Last week we discussed the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the most contagious pandemic since the Spanish flu 100 years ago. The world is coming to a standstill and people are either in quarantine or practising social distancing. The latter terms speaks for itself as we, for the safety of our fellow humans, keep a safe distance from each other, avoid large crowds and go out only to buy essential items, like food and medicine.
Since last week, Guyana has recorded its fifth COVID-19 case and schools have been closed. Guyana is following all health and safety protocols as recommended by the WHO. The public service is rotating its staff and some companies are granting grace periods for the payment of bills.
Parents who have the luxury to be at home with their children or families who find themselves spending much more time together now have to find ways of keeping themselves occupied. After all, being indoors for quite some time can take a toll on anyone’s mental health.
While we all need to be more tuned in to what’s going on with the virus both at home and internationally, we also need to limit the time we spend glued to our phones and computers. The more time we spend on our devices is less time we have to do things that will keep us occupied and away from excessive worry and anxiety.
Let’s look at some of the things that we can do to stay occupied while still having fun:
● Reading: Since the arrival of the smartphone,
we have found ourselves interacting less with
print. Sure, there are advantages to a device like
the Kindle, if you’re into that, but there’s
nothing quite like holding a book and taking in
the smell of an actual page. Ask yourself when
was the last time you read a good book.
Reading will take you places and allow your
imagination to wander. If you have children,
getting them into the habit of reading is always
a plus. Of course, you might want to steer clear
of anything apocalyptic at a time like this.
● Painting: Next time you go out to grab your
essentials, picking up some paint and canvas
might not be a bad idea. Whether you paint
alone or with your children, there is something
therapeutic about creating your own master
piece. No world renowned artist will ever tell
you they “planned” theirs. It seem like the best
works of art are done with a free flowing mind.
And who knows? You might actually be the
next Picasso or Van Gogh.
● Family games: Playing games with your family
is always fun and you don’t need to do it out
doors either. Whether it’s playing Scrabble,
Jenga, Twister or Monopoly, you can’t go
wrong with good old family fun. Few things
beat good laughs and bringing the family closer
together.
● Exercise at home: So now that the gym is out
of the question, there is nothing stopping you
from exercising at home. After all, no one ever
needed equipment to do crunches and push-ups.
If you have kids, you can make it fun by finding
ways of incorporating them into your workout
routines. Breaking a sweat releases “feel good”
hormones and lowers stress levels, so try it for
half an hour a few times a week.
● Rekindling the romance: Because everyone
works, whether from home or from the office, a
common complaint in marriage is about the
lack of time spent with each other. Well, here’s
your chance to do more things together. Apart
from helping each other out with household
chores, sit and reminisce about how you first
met. Plan a nice dinner and drink a bottle of
wine or two. Use this time to rekindle your
romance and you’d be surprised to see how
much stronger your bond becomes over time.
I’ve listed a few activities but there’s so much more that you can do to keep yourself preoccupied with something other than the coronavirus. While it is important to keep tabs on the news, try to limit yourself to an hour in the morning and an hour at night. More importantly, continue to take all safety precautions like keeping a safe distance and washing your hands well with soap.
Alicia Roopnaraine is a Psychologist at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation’s Psychiatric Department. You can send questions or comments to her at aliciaroopnaraine@gmail.com
