The Happiness Series: Quarantine Health

Being trapped in the house, I’ve been thinking a lot about projects that I can get done: things that I’ve been putting off, fun activities to keep me busy, and productive ways to spend this time in quarantine. At the same time, I’ve been talking to many people about mental health and staying positive through all these challenges. In thinking about these two things so much, it dawned on me that I could combine the two. Staying happy and healthy is always something I’ve been interested in learning about and working on, and what better time to start a happiness project. I know I need it, but the people around me need it too, as I’m sure so many people out there do as well. So, I’m beginning the happiness series: a series of blog posts dedicated to working on mental health.

While I do not consider myself any kind of expert, my own happiness and mindfulness is something that I have been working on for a very long time. I learned resiliency and positivity at a pretty young age and have been personally working on these things since then. Years ago, I worked on something that I called The Enrichment Project, which focused on ways I could improve my overall health and live a more holistic life. Recently, I’ve been taking Yale’s online course on happiness, “The Science of Wellbeing”. Through this class and through things I have already learned, I am trying to stay positive in the face of COVID-19, despite the many challenges.

My plan for this series is to post a few simple tips on a regular basis that can help others stay grounded and positive as well. As I do research and work my way through Yale’s course, I will share what makes me happy so that you too can implement these things into your daily life.

Happiness Tips for today:

An Hour to Yourself

Many people are working at home right now, which means there is very little separation between work and relaxation. Separating these spaces can be an essential way to reset and maintain a good work/life balance. When this is disrupted, many of us feel as though we can’t get away from stressors.

As I mentioned in my older post about how we spend our days, taking time for yourself is one of the first and most important things you can do to improve your own mental health. No matter how busy you are, finding that hour a day to do something you love is guaranteed to make you happier.

Whether it’s reading for an hour before you go to bed, exercising in the morning, or anything else that relieves stress, find an hour for yourself and do something simple for your own mental health each day.

If you need ideas, see my list below.

Savoring and Gratitude

In “The Science of Wellbeing,” Laurie Santos assigns “rewirements” every week as homework. Basically, a “rewirement” is a simple action that students must perform every day in order to create a positive habit that will improve their wellbeing.

This week, I’ve been working on savoring and gratitude. Savoring means taking time to mindfully enjoy certain moments. You can savor almost anything that makes you happy: a really good meal, a warm shower, a hug. The next time you are enjoying something, stop and appreciate the moment. Make a mental note of every little detail, almost as if you are filing it away for later. I even like to write these moments down. Try to find three things to savor in a day, and later, when you’re going to bed, think about these things and appreciate them.

Practicing gratitude ties into the concept of savoring. When you’re going to bed or waking up, write down five to ten things you’re grateful for (I like to think of three in the morning and three at night). While you’re writing them down, really take a moment to stop and appreciate these blessings and let that positivity follow you into the day. What might start happening is that you become more able to appreciate things as they are happening, improving your overall mood.

Get Moving

Try not to let yourself get trapped in the same office chair all day. Take an hour, if you can, to do some kind of exercise. Getting your blood flowing will drastically improve your mood, and it can have lots of other benefits. I’ve been taking the time in quarantine to do at home workouts online. Going on a walk in a place where there are not many people is also a great option. Look into what trails are open near your house and find some time to get outside.

Some of my favorite workout videos come from the following accounts: Rocamoon, MadFit, and LibbyChristensen and from P90X. I get my yoga from Sjana Elise or create my own home practice.

Projects:

One thing that has amazed me during the quarantine is hearing about all the different projects people are undertaking to fill their time at home. It’s so fun to hear about what people are doing, and it always inspires me to find my own things to work on. Here are some of the things I’ve seen so far.

1. Organize and inventory your pantry or spice cabinet

2. Go through old photos and create a filing system for them

3. Make friendship bracelets

4. Make your own board game and play it with your family

5. Go through your old board games and play one of those with your family

6. Read the books you’ve been meaning to read

7. Do a puzzle

8. Do something artistic: painting, drawing, or collaging

9. Pretend you’re a kid again and use your imagination to come up with fun games or art projects

10. Buy a book of sudoku

11. Go through old clothes and donate anything you don’t wear anymore

12. Make your own cookbook

13. Watch the Great British Baking Show and bake along

14. Make yourself a workout routine

15. Grow a garden (inside or out!)

16. Watch old movies

Having my own project that I feel like I’m making progress on has helped me to stay positive. Do any of you have any other things not on the list? Share them in the comments below!

Stay happy, healthy, and positive!