Surviving COVID-19 Self Isolation
I’ve been in self isolation since returning from my Montana ski trip in mid March going out only for groceries about once per week. As the world is also moving towards self isolation (as all responsible people should by now), I noticed through my video chats with friends that some were pretty unhappy due to this isolation. So I shot a video to share some ideas with others on how to survive and tolerate self isolation due to this corona virus pandemic a bit better.
Personally I’m not finding self isolation all that bad as I’m able to keep pretty busy and entertained. So much like in the video above, I’m going to summarize the different activities that I’m keeping busy with at home which will hopefully give others some ideas in case they feel stuck.
Keep Healthy And Fit During Self Isolation
As soon as I came back from the USA, I realized that I can no longer ski since all ski resorts closed down as did all community centres and gyms so moving into my swim season early wasn’t an option either. Fortunately I have a home gym setup so continuing my strength training with weights did not represent any change for me. Since the weather warmed up as it’s spring time, I’m also able to just walk right outside in my backyard to restart my martial arts after the long winter season of skiing.
Next to my weights and bench is my floor mat where I do my stretching for flexibility which I intend to do more of since it wasn’t a major part of my ski season. As for cardiovascular exercise, I don’t run and do not have a stationary bike but that doesn’t mean other folks should not. For me, most of my cardio has been in the pool but since that’s no longer an option right now, I’m getting my cardio through martial arts as well as hopping back and forth one leg at a time to simulate a ski movement. Although cardio can be boring for many people, I’ll put on music or watch videos while I’m exercising which gets me through.
Health and fitness should still be a priority for everyone even during COVID-19 self isolation. Being creative will enable you to get the right exercise even by yourself. Use the internet to show you exercise routines if you don’t know enough of them and there are even workout classes to follow along online too. Finally for this category, don’t forget to maintain a healthy diet.
Take Care Of Pets During COVID-19 Pandemic
One of the biggest losses for us as a result of COVID-19 at least as far as I’m concerned is the cancellation of our social events including our dog hikes which my small dogs group was so looking forward to in starting a brand new spring season. The many benefits of getting our dogs together so they can socialize with each other had to be put on hold for now since social distancing also means that dogs should be kept apart for now since they can be carriers of the corona virus passing it onto humans (although it seems that dogs can’t get sick from the virus).
However this does not mean that we cannot take our dogs outside. I’m still taking my Lhasa Apso dog Roxie outside for walks since she needs the exercise as well and loves exploring nature out there. As shown in the video, we can still maintain social distancing whenever we go outside as it’s fairly quiet around our neighbourhood with lots of open park spaces and few people outside. We are not finding any problems at all taking our walks and we are able to keep to ourselves all the time.
Use Your Computer For Various Activities During Self Isolation
If you are reading this blog post, then you will agree with me that fortunately we live in an online world. I’m using my computer for various activities which are not only helping me tolerate self isolation, but can also turn parts of it into opportunities. Most folks already know that the internet including YouTube, Netflix and other sources of entertainment streaming will certainly get us through many hours at home. There have been excellent movies and TV shows produced over the last couple of years and many are binge worthy. I cite several recommendations on my video that I really like.
Another way one can use the computer during this time is for maintaining connections with others via video chats. Although we are physically disconnected, we can still remain connected socially by using different video chat platforms like Facebook Messenger, Google Hangouts, Zoom, Skype, Whatsapp, Whereby and others. I’ve been doing both group video chats as well as one on one sessions with friends both locally and overseas. It’s like sitting across the table from them having a coffee. Maintaining socially connected is important for one’s general well being and mental health.
A third category how I’m using my computer is for learning. I’ve been telling others that we all have extra time to learn about things that we each always wanted to learn but never had time before. Now we have more time and the internet is a goldmine of information whether you want to learn how to become a better chef, do better renovations or in my case, learn a new foreign language like Mandarin. There are tons of instructional videos and programs online for almost any topic so now is a great time to dig deep.
I produced a variety of instructional programs in a range of topics including personal development, communications skills, dog training and guitar playing over the years. Some of these are offered for free and everyone is welcome to explore them at my main Clint Cora website.
Related to the computer are books, both actual hard copy versions as well as digital ebooks. If there are any books lying around at home but you never had the chance to open them up, this is a good time to dust them off and get on your couch with them.
Pursue Other Activities Like Music During Corona Virus Pandemic
We can use this alone time to pursue other activities like hobbies which we may have put on the back burner. In my case, another huge passion of mine is music. I play guitar and now have lots of time to practise. I’m also expanding my music time into learning the latest techniques of home recording as well as continuing my songwriting craft.
I know that there are many folks out there who have musical instruments at home but never really learned to play them. Although music lessons with a teacher in person is not possible right now, our computers also have resources to teach music. I even have free beginner guitar lessons on video available for people who want to dig out that abandoned guitar from their closets and finally learn how to play it – just go to my guitar lessons on video website for details.
Use COVID-19 Self Isolation Time Wisely
So hopefully these ideas are helpful. If we use our self isolation time wisely, we all have the opportunity to come out of this COVID-19 mess a bit smarter, more knowledgeable and perhaps even more physically fit. It all depends on how you choose to use your time so use it wisely. If we are going to have to self isolate and maintain social distancing for a much longer time than anyone first thought, just imagine how much more we can accomplish while we are at home.
Stay well and stay safe.
