5 Tips For Staying Sane While Staying Home

 Alice Petch

Well, 2020 has been off to a fine old start. First the bushfires, then the floods, now a pandemic. With some classes cancelled and moved online, and many students making the decision to spend more time studying at home, we’re all going a bit stir crazy. Here are some tips to keep you sane while studying or working from home!

1.      Break up your time.

Let’s be honest, the idea of sitting at home and watching lecture recordings all day is pretty grim. Divide your day into chunks and give yourself some nice breaks. My personal favourite is an episode of FRIENDS for every hour-long lecture. You could also schedule in cuddle breaks with your dog, time to play your guitar or to game.

2.      Move!

Do some living room yoga. Have a stretch. Walk around the block. Run around the garden with your dog, or do some star jumps. Take care of your body and your mind.

3.      Make yourself some good food!

I know Sydney seems to be under the apprehension that all you need to survive is toilet paper and pasta, but some vitamins can go a long way, as does variety. Take the time to take care of yourself – the last thing you need is scurvy right now. Although two minute noodles are in high demand at the moment, fresh produce stock seems pretty normal. Get cooking!

4.      Do some baking.

This helps with numbers 1-3 too! Schedule in a baking break. Have a dance party in the kitchen while you fill your house with the smell of your favourite baked good, share it with your family or house-mates and bring some delicious brightness to their day. If baking’s not your thing, no worries - make yourself a gourmet breakfast, do some painting, or work on any creative project you’ve been putting off. Give yourself a break from the grind and let your mind focus on something that will bring some calmness and happiness to your day. Maybe it’s brownies, maybe it’s fixing the motorbike in your garage, maybe it’s writing your autobiography or a post for your blog.

5.      Stay in contact

Call up a friend or family member. There’s a lot of anxiety in the air at the moment and it is so important that we stay in touch and continue to invest in our relationships and take care of one another. Even if your routine has been drastically changed, try to maintain some normalcy by keeping in touch with your friends. Call your mate who is meant to be travelling, whose work shifts have been cut down, or who’s sitting at home trying to do uni readings like you.