10 Things that you can do to beat Lockdown Blues

So, you are in Lockdown and it seems to be the only constant today! Yournhave exhausted all the steam of doing ‘nothing’! Your Netflix and PrimernAccounts have been watched to the latest release. You have called everyrnfriendly mate and wondering whether to approach any of your Facebookrnfriends. You are busted! You feel that the world has conspired against yournand have nowhere to look. All the purposeless fun is over and you could helprnwith fun things to do to beat the Lockdown blues. Above all, this phase willrnpass too and you may never have so much time on hand in the New Year. So,rnlet us strike off your Bucket list of Lockdown days!rn1. Cook up a stormrnIn these feminism days and post the recent watch ‘Ratatoullie’, I totallyrngo with the belief ‘Anybody can Cook’! Cooking is a Talent that somernare born with but hey, who says that the skill cannot be acquired? Ifrnyou plan to go abroad, live in a hostel, pursue further studies in anotherrnlocation in your country or simply wish to refine your culinary skills,rnthen put on that apron and hat and make your kitchen your exclusivernrestaurant. You may be a chef or a sous-chef, however, do tantalizernyour five senses with the magical take on cooking a spread. You canrnfollow all the recipes of a reality show or simply follow step-by-steprnvideos neatly shot by Chef Ranveer Brar (I really love him!) With thernYouTube entering into the kitchens of the many, cooking any dish hasrnbeen much easier than the minimum resources that one had thoserndays. You will slowly get better and enjoy the aromatic delights that yourncome up with. Not to mention, the surge in your confidence to cook andrnfend for oneself will be highly satisfying.rn2. Plan a Karaoke nightrnYou always wanted to try you hand at Karaoke but the jitters to standrnon the stage would stop you from pursuing it. Pull up your socks andrnsing your heart and soul through the night from the comfort of yourrnhome and smartphone mike. You might be in for a greater surprise andrnexperience the simplest joy of using your vocal chords with nornhesitance! Bring out the singer from you!rn3. Fat to Fit challengernWith the ever-increasing Lockdown days, you may find lethargy andrnheaviness in your body settling in. With nowhere to go and gyms beingrnout of reach, make your living room into a pilates corner and sweatrnyour boredom out. Nowadays, free fitness apps and web content willrnget you in rhythm and jive in no time. Strike a consistent pattern to yourrnexercise routine with a persistent hour of warm up, core exercises andrna cool down technique will keep you fit and healthy even from your home. Whether you follow the 100-pushup challenge or 60 secondsrnplank exercise form, or simply follow a celebrity workout on a web app,rnit will need grit, determination and set pattern in the day to lose thosernextra kilos and inches off your body. The last thing you need isrnheartburn or lowered confidence levels due to weight concerns at thisrntime of the year!rn4. Arrange a Tea Party onlinernThose were the days to step into a café or spend extra hours at therncoffee pantry machine to catch up on some conversations. But hey,rnyou can still have it all arranged through a Zoom or video conferencingrnsession. It simply needs unified energy and intent and some soulful tearnconversations planned at the same time with your friends or colleaguesrnthrough an online platform. Put on your green hats and think out of thernbox. Go beyond the physical realms and plan an Online Tea Party withrnsome hot fritters these rainy evenings with your BFFs.rn5. Board games are still fun!rnI remember those fond childhood lazy afternoons well spent on playingrnBoard games. Ludo, Snakes and Ladders, Monopoly have been thernbiggest companions of all generations. You don’t have to wait to plan arnboard game with your child. Snuggle and catch up on old times withrnsome board games. They will distress your mind; take you back thernmemory lane and bond with your children again. If you would like tornplay with your friends, then simply download the game on yourrnsmartphones and catch up on some favorite games online by simplyrnbeing home.rn6. DeclutterrnDeclutter your room. Declutter your home. Declutter your mind.rnBetween juggling meetings or managing school days, you completelyrnhave neglected how much attention your home needs. Stained carpetsrnor curtains, muddy windows, piled up cupboards, greasy counters orrnmessy ambience – all can easily be planned and executed finally whenrnyou are working from home or at home. Focusing on one corner to arnroom will be less daunting and will keep you committed to the plan.rnClean and neat spaces will make your home roomy and fresh. Withrnabsence of fresh and free outdoor air, clearing your indoor will bernrefreshing.rnDeclutter your mind too. Living at home amidst tremendous chores,rndifficult people and boring routines can get you pulled towards negativernand useless thoughts. By combing out the negative turns, you will findrnyourself more mindful and calm. A few minutes of meditation or quietrntime will help you largely to be connected to self and deeper within. 7. Read or listen to a bookrnHow many us were always wanted to read that book during the weernhours of the work and never could make time to read? With no travelrntime and work from home options to many of us can at least sparernfifteen minutes of reading time in the day. Reading not only expandsrnyour worldview but also improves the language competencies of arnperson. You do not have to spend a fortune to buy books. There arernfree books on the Internet and many other applications that arernavailable for a quick read.rn8. Improve your Communication skillsrnIf you are worried about losing your confidence in interacting withrnpeople during or post the lockdown period, I can totally understand! Asrnthe lockdown has certainly limited your scope of interacting with peoplernface-to-face, the best way to overcome the nerves is to utilize this timernto practice your communication through virtual interactions, meetings,rncoffee conversations or simply opt for an online learning program withrna mentor. This will actually help you to ease the tension, excel at grouprnmeetings, and improve your soft skills and leadership skill. Finally, itrnwill also add a feather to your cap and credibility to your resume.rn9. Check on your green thumbrnOrganic farming and kitchen gardening are trending hobbies andrnhugely popular in today’s youth. They want to grow their vegetables inrntheir pocket gardens created in their kitchen sill or balcony. Absoluternfun way to spend your time in nurturing few veggie and herb plantationsrnin your backyard! Involve your family with quick info talks on benefits ofrnorganic plantations and enthuse your child towards nature and nurturerntalks. A great way to connect with nature right from the safety of yourrnhome!rn10.Look after your whole selfrnWhether it is your wardrobe that needs extra check or spring-cleaningrnyour cupboards or instilling a new lockdown exercise and nutrition planrnfor yourself, the important stand that you need to take is to maintainrnyour wellbeing and positivity. With a deeper assessment on time spentrnfor the mundane activities, affirm a unique opportunity to either learn arnlanguage or a musical instrument or simply work on your overallrnpersonality. Turn on your creativity quotient and look beyond thernrudimentary ways of living these days.rnIf you only look beyond the routines, you will see innumerable benefitsrnof working from home. A quick mention on three positive happenings of the day can change your perspective towards these lockdown daysrnand mentally prepare you for facing the further steep in the pandemicrngraph. Above all, some thinkers have stated, ‘This phase will too pass’!