Riley Sawin

A Sluggish Life

It’s hard to be productive in a pandemic, but these tips are a great place to start. By Riley Sawin

Since COVID-19 started, many of us have faced a lack of motivation to do anything, in large part because there is so little to do out in the “real world.” It’s been over a year since we first were thrown into stay-at-home mode. Almost overnight, we went from thinking of our homes as a place to relax to trying to see them as productive work environments. As the pandemic drags on, here are some tips to stay motivated until life starts to pick back up—hopefully soon!

1Set small daily goals. These aren’t normal times, and your productivity is likely not at its peak right now. Setting goals can help you make your day as productive as possible. But be realistic—set a goal that you know you will be able to accomplish, like writing three pages of the major paper that is due next week.

3Emphasize self-care. One of the most common pieces of advice for someone feeling the mental/emotional impact of COVID-19 is to emphasize self-care. If we continue to drive forward and push ourselves during such a period of anxiety and stress, we will burn ourselves out without realizing it. Dedicating time each day for self-care that focuses on your mental and physical health is crucial to keep moving. Creating a spa day or working out could be great examples of taking care of your body during a time like this.

2Build a routine. Building a routine can help add some predictability back into your life. Again, this doesn’t mean adding a hundred new parts to each day—start small and test out a few habits here or there. For example, getting dressed in the morning and eating a healthy breakfast can help you build a routine and start the day off right.

4Stay social. Keep up social connections even when you’re at home to boost your motivation. Staying distant from one another can be harder for some than others. Many of us didn’t realize how important it is to interact with others until the pandemic started. Setting up Zoom calls with friends and having that connection with other people will make the time pass by. It may not be the same as chatting in person, but it’s still a way to spend time together.

5Exercise. If you’re not ready or able to hit the gym yet, head outside. Take a walk, ride a bike, or even just play outside with the people you are quarantining with at home. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, cue up a yoga video or high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout on YouTube—no fitness equipment required.

Even a year in, many of us are still experimenting with the best way to endure staying at home and being isolated from the outside world. Staying motivated is challenging, but having goals and time for yourself can make it easier. Although COVID-19 has turned everything upside down and feels endless, eventually we’ll get back to “normal.” Staying motivated and active can help you refocus attention away from the pandemic and move forward to a more hopeful future.