The last three weeks has been strange to say the least. It has been the longest three weeks of my life.
And today, it has just been announced that the ECQ (Enhanced Community Quarantine) has just been extended from April 14 to April 30. I was actually thinking this would go on for three months for us to be able to #FlattenTheCurve.
Obviously, this is a time of great stress to us all. While I was trying to keep myself positive in the first week and I was saying to myself that once this is over, it’s back to normal. At the back of my head, I knew that THIS is going to be our new NORMAL. There is no going back. We can only go forward, pray, and hope for the best.
Yes, everything is uncertain as of now and to be honest, I am freaking out on the inside. My anxiety is at an all time high with covid 19 and the government and the world.
Sinasabi ko na lang sa sarili ko that it’s gonna be okay. Things might get ugly but it’s gonna be okay. The pandemic might not get me but I might get crazy first and then my stress and anxiety will get the better of me.
So I’ve decided. I decided to slow down and take things as they come. Everything’s a process and I’m just gonna let myself absorb all the things that’s happening and digest it. As slowly and as long as it takes me. I won’t force myself to be productive anymore.
So far, here’s what I’ve done the past few days to de-stress and what I’m planning to do in the coming days…
Turn Off The News
I was filled with worry and panic the first week because I have been in tuned to the news and social media updates the whole day. This time, I just keep myself up to date. Do the same, keep yourself up to date but don’t watch the news all day. It will just feed worry and panic.
Eat Together As a Family
We’ve been doing this since day 1 of the community quarantine and I believe that the kids are somehow getting the comfort they need and feel how much we love them.
Play Games with your family
Bring out old board games and start bonding with the family. It can be as simple as snakes and ladders. As for us, it’s going to be our Game Of Thrones Monopoly.
Cook With Your Family/Kids
This is something that we always do for fun — we bond over cooking and eating. I think it’s a great way to de-stress as well.
Do some crafts or paint
Or finally do that project you’ve been wanting to do. Hmmnn, as for me, I’m planning to do more crafts with Ykaie and Twinkle.
Clean/Organize The House (Or Parts of it at a Time)
The germophobe in me came out and I’ve started cleaning the house since day one. Since I can’t do it at one time, I do it on a per-part-of-the-house basis.
Clean and Sort Out The Kids’ Toys
I started cleaning out Twinkle’s toys! Hala, ang damiii na pala naming naipon. Other toys are for throwing out na rin kasi it’s either broken or there are parts missing already.
Indulge in Self Care
Have a “Spa day” at home. It’s time na ilabas na ang mga masks, aromatherapy jars and oils, at kung anu-ano pang pang-self care. I am also planning to do some work out again. I’ve been stress eating for three weeks already.
I started planting food plants. I was planning to do this for the longest time kaya lang hindi natutuloy. Mukhang this time I’m gonna be able do it.
Binge Watch Those On Your List
I started watching season 1 of Prison Break. Yes, I know, it’s an old series that I wasn’t able to watch when it was aired. So I’m binge watching it at Netflix right now.
Focus on the things that you can control and not the things that you can’t control
This is something I’m having a bit of a hard time. There’s too much negativity in the air, too much contradiction, too many opinions and disagreements. Hay, ka-stress na.
Find something to be grateful for..
I’ve practiced writing blogs a la gratitude journal before but I stopped doing it and I don’t know why. I didn’t stop being grateful, it’s just that I have been busy blogging about a lot of things..
Today, here are the things I am grateful for…
- that we are spending a lot of time together as a family
- that people who are sick with the virus are recovering.
- That we are still healthy
- that we still have money to spend for things we need like food and medicine
- that we are able to stay in the comforts of our home
There is an abundance of things to be grateful for even during this uncertain time.
I saw this wonderful post on Facebook today and wanted to share it with you:
33 Responses
Thank you Momshie for sharing, we need to be strong and always think positive. Mawawala dn itong pandemic magtiwala lang tayo mga momshie sa panginoon.
I don’t watch news na nga din kasi nakaka sad. Sana maging okay na ang lahat.
Ako naman po lage nag aabang ng balita para aware pdin sa mga pangyayari sa paligid natin. Malaking papasasalamat padin po kahit paano ay marami parin ang naka survive sa pandemic though mas marami parin ang mga nasawi.
Lagi akong nanonood ng balita, nakakasad lang din kasi madami tlagang matitigas ang ulo, tiyak na mas tataas pa ang bilang ng mga cases na positive sa covid19 pamdemic na ito.. Pray lang ng pray at stay at home lang talaga tayo..🙏🙏
Great Peachy, a wonderful and inspiring list of to do things in this lock-down time.
Nakakalungkot lang na nag extend pa ang ECQ dahil sa pagdami parin ng positive sa virus, pero pray lang mayayari din ito at babalik sa normal ang lahat.
I’m praying na matapos na itong hinaharap natin na krisis. Mahirap pero dahil din dito nabawasan yung polusyon sa labas. Nakapahinga si mother earth. And syempre mas nakapag bonding kami ng buong family ko.
Dahil sa ECQ nakapaglinis kami ng mga kids ko ng buong bahay. ☺ Bonding time na rin
Pati nga social media nakakastress na din nagkalat pa mga fake news. Kaya more on watching movies kami ng mga kids.
Thanks sa ideas mommy. Sa ngayon more on teaching and reading books kami ng mga bata.
Thanks For This Mommy!💙 Kami nman ni Lo momsh tinuturuan ko magsulat tyka mgsalita ng maayos😊
Wow nice place sarap punta sa gnyan place buo kayo famliy😍😍😍
Just like you, I’ve stopped checking on the news even on social media. And since I live alone, I can only eat by myself. And yes, I’ve done more cleaning that I would on what used to be my normal. I just got very busy with my blog and social media accounts that I barely had time to think about CoViD and the ECQ. I believe that I’ve been productive.
Gratitude is really important and can help us not feel as out of control or depressed. Great list.
I’m feeling a lot of uncertainty right now so your tips will really come in handy. Turning off the news is important.
I like these ideas. We have been doing some of them. We’ve done crafts, baked, and I’m starting to organize! Some days we do nothing!
Thanks for these tips. There is much to learn during this time at home with our loved ones.
I think all the uncertainty about the whole pandemic is the scariest part. Especially with kids, because they do not understand why they can’t see grandparents or friends. This list is a great way to get your mind off of things that are going on in the world. Binge-watching Netflix and Hulu is definitely helping us.
Family is so important during this time. I am trying hard to make sure to show more kindness to them
It is just my husband, dog, and I for this lock down and my husband still has to work during the day. So I have found myself very much endulging in self care and cleaning those parts of the house that are usually missed during our regular routines. I have found that we love game nights at least once a week, and that a home workout routine isn’t the worst thing in the world.
I totally agree with you. This is the best time to bond with the entire family. To love and to annoy they say. Thanks for the inspos.
This whole experience has really caused a disruption but it also created an opportunity to look at how we do things! These are great ideas and I have to admit, I have been enjoying binge watching my shows just a little toooo much haha
These are great ideas!
I love that you started with turn off the news… 😅
I haven’t been horribly worried–I’ve been closely following the news on COVID-19 since January, so i figured it was going to be a dumpster fire…but..even still, the handling of it has just made me so angry. I’ve mostly stopped paying attention now because it makes me fume, and makes me hurt too much for those experiencing loss from this. When all we can really do to help is stay home, it’s definitely better to stop letting voices on the news effect our emotions.
I’ve been enjoying extra time with family, and am trying to make sure i take some extra time for self-care, too!
I’ve been social distancing at home with no work for 2 months. I’m quite ready for this thing to be over now!
I’ll be honest, my husband and I have been watching A LOT more television than normal – but that’s okay! We’re enjoying the time together watching our favourite shows and movies while cuddling with the pups many evenings, and weekends are largely spent in the back yard wearing the dogs out lol
Indulging in self-care has bee so nice… yoga every morning, preparing healthy meals, having the time to work out AND then go for a run or walk – it has been beautiful for sure.
In spite of being stuck at home for so long and missing all of our activities, we have done well at living with each other. No craziness and we are still chill. But it will be so nice to get back to regular life again.
Being busy with your family doing fun games and crafts is one of the best things to do during the quarantine. Spending quality time with them is a briliant idea! <3
We have been cooking together a lot more than we have ever in all our time of being a family!! I love this part of quarantine!! Thanks so much for sharing all these great things to do!!
Thanks for sharing, this is very helpful. I have stopped checking news about COVID-19. It just depresses me. Cleaning is one thing which keeps me busy as there is always something to clean! I also love doing word search and playing Solitaire.
An interesting list of things to do during lockdown. I downloaded Disney+ and am binging on Disney cartoons
I have been busy cooking and learn new recipes for my family. I always say I’m busy and now I have a lot of time.
A great list. Much needed in these difficult times of quarantine.