How To Make The Most Out Of The Stay-At-Home Policy – Covid 19 Crisis & Effects
It may not be the same in every nation but some nations have kept their citizens housebound with the exceptions of those dealing on the essentials of life. We know it, we feel it. It’s all over the place, from America to Africa, Asia to Australia, there’s this ennui and boredom attitude of some people whose authorities, whether regional or national, have imposed not just a travel ban but a stay-at-home policy for a while, with a not-so-good fine or some sort of punishment for perpetrators. With this in mind, we intend to help some of you address the boredom, by suggesting how and what to spend time on during the convid-19 confinement. Our suggestions include some activities to find pleasure in, things to imbibe or ways to adapt your life at this special and crucial moment.
If you are bored, you can make the most out of the stay-at-home policy with the following.
- Time to Combine shopping & other engagements together. The stay-at-home order has limited our time to do anything anyhow. With this limited time you have to plan well before you step out. By the way, I am talking because I believe that the government of your nation allows you to come out only for essential purposes like shopping, and medical reasons or just to take some brief fresh air around your abode or to jug within your vicinity. It may be different in other countries. Please check to see what is in place from your local authorities and obey the rules governing that area. That said, if you are at home and would want to do several things outside like shopping, hugging, seeing the doctor or saying ‘hello’ to someone close, you can opt for combining these activities to just one outing rather than going out multiple times in a day or week. You can plan your shopping, seeing the doctor and hugging all in one day and/or at one session of outing. This helps to limit your outings and contacts.
- Time to Choose one person to run errands for the whole family. Yes for large families that are together, in order to avoid catching the covid-19 through contacts from outside, do not allow just everyone to go out at will and come at will. Rather, choose one person trusted by all who would do the things needed outside for the entire family. He can do shopping for everyone and do other outside chores for everyone. It’s much better than to have everyone go out and do for themselves. One can contract the virus and contaminate others at home.
- Time to practice Bible reading to feed your spirit. For those who are Christians and even the non-Christians who want to know about God and His ways of doing things, the stay-at-home order provides you the time to start practicing Bible study at home. There’s no better time than now. A time free of any engagement, distractions, and appointments that can see off the house or that you can give as an excuse. Make use of this time to read your Bible by yourself and so feed your spirit and grow in the knowledge of the Lord.
- Time to practice home fellowship. Just as it provides you with the best time to Bible self-study, it’s also a good moment for house fellowship by yourself or with those about the house. No, you don’t have to go call others who are unwilling to join you, you go do it yourself. Anyone who wants to join you at home is fine. But the fellowship I stress here is personal rather than collective or corporate worship. And this worship is centered on prayer, praise and adoration of the lord. Don’t waste your 24 hours daily without having fellowship with the Lord at home. Whether it’s 20 minutes to an hour or two, just do it as the spirit leads you.
- Time to self educate for a new career or increase knowledge on existing one. This stay-at-home order also makes room to read other books or courses for those who are students or want to learn something new in life. New courses to educate yourself. For those who want to study other courses, you can start a course and finish it all by yourself. Smart students can use this opportunity to learn quickly in a quiet environment free of the friends that used to disturb them at school campus. Without distraction, you can make the most out of your study.
6. Time to do some sports at home. You can do some sports around your compound and within the space of your home. Because each home is different, some may not have enough space for such sportive activities, however, do reprogram your mind to conform with the space available One can do jugging even within a small space. You can jug around your bedroom, living room, kitchen, bathroom or toilet. Any of these places is space to warm yourself up. But you have to tell your mind so. For those who have trainers or are following gym lessons, you can still keep up with that online with your trainer. Check to see what’s online concerning your sport lessons and follow the schedule while at home.
7. Time to cuddle and bond with your spouse. This particularly is for the married couples, to use the stay-at-home to bond better. It’s possible that the rate of sexual and physical violence may be high for some couples who aren’t in tune with each other and are forced to stay together in obedience to the stay at home order. Rather than focus on your differences, focus on the things that you both share; the things that bring you together. Try as much as possible to make things right between you couples. It’s a moment for compassion, forgiveness, and letting go of the past. Just think about those dying out there and be grateful that you are alive.
8. Time for meditation. The stay-at-home is a good time for meditation. If you are alone, you are lucky because you can engage in this special moment easily free of distraction. Meditation on the word of God is a very good practice to imbibe in your daily life, and you can make a start with this stay at home moment. Joshua 1:8 says The Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to what is written so that you may be successful in all you do.
9. Time to watch educational movies. Do not spend your time watching movies that don’t help change your life or the way you think. Movies are meant to inspire you to see the future that you aspire to. They also help solve existing societal problems. Movies create hope, educate, and inform. Do not spend time watching movies that add to your problems, that increases the level of hatred and violence. That would make you want to start stealing and go into drugs, alcohol and prostitution. You can find good and educational movies on Netflix and Irokotv.
10. Time to reconcile with your enemy whether near or far. It could be spouse or family friends or family members. When you see what is happening all over the world, there’s a surge of compassion welling up from within for those people losing their lives and their families. We all identify with one another irrespective of nation, color or language. Now what about your own very enemies whom you know and are bearing grudges with? They are part of humanity with whom you can make things right. Imagine that tomorrow you hear one of your enemies is dead, would you be happy? I think not in the circumstances we find ourselves now we are our brothers’ keepers. As you are now closer because of the stay at home order, make things right with the enemies around you.
11. Time for artistic creativity. If you are an artist, this is the moment to get creative. At this stay-at-home period, the mind is very creative with silence. It can unleash its creative capacity if you let it. So get creative! Write more hit songs and compose them. Write more Movie scripts. Write more articles and store them on your digital shelf. Do more paintings and drawings from within. In short, The degree to which the mind of an artist can be creative and tap from within unlimited. As an artist, when this period is over, don’t be found wanting. Have an inventory to show for the use of your stay at home time. Get busy writing and creating without the rush and noise of the day.
