Ever since I left for University, life got very hectic and I hardly spent time at home and so being home for the past 3 months has made me appreciate and enjoy the little things in life that I was missing out on.
I have my evening meal with my parents every day and get to spend quality time with them and my brother. We talk about everything under the sun and occasionally I get to tease my little brother which is always fun. My brother recently turned 18 and this was the first family birthday in 4 years where we were all together. It took me some time to get used to staying at home and adapting to this new lifestyle but with the pandemic, this seems to be the way ahead- a move towards the new normal.
Writing my dissertation from home has been a little challenging because when we were in Manchester, some of us would get together and have study sessions that kept us in check and we would often reward ourselves with a night out. The shift to working from home has required a high degree of self-discipline and keeping strict deadlines. But it’s also great to not worry about bills and making food now that I am home. It helps me focus more on the projects at hand. I feel, like many others, I have days when I enjoy this and then days I really wish I could go out and see my friends.
Here are some things that have helped me keep a positive outlook and make the best out of the current circumstances and I hope it helps you too:
- Working out a few minutes every day helps you feel energetic and boosts your morale.
- Taking frequent breaks between work. Working from your room can be monotonous so I make a point to get up from my desk every few hours and go take a walk around the house.
- Dressing up occasionally. I lived in my pyjamas for so long I completely forgot what dressing up felt like. Putting on a pair of jeans was oddly satisfying.
- Reading a book
- Keeping in touch with friends from university and having online meetups is a great way to de-stress.
- Taking my dog for walks is the one thing that I look forward to every day.
It’s rightly said that there is no place like home and let’s all take this time to enjoy the little things because before we know it life will gain momentum and we’ll miss these days. Having said that I do hope everyone is keeping safe and well and wish that we find a vaccine and cure for Covid-19 soon.
