The Ultimate Guide To Staying Productive and Healthy In Quarantine

Now that most public places are closed now and everyone is working from home, our sense of routine is shaken. Some of us have loads of extra work, while others are trying to figure out how to spend this extra time. This is the ultimate quarantine guide to help you regain a sense of order during this difficult time and stay healthy in quarantine.

How To Stay Productive In Quarantine

1. See it, do it

It’s very hard to push yourself to start on a project that isn’t due until weeks later. But the more you push it, before you know it, you’ll have countless things to tend to. I personally follow the mindset to see it, do it, or completing something right when it comes up. This way, it’ll help you keep your to-do list to a manageable size, and also develop your self-discipline.

2. Identify your motivation triggers

Motivation triggers are the secret to seeking motivation even when it feels impossible. Simply observe yourself as you go through the days, and make a list of what gets you in the mood to be productive. For example, here are mine:

• Talking to similar-minded people and finding out what they’re working on
• Listening to upbeat music
• Cleaning up my surrounding space

I’m also running a productivity and motivation challenge to help you get maximum productivity during this time–it’s actually helped me achieve loads! It’s free to join, and there’s a printable planner I made that’s helped me a lot. Join here.

3. Work together with others as you normally would

A way to restore a sense of routine is to work together with others as you normally would, whether with co-workers or friends. It’ll get your daily kick of social interaction in, plus “two heads are better than one!”

4. Use this abundance of time to your advantage

This extra time right now is such a gift – let’s make the most of it. Use this time to explore what you’ve always wanted to, and start a passion project. Some passion projects you can start at home are:

• Start a blog and share your tips and thoughts
• Start a side-hustle, such as an online shop and make some $$
• Film a short film and upload it to YouTube
• Take on a 30-day exercise challenge

How to Stay Healthy in Quarantine (Physically and Mentally)

1. Don’t overload yourself with things to do 

With this abundance of time, it’s easy to feel compelled to load ourselves with a ton of tasks. The thing is, this doesn’t do you any favours in terms of trying to be motivated and productive in quarantine, because its not very likely that you’ll finish all of those things you assigned yourself to do. You might feel easily overwhelmed with this combination of anxiety and uncertainty during this difficult time. Set boundaries to how many projects/tasks you can take on at once, and it’s okay to let go of the things that are no longer serving you.

2. Explore self-compassion and meditation

We need kindness and mindfulness more now – than ever. Next time you feel frustrated, just slow down and tell yourself a simple, kind phrase such as “It’s okay, I believe in you that you will get to where you’re meant to be.” It may sound silly, but you’ll be amazed at how warm and comforting it feels!

I also encourage you to take some time in the middle of the day, when things are busiest, to take a step back. Do a short meditation to recollect your thoughts, before continuing on with your day.

3. Don’t neglect your loved ones 

Do you ever forget to do something, then the longer you don’t do that thing, the more you don’t want to? Unfortunately, it can be the same with keeping in touch with your loved ones during this time. It’s very easy to become immersed in our own projects and forget that we need social connection.

Set aside at least 30 minutes each day and just catch up with a friend. Even if it’s something as simple as “How was your day? What did you do today?”, it can make a big difference in both of your days

4. Set visual reminders

It’s easy for things such as hydration and nutrition to slip our minds when we’re so busy working. But these are super important to stay healthy in quarantine! To combat this, set visual reminders around your workspace:

• Have a full water bottle by your workspace at all times. You’ll end up drinking more water!
• Set a timer for when to take a meal break
• Set boundaries for when it’s time to put away your screens and start getting ready for bed

5. Get in touch with nature (in safe ways)

When you get caught up in the whirlwind of tasks and feel inundated by social media, one of the best things is to re-ground yourself by going into nature. Spending time outside will help you clear your head, come back to work with a whole new perspective and get fresh air in your lungs. Here are some safe ways how you can do that during this time:

• Move your workspace into the backyard, especially on a sunny day with a cool drink, this is so refreshing!
• Spend time with your pets – take them out for walks, shower them with love, after all, they don’t usually get to see you this much! Did you know that being around pets can decrease your stress levels?
• Take short walks around your neighbourhood – it might not be much, but it’s better than nothing. Enjoy the little glimpses of nature you may normally brush past.

Contributing writer: Karen Chen, productivity lifestyle blogger at Rosethorns and Honeydew.