For the past six weeks, we have been working from home and under a “stay at home” order in Massachusetts. This has kept us from our normal routines and extracurricular activities. Here are some of the things we have been doing to keep us sane:
- Video meetings. We do daily team video meetings to stay connected and support each other during this awkward time. We use the RingCentral meeting platform, but Zoom and Skype can work just as well if you don’t have your own video platform. We are also using FaceTime with family and friends to stay connected.
- Exercising at home. While the gym is closed we have been finding other ways to get some exercise. We love Yoga with Adriene on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/yogawithadriene and we have also invested in some Sport Resistance Bands which can be used anywhere for a quick workout https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M62CJV9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Of course, there’s also running, biking, walking and even jumping rope to help you stay fit.
- Cooking and baking. With all the restaurants closed, we have been doing a lot more cooking and baking at home. Here are a few of our favorite recipes:
- Crispy Cheesy Pan Pizza https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/crispy-cheesy-pan-pizza-recipe
- Easy One Bowl Oatmeal Cookies https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2015/12/easy-one-bowl-oatmeal-cookies-recipe.html
- No Yeast Potato Bread https://www.savoryexperiments.com/no-yeast-potato-bread/
- Gluten-Free Brownies https://www.food.com/recipe/gluten-free-cocoa-brownies-463626
- Pro-Tip, Easy Milk Chocolate Frosting for Brownies: https://www.food.com/recipe/easy-milk-chocolate-frosting-for-brownies-286575
- Gardening/working in the yard. Now that the weather is getting warmer in New England, we have been able to get outside to clean up the yard and plant some shrubs. One of us has even seeded their lawn already!
- Be careful for ticks – they are out. If you find a tick attached, please use follow instructions by the CDC https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/removing_a_tick.html
- Once you remove the tick, please save it and send away for testing. If you are in Massachusetts, it’s only $15 https://www.tickreport.com/
- Playing with our pets. We love our dogs and have been taking them on long walks every day! Also having lots of playtime with toys to keep everyone entertained. We’ve pulled out some agility equipment for the yard to get out that extra pent up energy from rainy days.
- Binge watching TV. Thank goodness for Netflix and Amazon Prime Video! Some of our favorite shows are Schitt’s Creek (Netflix), Succession (HBO), Mrs. Maisel (Amazon Prime), Dead To Me (Netflix), and The Office (Netflix). Here’s everything coming to Netflix in May: https://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2020/04/22/everything-coming-to-netflix-in-may-2020—and-what-to-watch/#887277e48e98
- Game night. The lockdown has forced us to find creative ways to spend time with our friends. So we have been doing online game nights which have been a lot of fun. Here are some games you can play online without a game console: https://www.elitedaily.com/p/8-online-games-to-play-with-friends-for-a-virtual-hangout-22698821
- Take a virtual museum tour.There are 20+ museums around the globe offering free virtual tours! View hundreds of thousands of works and tour virtual exhibits from world-renowned museums in Paris, Seoul, New York City and more from the comfort of your home. https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/tips/the-coolest-museums-that-offer-virtual-visits/ss-BB12JBr0?li=BBnb7Kz#image=1
- Take a virtual adventure. Want a change of scenery? Have you ever wanted to visit the Great all of China? https://www.thechinaguide.com/destination/great-wall-of-china Curious about the Central Caribbean Reefs? https://reefresearch.org/what-we-do/education/reefs-go-live/ You can visit one of the National Parks https://artsandculture.withgoogle.com/en-us/national-parks-service/parks) or catch a concert or Broadway show!: https://www.thewrap.com/how-to-watch-concerts-and-broadway-shows-during-the-coronavirus-shutdown/
We hope that these tips can help break up the monotony many of us have been facing. We would love to hear your suggestions as well.