How To Be Productive During Quarantine & Make The Most Of Your Time
Concrete ideas on how to be productive during quarantine and make the most of your time at home.
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How to be productive during quarantine? The best way is to learn how to use and manage your time, the only resource you can never ever replace.
With a lot of countries going on lockdown and too many people not being allowed to leave the house without an urgent reason, you might find yourself at a loss with your usual routine out the window and wanting to know how to be productive during quarantine.
What do you do with all this time at home, when you’re literally not allowed to go out?
And you’re not actually sick? This post is for you.
Obviously, if you’re unwell, please follow the correct medical protocol where you live.
In a hurry but really want to do something productive at home?
In Scotland, if we develop a new cough, we’re supposed to self-isolate for seven days. This is true at the time of writing but things change easily so don’t rely on my advice here.
Instead, check out relevant medical bodies like the World Health Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Health Service (NHS).
So, let me repeat: This post is for you if you’re not sick but you’re under a Coronavirus quarantine and need ideas to help you be productive and make the most of your time. There are so many things you can do!
But first, what is a Coronavirus quarantine?
A Coronavirus quarantine simply means staying at home and avoiding all non-essential contact with other people.
For many countries, it’s voluntary although the government does ask people to self-isolate when they experience symptoms similar to that of the Coronavirus.
In some countries (such as Italy), a total lockdown has been enforced and anyone who leaves the house will be questioned by the police.
A lot of people are thinking that quarantine is a totally off-the-charts reaction and that the virus will move through the population anyway so there’s no point to enforcing it.
That is not true but I won’t go into that in detail here because that’s really outside the scope of this post.
If you want to know more about how social distancing, quarantining and self-isolating (all essentially the same things) can help us slow down the Coronavirus, then you must read the post below. And make sure to take note of the first CDC graph in that article.
Anyway, on to the good stuff!
RESOURCES:
How Canceled Events And Self-Quarantines Save Lives, In One Chart – As per the title, this post will show you in a very visual way, through one chart, exactly how important social distancing, quarantining and self-isolating are to slowing down the spread of the virus.
How to be productive during quarantine #1: Create more free time.
Many of us are living a breathlessly fast-paced life.
We keep telling ourselves that we’ll get around to doing all the things, wiping our to-do list clean, spending more time with loved ones, etc when we have more time.
Guess what?
We’ll never get it.
We each only have 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
If you want more free time to do all those things you’ve always said you were gonna do, you need to study what you do with your time, learn how you can prioritise your tasks (including spending time with loved ones and yourself!) and then allocate the time you do have.
In other words, you need to learn some serious time management skills and a Coronavirus lockdown, which could last indefinitely, is the perfect time to do that.
Again, this is if you’re not actually sick.
If you are, then get in contact with a medical professional and focus on getting better – not becoming more productive.
RESOURCES:
How To Have More Free Time Series – Learn how to time track, time block and use time management techniques like the Pomodoro.
This is a series of posts that will teach you, step-by-step, how you can create more free time for all the important things in your life. A must-read for super busy people who can’t seem to do everything they want to do.
How To Work From Home When Quarantined With Children – Easy ideas you can use for when you have to work from home whilst the entire family (including children) are quarantined.
Morning Routine To Help Anxiety – Start a new morning routine to help you cope with anxiety and fear – both of which are spreading like wildfire.
50 Wickedly Productive Things To Do At Home – Our mega list of 50 wickedly productive things you can do when you’re bored at home. You’ll never be bored again.
How to be productive during quarantine #2: Reflect and focus on you.
Take this time to reflect on your life.
What have you been doing recently? Are you where you want to be? Do you know where you’re going? Is your life everything you’ve ever dreamed it could be?
The Coronavirus lockdown could give you the time and space to really study your life, see what works and what doesn’t, and make a plan to improve what works and completely change what doesn’t.
Every dark cloud has a silver lining and this could well be one.
In fact, you might end up deciding that you’ve been neglecting yourself and use this time to dive deep into the concept of self love.
That’s got to be one of the most productive ways you can spend your quarantine time.
RESOURCES:
Why And How To Reflect – A more in-depth explanation that will help you learn exactly why you need to make time to reflect and the best way to do it.
How To Develop Self Love – This series will help you finally fall in love with yourself and realise that it’s actually not such a bad idea to focus on yourself first. Start with The Ultimate Guide and go from there.
How to be productive during quarantine #3: Create a massive to-do list.
You know how productivity gurus say that you need to keep things to a minimum when you’re planning out your day and writing a to-do list?
You’re supposed to prioritise the most urgent ones that you need to complete ASAP.
Yeah, listen to them when you’re trying to juggle so many competing responsibilities at home and at work.
But when you’re under quarantine (thanks again, Coronavirus) and not actually sick, then you’re basically stuck at home with so much time you can suddenly use for whatever you want.
As a mother, I rarely have this kind of time so when it happens, I’m at a loss.
In fact, in many of my mom groups, when this unicorn event happens, there will invariably be a post put up by a mom who now has no idea what to do when she’s all by herself.
Obviously, there are a lot of choices but what you definitely don’t want to do is waste all that time trying to decide what to do with all that time.
Decision fatigue. Analysis paralysis.
They’re real.
So, start with making a massive to-do list.
Write down everything you’ve been wanting to do your entire life.
This will be a sort of goals list slash to-do list.
Once you’re done with your list, mark the ones you can do at home.
No point right now in booking flights to Macchu Picchu because … hello, lockdown remember?
Also, many flights are getting cancelled.
And what if you got stuck there?
To make it easy for you, this is a part of my list:
- Spruce up my blog posts – the really old ones that I wrote when I first started and which, quite frankly, stink.
- Deep clean the kitchen.
- Declutter the bedroom (but hold off on donations).
- Play whatever game the 3-year-old chooses. This time, focus on him without trying to multi-task and using the phone at the same time.
- Actually, just turn the phone off for at least a day.
- Create a budget for the next few months.
- Sort out the paperwork.
- Call family and friends that I keep meaning to get in touch with but never managed to.
- Read a book just for fun.
- Complete some overdue training.
As you can see, these are simple things that hang over my head like the Sword of Damocles.
I keep meaning to get them done and somehow I can’t.
Believe it or not, these little things tend to chip away at your self-esteem without you knowing it.
Why? Because your subconscious will start thinking that if you can’t handle such small things, how can you possibly handle the big things?
How to be productive during quarantine #4: Study all your work-from-home options.
We don’t know how long the Coronavirus outbreak and therefore, your quarantine will last.
This is the perfect time to start future-proofing your income and look for ways to start earning from home.
If you don’t need to earn right now, then you could start a blog.
Start setting it up correctly so it can actually earn you money in the future. FYI: blogging can lead to serious income but it usually takes years, just like your more traditional brick-and-mortar business.
If you need to earn money now, then you can start applying for remote jobs whilst you’re at home or start a brand-new side hustle.
More information in the resources below or you can take the course above (highly recommended):
RESOURCES:
Setting Up A Blog To Make Money – Interested in blogging for a full-time income but don’t know where to start? This post will put you on the right track and give you all the information you need to make sure that the blog you create can actually make you money.
How To Launch A Website For Free The Quick & Easy Way – If you want to try your hand at blogging but don’t want to spend anything because it might not be for you, then this is the one resource you need to read.
19 Sites To Help You Find The Best Work At Home Online Jobs – Don’t want to be a business owner or a freelancer but want to work remotely. The job sites in this post all offer legitimate, thoroughly vetted remote work opportunities.
Beyond The 9-5 – Want to work from home but don’t know what the options are? Take a look at our Beyond The 9-5 Series Interviews for a good selection that can inform your choice.
How to be productive during quarantine #5: Deep clean the house.
Okay, so this isn’t as sexy as the other three but how many times have you sighed over the state of your house and promised yourself that once you have more time at home, you’ll get the house so clean, you’d be able to see your reflection in every surface?
Yep, this is your time to shine, Martha Stewart.
Put on some music and just get going.
Kids at home? Make it a family event.
For more tips and tricks, see the resources below.
RESOURCES:
My Ultimate Feel Good Songs Playlist – A list containing YouTube links to my favourite songs, guaranteed to make you happy. Yes, some of us need proper motivation to clean the house.
How To Enjoy Chores When You Dread It – Speaking of needing motivation, what do you do when you absolutely hate housework but you need to get it done? More quick and easy tips in this post.
How To Keep Your House Clean And Organized [When You Have Kids] – Quarantined with the kids? Get them to help!
How to be productive during quarantine #6: Learn a new skill.
Yes, your Coronavirus quarantine could only last a few days.
Or it could extend for weeks and months.
You don’t really know so you might as well take the leap right now and learn something new.
Luckily, you don’t need to go out to do this.
There are so many online courses you can take that will give you the new skill you require.
I’ve personally used and love Udemy but there are a lot of other online resources that you can look at too, depending on what skill you want to improve.
RESOURCES:
Best Skills To Learn During Quarantine – The top skills I highly recommend anybody learn. If you’re looking for change or self-improvement whilst under quarantine, this is what you need.
Udemy – Currently one of the best global marketplaces for learning and instruction, Udemy connects students all over the world to the best instructors. You’ll learn new skills and, if you wait for the flash sales that happen regularly, this won’t even cost you the earth.
Duolingo – Learn a new language for only a few minutes a day for FREE. This really works for as long as you do it everyday. I highly recommend it.
How to be productive during quarantine #7: Get moving.
One way to be productive during quarantine is to spend some time exercising.
If you’re like me (please say, it’s not just me ha ha), you probably head for the fridge when you’re bored and just get something nice and sweet to nibble on…or drink. Trust me on this, your waistline will not thank you.
Fortunately, I came across this app that is an excellent way to not only find the motivation to move more but also get rewarded for it.
It’s called Sweatcoin, an app that works much like a Fitbit does except instead of simply tracking your steps, it also pays you for it. The more you walk, the more you earn.
Oh, and it’s a legit app. I’ve already qualified for quite a few daily rewards. But I’m saving up for the big ones: there’s a PayPal voucher there for $1,000 that I have my eye on. I’m determined to get it so guess what? I’m moving a heck of a lot more.
I definitely recommend that you check it out.
Final thoughts
As you can see, there are many ways you can be productive if you’re stuck at home during a Coronavirus quarantine.
If there are things you wanted to do but never managed to do before, now is the time.
Don’t wait for the perfect moment and don’t wait until the little things have gotten so big you can’t ignore them.
Tie up all your loose ends.
Okay, maybe not all but a lot of them.
Tie up as many loose ends as you can whilst you’re in isolation.
This is the perfect time to finally write that letter to your grandmother, who absolutely hates phones, 95 miles away.
Or maybe you’ve been trying to meal plan for ages and could never find the time to do so.
Or declutter, clean, start a new business, learn a new skill, spend more time with family and friends (even if you have to do it over the phone or on video).
Make the most out of your time at home and become more productive.
It’s quite possibly the one single benefit you can get from this virus.
To start, I hope that everyone that’s reading this blog post is OK. Right now in my country Portugal and our neighbours Spain, there are a lot of people dying.
That said great post. For me, as a blogger, I’m accustomed to doing some work in-doors but is not easy to maintain a mental balance during this time, especially how things are doing out there.
As for the blog post itself, I really liked the idea number 3. Most people read that same tip and just ignore the power of writing all of your thoughts and objectives by hand.
I’ve been applying that technique about one month and a half from now, and I’ve got some results both in my personal life as in business, my blog.
In my personal life that wrotebook has allow me to not forget key aspects of some conversations with your relatives, majorly with my girlfriend…
As for my blog, I’ve increased my productivity and actually get some ground by doing the right things with head, torso and members, because I start from the beginning to create an organized process.
To people that have a blog or any online business writing down things is an amazing practice. Anyway, great post. I’ll be posting a link to these post on my own blog.
Thank you, Kevin and Jade.
Thank you, Rui!
Hi there, Jade! What a wonderful article! Didn’t regret stopping by as it made me realized how important really are these quarantine days to myself, my job and my family. I’ve been so busy since the very first day of lockdown but didn’t think what should be prioritized until I’ve read this great article.
I need to REFLECT – this is what I supposed to do first which has been missing in my life for quite sometime. There’s still a lot of time though, but I’m gonna do it soonest when my kids aren’t around or during their bedtime.
This could really be the perfect time and space for me to really study my life again. It could be the simplest way I can do this time, but maybe the most productive thing I can spend my quarantine time!
Thank you very much!
This article is coming at the perfect time with so much value. The trend in the world today creates an opportunity to go inwards even on a personal quarantine and make best use of the treasures within. Often people go in search of success and wealth outwardly, ignoring the root of true wealth, which is the human mind. If we can all take advantage of the season and spend more time on meditation we may be surprised at the values we could develop as a result. The author of this article has clearly listed multiple options to help US maximise the fre time that may be available as a result of a quarantine and i fully agree that it can be turned to GOLD with a detailed plan and discipline to follow through the plan. Aslo taking notes of insights and ideas that will naturally come as a result of solitude may prove to be one of the best experiences of a lifetime. Adding new skills can never be underestimated as the multiplier effect surelywill boost general results and diligently accomplishing small tasks can prime the mind for greater accomplishments. I hope the corona virus situation comes to an end soon but in the interim we could also take advantage of the time and rewrite our destinies. Thanks for sharing this unique and loaded article. Cheers!
What an informative article!
Deep cleaning the house is not a bad idea when quarantined and not actually sick or symptomatic.
Given the fact that a lot of schools are closing temporarily for days, even weeks, that means, you can spend more time with your kids now. You can engage with them with games or, have them help with the deep cleaning depending on the age of the child.
A friend of mine’s Grandmother, who is 94 yrs old and regularly volunteers at a hospital (she was a registered nurse), is now in self-isolation as she would be extremely susceptible to this virus. Her daughter is having people do a texting campaign for to keep her involved and engaged on a daily basis.
We all hope that this self-isolation measures will prove to be very temporary and that it will stop the spread of this virus.
Thank you so much for sharing such an excellent article with us. At present, the coronavirus epidemic is taking place and it is a contagious disease, so traveling and traveling to different countries is prohibited. So we have to be locked up in the house and we are just too lazy to spend our time. We have to make a huge to-do list and we have to be productive. After reading your article I have gained a lot of knowledge about this and I like your suggestions very much. I will try to follow these suggestions. I will share your website with my social media friends so that my social media friends can benefit from your website.
First of all thank you so much for sharing such an excellent article with us .Your article is really informative and I gained a lot of knowledge and I think it is very helpful for me .Coronavirus is a very serious form at present and I live in Bangladesh. But I couldn’t get out of the house and do my job, so I thought of making money as an alternative. Since I’ve been working in the online world for a long time, I’ve been focusing more on affiliate marketing at home through the wealthy affiliate website. And I’ve been able to make a lot of money and I’m a successful affiliate marketer .Wealthy Affiliate Websites has provided me with many tutorial videos to learn the work and many tools to take our website to the highest level. In addition, you must be appreciative of the many ways in which you can be productive from being trapped in the coronavirus quarantine room.
My friend lives in Italy and currently has a very serious condition. So I will definitely get your article out to him and he will benefit greatly. And his new experience will certainly share you. Can I share your article on my social media?
I hope that this quarantine does not last long. This is a good list though, as I have been wanting to spend more time with my family but have been unable to because of work and other responsibilities. And although cleaning does not really sounds like a lot of fun, the house can probably use it! Prayers to everyone who is affected by this deadly virus and hope that we are able to move forward!
This issue of corona virus is really that another dimension, and From the way it’s going people might not be able leave their homes anymore as both infected and non inflected people would be quarantined as to prevent further spread of this virus.
Thanks a lot for sharing this very important and informative article as I know it would be of great help to the public as it has been of help to me.. Nor I know if it ever happen I think I not how to send my time.