistic expectations, without getting easily discouraged when the situations seem bleak.

6. The Calmness to Sleep Peacefully

Schedules can make a world of difference to how well you sleep. Here’s how. A well-planned schedule not only brings clarity to what lies ahead before the day starts but also gives you a sense of relief and control. The process of making a list of tasks and important assignments is a subconscious signal to the brain that there are very little variables which are out of control. Later during the day when you see a list of all the tasks that are completed on the schedule, you can see clearly where your time and efforts were spent. This allows you to plan the next day by making special provisions for tactics that might’ve not worked earlier. Hence, when you hit the sack, you are not anxious but looking forward to the next day and as a result can enjoy great sleep. Scheduling the day will also ensure that you sleep at the same time daily, while getting adequate amounts of rest.

7. The Efficiency to Lead a Healthy Life

High-performing individuals in sports, entertainment, business or even in the government are able to achieve high levels of excellence because of their ability to organise their lives. Your life is not different. Yes, the circumstances might change, but we can at least learn from the highly effective individuals’ approach to life. One thing that’s common in the lives of people who live successful and fulfilling lives without sacrificing their wellbeing is that they allot specific blocks of time to different aspects of their life. Creating a schedule can help you do the same for yourself.

So we encourage you to use these testing times as an opportunity to bring increased clarity, focus and efficiency into your life. If you have ever wanted to pick up a new hobby, learn a new skill, call a childhood friend, play a free roulette game at the best online casinos, read more, write a book, get back on your fitness journey or even improve the overall quality of your life, now is the time to do it. Begin right away. Create a schedule for yourself!