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The world is having to adjust to their new norm now by staying at home and having less contact with family, friends, and co-workers. For a lot of people, this has been a difficult time being so isolated, but there’s also a lot of positives that are coming out of this. People are connecting more by checking up on each other via video chat, fitness challenges are becoming more popular and there is extra time now to catch up with those books that have been collecting dust. Here are some things you can do to help keep your spirits up while you’re safe at home:

1. Take a Walk Everyday

In most countries, we are still allowed to take a walk outside as long as we are not infected and adhering to the social distancing guidelines. We both take a walk with our dogs as often as we can, but also take walks alone to walk at a faster pace. There are many benefits to walking outdoors like increasing your Vitamin D levels and improving your mood.

2. Video Chat Weekly

We have been chatting with our family every week ever since this whole crisis started and it has been really nice connecting with everyone again. We love to watch our little niece playing her silly games and hearing about what our parents are experiencing in Japan.

We also started a virtual happy hour with our friends and it is so much fun. It’s a brilliant idea and I don’t know why we didn’t do this before. It’s better than going to a bar or restaurant to meet up because you don’t have to worry about the loud noise, you don’t have to dress up, and you don’t need a designated driver or spend money on an Uber. You can just relax at home and have a great chat with your friends.

3. Take On Fitness Challenges at Home

We have been challenging ourselves to workout at home every day and so has the rest of the world. Fitness challenges have become a huge hit on social media with friends encouraging each other. There are all sorts of free live-stream workouts right now offered by fitness studios and gyms.

Crystal likes to watch her favorite Youtube fitness channels like Popsugar Fitness and MadFit. Candy decided to try a more personalized monthly workout called Booty by Brett for $30 a month (monthly payment option). The fitness plan was created specifically for working out at home during these unprecedented times, so the videos are current and you also receive printable workout logs.

You can also help out your local fitness trainer by scheduling a virtual fitness appointment. Yadhira Maldonado is a great example and will help you with the right wellness program that fits your needs.

4. Stay Productive

Staying at home every day can make you a bit sluggish and lazy. To avoid this slump, make sure to do your usual morning routine, create daily tasks and more. We usually get ready in the mornings and this definitely helps kickstart your day into being productive. Writing down your daily tasks will also help you keep focused on things you need to get done instead of getting sidetracked.

5. Create Goals

Creating goals gives you a sense of purpose everyday. Making a list and checking them off helps us stay on track with the goals. You don’t have to make goals that are overwhelming and far to reach. Start out small and create daily goals like cleaning your bathroom or watch a tutorial. Create goals that you know you’ll be able to accomplish.

6. Decorate and Brighten Your Space

You’ll be spending a lot more time in your house or apartment, so this is the perfect time to clean, decorate, and brighten your space. Research shows that an adequate amount of light improves mood and energy levels. If you can’t get natural light in your room, try painting your room a different color that can bring you optimism and mental clarity or make it more calming and relaxing.

I (Candy) decided to create an accent wall in my bedroom to make it a little more special. I added a Vintage Palm Peel and Stick Wallpaper by Drew Barrymore Flower Home which was super easy to install. All I needed was a pair of scissors and some moral support from my pup, Zooey. I simply cut the wallpaper, removed the backing, and stuck it to the wall. If I made any mistakes, it was easy to peel and reapply. The best part is that I won’t have to worry about leaving any sticky residue or damage behind if I ever decide to remove it. This is great for those of us who live in rental units.

7. Dust-Off Those Books and Start Reading Again

Do you buy books, read a few chapters and then forget about it for months? That’s Crystal. She hasn’t actually finished a book in years. Now is the time to read those books again. The Happiness Project or Year of Yes is a great start. If you have any book recommendations, please let us know!

8. Learn New Recipes

I’m sure a lot of us have stocked up on groceries or have the opposite problem of not being able to find certain ingredients. Get creative and learn some new recipes. Our friends at A Simple Palate have tons of delicious recipes ranging from vegetarian to 30-minute meals and more. Just looking at their pictures makes our stomachs growl.

9. Start a Youtube Channel

We have been giving weekly updates on our Youtube channel and it actually helps out with the situation we’re all going through. It’s like a video diary and therapeutic in a way where we talk about what’s going on in our lives and viewers from around the world comment to share what they’re going through as well. It reminds you that you’re not alone in this and everyone is going through the same thing.

10. Catch Up on All Your Favorite Shows and Movies

It’s important to stay productive while you’re at home, but it’s also okay to relax and catch up on your shows and movies. That’s what we’ve been doing. Some of our favorite TV shows we’ve been catching up on are Westworld, Better Call Saul, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and more.

Some fun movies to watch are Frozen 2, Always Be My Maybe, and The Other Guys (our personal favorite). You can also check out this complete list of 50 Best Comedies currently on Netflix. If you want to go to the dark side, Contagion is an interesting watch. It’s eerily similar to what’s going on now except their version is more extreme.

11. Support Charities, Local Businesses and More

This is a trying time and many people are in need of help. Giving support to those in need will make you feel good and strengthen your personal values. We’ve already have seen some of our friends in the service industry lose their jobs and it’s especially difficult for the self-employed (example: Etsy sellers) to receive economic relief from the government. Here is a list of some charities that help those in the service industry and more:

• Housing Relief (COVID-19)

• Feeding America

• CoWorker.org

• Children of Restaurant Employees COVID-19 Relief Program

• US Bartenders Guild COVID-19 Relief Fund

• Freelancers Relief Fund

• Movement for Black Lives COVID19 Mutual Aid Fund

12. Challenge Yourself and Try D.I.Y. Projects

I am by no means a pro when it comes to D.I.Y., but I do own a sewing machine that gets pretty neglected. With the shortage of masks, I decided to look up some easy D.I.Y. mask projects on YouTube and found dozens of them. Some of them were more advanced than others, but I finally came across this one that seemed easy enough to attempt. I had to get a little creative and found dish towels and an old pillowcase for fabric and then discovered some leftover elastic in my sewing kit.

If you are really in the DIY spirit and have a pup, try making a dog bed. I had a very large beach towel and decided to make Zooey a new dog bed. I used an old comforter and a bunch of throw blankets, that were taking up space in my closet, to fill the cover. I just winged it when making this cover, but there are several YouTube Dog Pet Bed tutorials out there.

We’d love to hear some of the things you’ve been doing to keep your spirits up during this unprecedented time.