10 Things to do during quarantine…
As we are all currently being asked by our governments to stay in our homes as to not continue the spread of the coronavirus, we could all use suggestions on how to stay sane and use our time intentionally. This whole situation has been so heartbreaking, especially for college and high school seniors now unable to enjoy prom and graduation, workers who are laid off now unsure how they will provide for their families, and mostly for those who are living in fear of contracting the virus or someone in their family contracting the virus.
If you noticed earlier, I used the word “intentionally”. Yes, this time is weird and no one is completely sure what will happen, but as Christians and those who have hope, we can use this time of quarantine intentionally in many ways.
Study your Bible. Genuinely slow down for a bit and study the Bible - not just read a chapter, but look at commentary and study notes. Use this time to look for verses about fear, comfort, and the hope we have in Jesus. How many times in our lives do we use the excuse “I’m just too busy to have a consistent quiet time”? Well now you have some time! Take a little longer, maybe 30 min or an hour, out of your morning to study what the Bible says. (Bonus if you can get your children/teens to do this too!)
Pray for those in fear. I have been making it a matter of prayer asking God how I can share the Gospel and the hope of Jesus with others during this time. There are so many people who are terrified of what is going in the world, and again, as Christians this is our golden opportunity! Pray for people specifically by name, pray for their children, their work, etc.
Talk/Text/Facetime a friend or family member. This goes beyond the normal conversations you are having. Reach out to people you don’t normally talk to and ask them how they are doing and responding to this crisis. Are your friends extroverted? Definitely FaceTime those people, they need the social interaction. Ask them if they need anything, if they need a little encouragement, or even if they are turning to God for their comfort in this time. Be intentional in your opportunities to have conversations.
Be creative. We serve a God that is the originator of originality, and the creator of creativity. We all have some creative juices, just maybe not in the same way. I am creative with crafts and plants, but my engineer friend is more creative in putting things together and taking them apart. Whatever your creative looks like, lean into practicing those skills.
Make plans for the future. In the midst of everything being cancelled, it’s hard to look past the “now” and look towards the future. During your conversations, make plans to get coffee together after this all blows over. Make plans to go walk around a park, have a get-together at your house, bonfire, swim party - anything that gives you and someone else something to look forward to.
Have a family game night. I admit when I was a teenager the words “family game night” didn’t excite me. However, this is an opportunity to bond as families. Sometimes life gets busy and we don't stop and consider what our family members might be going through. We assume everything in their hearts and minds are just fine because they live under the same roof. Use something as simple as a game night to catch up with the people we take for granted the most.
Actually do work. There is this mindset that when we are at home, we don’t have to do all the same things that we normally would if we are constantly going to work, coming home, etc. We get lazy. Don’t get lazy. Are you a morning person or night person? When do you think the best? Where in the house do you think the best with minimal distractions? Use this time and use those things to your advantage. Work at your optimal hours so you can enjoy the rest of your day.
Read a book for goodness sake. No one reads books anymore and it breaks my heart. Read a book. Any book. I personally like World War II history books, or anything written by Mesu Andrews or C.S. Lewis. Statistically, children with more books in their house are better students, and children who are read to by their parents have higher test scores. Or you could journal, that’s cool too.
Deep clean an area of your house. Everyone has that one area of their house that is ALWAYS messy and no matter what happens, it stays that way. Be a conqueror and deep clean it like it’s never been cleaned before! Clutter is the enemy of clarity. While you are at it, you might want to sanitize it too.
Go after something you’ve been dreaming about. I have always had this dream of opening up a store filled with things I make through sewing, crochet, etc. I’m taking this time to experiment with creating products that I think people would actually buy and enjoy. Have I failed yet? Absolutely! But all these failures are kinks I would have to work out should this dream become a reality. Go after a dream! Make a baby step towards a big goal. Maybe your dream is to get your masters degree - start researching options and comparing them. Slow progress is still progress.
I hope these ideas will help you during this time of social distancing. Let’s not waste our time at home, but use it intentionally to make an impact on the Kingdom.
Stay sane, spiritually fed, and socially distanced.