Tackle Your To-Do List!

With everyone required to stay home as much as possible, now is the best time to tackle the to-do list of tasks you’ve been meaning to accomplish for the past couple weeks – or longer!

Clean the Pantry

Start the pantry clean-up by pulling out all food and supplies stored there. Discard any food that has expired or turned stale and any supplies that are broken and can’t be fixed. Any items that haven’t been touched – and aren’t likely to be – but are still good and not expired, can be put aside to be donated when it is safe to do so. All items to be kept can be placed in a pile to go back into the pantry. Before starting to put items back, take a moment to quickly wipe down the shelves.

Organize like items in the “to keep” pile and put them back on the shelves together. For example, keep all spices in one area and all snack food in another. When deciding on where to place items, make sure the items used the most are kept on the lower shelves so they are easy to access.

Organize Photos

Whether they are printed or on the computer, take time to organize all photos into properly organized folders. Start by sorting pictures by year and then event or occasion. To be able to search and find photos easier, consider tagging them or renaming them with detailed descriptions.

For people with boxes of printed photos, consider taking the time to digitize your collection. Similar to the method above, try first organizing the printed pictures by year and then occasion. This way, when they’re scanned onto the computer they are already in some kind of order.

Complete Home Improvements

Take a look around the house and think of what small projects that you have been meaning to do but never got around to completing – like painting the bedroom, installing a new shelf, or hanging a painting. If you need supplies, try ordering them online and having them delivered if possible, to minimize the need to shop in-store.

For those who might not have a lot of experience with home improvement projects, consider looking online for tutorials on how to complete whatever DIY project you’ve been meaning to work on.

Start on Spring Clean-up

Spring is here, so why not complete your spring cleaning? From polishing the furniture to making the windows sparkle, there is no shortage of areas in your home that can use a bit of sprucing up. Get everyone staying in the household involved and assign an area or project for each person to complete.

With temperatures rising, get outside and start on your outdoor clean-up in time for summer. Organize and clean out your garage and/or shed and clean off your deck or patio. Consider uncovering or unpacking outdoor furniture and giving it a good dusting. If you’re planning a garden, you can take the time to take stock of your supplies and what you might need to stock up on before the season begins.

Stay Connected With Family and Friends!

With social distancing measures in place, maintaining social connections is more important than ever. Just because people are not able to gather in person doesn’t mean we can’t spend time with family and friends!

Video calling, whether it’s Google Hangouts, WhatsApp, Skype, Zoom, FaceTime, or another system, is a great way to do more than just talk with loved ones over the phone. In the absence of being able to gather for meals, movie nights, or other activities, video calling can work as a good substitute. Consider gathering family and friends to take part in a virtual hang out with one of the activities below:

Sharing a Meal

Even though you can’t actually share a meal together, you can still talk to each other while you do! Consider taking this one step further and cooking the same foods – you can even turn it into the competition and send everyone a brand new recipe to test out!

Movie Night

Extensions like Netflix Party can make a virtual movie night easier to manage by making sure everyone’s movies pause and play at the same time. While you’re watching, considering using group texts or staying on a video call during the movie to stay connected. If you’re having a hard time finding something new to watch, consider going back and watching old favourites or popular movie marathons.

Trivia Challenge

Using a physical trivia game or one of the many apps available, designate a trivia “host” and have the rest of your group compete to win the challenge! You can even split up into teams to see who can guess the most correct answers and keep score. If you’re hosting weekly challenges, consider letting each person pick a different theme each week.

Games and Sing-a-Longs

Some board games may be hard to complete virtually, but there are many that can still work with family and friends like these ones. If some people don’t have access to a physical version of the game, try designating someone as the organizer to make sure everyone knows the rules and has access to any information they need. This can go beyond board games as well – you can take part in virtual sing-a-longs, talent competitions, and more!

Take Care of Yourself

During this difficult time, it’s more important than ever to take care of ourselves. With everything going on, it can be overwhelming just checking the news or going to get groceries. Taking time for yourself to stay connected and looking after your well-being is an essential activity that doesn’t have to take up too much of your time but can make all the difference.

Focus on Connection

With most people working from home and practicing social distancing, now is the best time to stay connected in whatever way you can. Whether it is setting up phone calls and video calls with friends and family, taking the time to connect with others is an important step to overcome isolation and improve mental well-being. Even if it’s sending a text to a co-worker or making a quick call to a neighbour, any form of connection is good.

Manage Your Stress

In a time like this, taking steps to manage your stress is key. Try to stick to a routine and follow a regular schedule. If you’re working from home or homeschooling kids, set working hours but be sure to still take regular breaks to exercise, have a snack and just relax. If the weather is nice, consider going for a quick walk or just sitting on your balcony to enjoy the sunshine.

Stay Positive

Don’t be too hard on yourself if you have days when you’re feeling down or unmotivated. Many people are feeling anxious and stressed about the pandemic in addition to feeling isolated and overwhelmed with changes to work, school, shopping and other activities. While it may seem like there is nothing you can do, don’t hesitate to reach out to family and friends, or supports and resources in the community. Taking a break and engaging in a different activity to change your focus (like meditating, completing a game or puzzle, or taking a walk outside) can also make a difference.