101 Things to do in Isolation During the COVID-19 Coronavirus Epidemic
I do not have all the answers. But if this list helps you stay sane, then awesome.
And for those that are working and serving others in this time of crisis, especially in the medical, delivery, and law enforcement, you all have our undying gratitude, even if things get (ahem) a bit challenging in the coming weeks.
I have spent the past twenty years working from home, so here are a few things you can do to be productive and positive in these troubling times:
1.TURN OFF THE TV. Seriously, you will die if all you do is sit in your reclining chair, smoking cigarettes and watching the news nonstop. And even if you don’t die, you will drive yourself (and your loved ones) crazy. You can get all the information you need each day in under an hour, so please do not pummel yourself. There are much more productive ways to spend the down time.
2. SET NEWS ALERTS ON YOUR PHONE. If things are really that pressing in your area, then subscribe to key resources (local / national news, area health centers, etc.) on certain platforms (email, Facebook, news apps, Twitter) so that your phone pings when a new, relevant headline occurs, and THEN decide if you need to read further into it — news alerts are important; constant negative headlines can freak you out.
3. SET UP COMMUNICATION CHAINS WITH CLOSE FRIENDS AND FAMILY. Make sure you have fast access to key people set up in the Favorites section of whatever communication platforms you use.
4. SET UP A CONTINGENCY PLAN. If things do go south(like, *really* south) for any reason, establish a chain for others to help handle matters, whether it be for food, health, child care, banking, insurance, legal matters, etc.
5. ASSESS YOUR SITUATION. How much food and money do you have right now? How much do you need to get through the next few weeks? How do you FEEL? What can you do to raise more money, or affordably access additional resources (food, medicine, non-payment grace periods, etc.) if needed? KEEP COOL. DO NOT PANIC.
6. BREATHE. Do not let all this drive you crazy. If you find yourself overwhelmed, then take a moment to find a place to be quiet and let everything calm down, even if it means closing the bathroom door for five minutes away from your kids. Use breathwork to calm yourself down, to focus on your feelings, and to logically work through any anxieties you may have.
7. BATHE. Nothing is better than sitting in a tub of warm water for a long period of time. If you can add bubbles, epsom salts, essential oils, music, and candles, all the better. And if all you have is a shower, then maintaining healthy hygiene keeps other illnesses at bay — now is not the time to let yourself slide into despair. Stay clean, stay healthy.
8. MEDITATE. This is especially hard for parents, but if you can find an extended period of time (10–30 minutes) to be away from your children (even if you are in another room), then do so. Close your eyes, slowly breathe in and out; use a guided meditation app to lead you to still your mind if you need, but slow down your monkey brain to *really* let the silt settle so you can be strong for yourself, your family, your friends. This is best done uninterrupted in the morning, before the rest of the world seeps into your skull. You got this.
9. COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS. You may be in a shit state and wonder how you’re gonna pay the bills even if you do make it through all this, but take time to look at the positives in your life, because — and I know it sounds cliche — there is always someone worse off than you.
10. PRACTICE GRATITUDE. Make this part of your morning routine as well. We’re about to get bombarded with bad news every single day for the next few weeks — instead of immediately jumping on your phone the second you wake up, think about the things that you are grateful for, put it out there in the universe to counteract the negativity. Stay sane.
11. SLEEP IN. Unless you have kids or animals waking you in the morning, sometimes it’s okay to sleep in and let the world pass you by. Just don’t make it a regular habit — it’s important to stay active and connected, especially now!
12. ALIGN YOURSELF WITH YOUR PERSONAL RELIGION. I will be the first to admit that I am not a man of faith, but for many of you, your religion, your temple, your church, your beliefs give you great comfort. Dig in, and find solace in your beliefs. But please, for the love of all that is sacred, do not try to push your beliefs on others, and do not throw your money at bogus miracle cures.
13. TOUCH BASE WITH YOURSELF. Seriously, sit down and take stock of who you are, where you are in life, what needs improvement, what you hope to accomplish, what you should let go. Don’t get harsh on yourself, but take an honest look at yourself, make a list of the good and the bad, and dedicate yourself to improving the things you have control over. Also monitor your health and the health of those around you, closely track progress on the good and bad, so that you stay well physically and mentally.
14. CONNECT. This lockdown shit can be scary, but treat it as a blessing if you can. This down time means that you have a moment to really connect with those in your inner circle that really mean something to you, as well as to reach out to old friends (and enemies) that you may have not spoken with in some time. Remember, it’s called “Social Distancing,” not “Completely Shutting Yourself off from the Rest of the World.” For now, anyway.
15. CALL YOUR LOVED ONES. Passing out Likes on Facebook and Instagram may make you and the recipient momentarily happy, but listen, you have time on your hands — pick up the phone and TALK to your inner circle, share your feelings, your hopes, your fears. (Facetime / video chat works too, but it’s not always necessary — our ISPs will be overburdened enough as it is.)
16. KEEP YOUR PROFESSIONAL NETWORK ALIVE. Reach out on LinkedIn, email, Slack, snail mail to keep up with business partners, make sure they’re okay, share new ideas, work towards solving future work issues. Your clients and work partners are human, too — so don’t make it all about business!
17. REACH OUT TO OLD FRIENDS. Again, nice to reconnect with your high school buddies on Facebook, but you both have time, make a call and chat for a bit. See how they are doing with the wife, the kids, work, school, that last vacation, whatever it is. They may need the connection, but you may discover that you do as well.
18. CHECK IN WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS. It is almost too easy to ignore the person down the hall or down the street from where you live. But make an effort to get to know them just a little bit better, as your comfort levels allow. It might not be an in-person meeting, but a text or email would be nice — you never know who may be helping whom down the line.
19. FIND SOMEONE LOCAL WHO HAS YOUR BACK. Your inner circle may live across town or be miles away, so while you are connecting with your neighbors, find someone with whom you are comfortable (and they you) to (reasonably) help out in real situations.
20. CONNECT WITH YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES. This is going to be crucial, since these people are the backbone of an honest-to-god support system, and police, medical, social service, and fire departments are going to be overwhlemed. It may be your Neighborhood Council. It may be your NextDoor group. It may be your church, your AA chapter, your PTA, your Facebook groups — whatever it is, stay in touch to share info and support as needed.
21. SET UP GROUPS FOR YOUR INNER CIRCLE. Use whatever means you need for personal / professional communication — Zoom, Messenger, WhatsApp, Teams, Telegram, whatever — but use today’s technology to pass along information or host regularly-scheduled group chats via TRUSTED individuals.
22. AVOID GOSSIP, AVOID MISINFORMATION. Those are the two fastest ways to bring down your world. Simply stay with the facts as best as you can. Share emotions with those who are capable of supporting you. But there will be a ton of bad info coming from all directions, so only rely on trusted sources.
23. CURATE RELIABLE NEWS SOURCES. It is sooooo easy to be led astray by errant posts on social media, even from people you have known for decades. But build a set of trusted resources — locally, nationally, and internationally — that will provide you with the information you need.
24. VERIFY EVERYTHING. On the other side of that coin, there will be people that will spread bad information, deliberate or not. Before anything sends you into a panic or start to rely on hokey remedies, check with multiple sources to verify the TRUTH.
25. LISTEN. Your friends are freaking the fuck out. They may be a lot more in tune to their emotions than you are, and need someone to talk things through. Don’t try to talk over them, don’t try to poo-poo them, don’t try to provide answers before they finish their sentence. LISTEN TO THEM, let them have their say, and provide reasonable assurance or comfort as best you can.
26. CRY. Honor your truth. These are scary times. There is a lot of uncertainty right now, a lot of misinformation, a lack of leadership. You have every right to be scared. Listen to your thoughts, acknowledge them, make a plan, and try to focus on the things that you can actually do something about.
27. JOURNAL. You are going to run the gamut of emotions and actions over the next few weeks. Privately put pen to paper and let it all out, so that you or others can relive in real time what this period of life is like — the grand, the mundane. The funny, the scary. The fear, the fury, the relief.
28. BLOG. Use your platform of choice to get it out there. Keep it private if you don’t want others to see it, but sharing your thoughts with others can be a good way to connect with those who are experiencing the same things you are. Use YouTube, Medium, Wordpress, or whatever you prefer to publicly document your thoughts & feelings.
29. CREATE INTENTIONS. Once you get out of this state, what do you want to do? Start with the most basic goals (hug my mom, marry my girlfriend, get a new job), and think bigger. And bigger. And bigger. Turns those dreams into goals.Turn those goals into actions. And prepare yourself for your new world once this shitstorm passes.
30. STAY VIGILANT. After a few days of this isolation, you’re going to feel impatient or cocky, that the virus has passed and all is well. That is simply not the case. We have no idea how long this will last, how it will be transmitted, and when the peak will arrive, so even when everything seems okay, always exercise caution in all your interactions.
31. STAY REGIMENTED. Don’t let the days fade into each other when you have nothing to do; maintain a structure so that you accomplish something every day. Wake up, meditate, exercise / walk the dog. Make breakfast for the kids, get them settled into their routine, spend a couple hours knocking out goals before lunch. Spend a couple more hours after lunch knocking out more stuff, spend the evening unwinding. I *know* life is never this easy, especially for parents, but I cannot stress the importance of structure.
32. MAKE NEW FRIENDS ONLINE. One of the best things about today’s world is that we are all interconnected through the internet. And whether it be through Reddit, Video Games, Facebook Groups, or whatever your platform of choice may be, you can find ways to connect with people of shared interests from other cities, other countries.
33. BUT DO SO WITH CAUTION. The world is rife with catfish, scammers, negativity, and simply just a bunch of dicks wanting to put you down or take advantage of others. Tread lightly into whatever world you explore, take time to get to know other members of interest groups, and never never NEVER give up too much personal information, especially location, health, and financial data.
34. ORGANIZE YOUR LIFE. There are many ways to do this in the physical and digital world, and these exercises will take a bit of time — great! This means less time freaking out, and more time being productive.
35. CLEAN UP YOUR HOUSE. Time for spring cleaning — like, SERIOUS spring cleaning! No need to let your place turn into a hoarder’s paradise or a zombie bunker just because you stay at home for a few weeks. Take the time to not only clean up your house, but organize everything to live a simpler life!
36. START STACKING THAT SHIT UP. Haven’t used it, don’t need it? GREAT — start getting rid of it. Mari Kondo that garbage in your life and find ways to send it to a new home.
37. SELL LARGER ITEMS ON CRAIGSLIST. If it’s too heavy to ship, then arrange for local pickup. For safety reasons, keep people away from your house, screen them, and meet in a neutral area (grocery store parking lot) if you can do so. Don’t expect to get a lot of money for stuff this way, the whole point is to LIGHTEN UP. You can also use platforms such as Facebook Marketplace, LetGo, NextDoor, etc.
38. SELL CLOTHES ON POSHMARK, THREDUP, REALREAL, TRADESY, ETC. Find a platform that best suits your clothing sales — it may be any of these listed above, it may be eBay, it may be the garbage can. No matter what, always look for what your item SOLD FOR, not for what it is listed at. All these selling platforms may have little traffic because no one is willing to spend money right now, but at least give it a shot. At the very least, this will get you into the habit of profitably unloading things that are no longer of use to you.
39. TAKE THOSE CLOTHES DOWN TO BUFFALO EXCHANGE. Resale stores may offer pennies on the dollar (if they offer anything at all), but if you want to get rid of a bunch of stuff in one fell swoop, this is one way to do it.
40. SELL COLLECTIBLES ON EBAY. eBay is also a great way to sell regular, day to day items too, but be aware that the heavier an item is, the less likely it will sell because shipping costs are outrageous. If you have higher-end items, consider selling them on platforms such as EBTH, 1stdibs, or through auction houses such as Juliens or Heritage.
41. HAVE A YARD SALE. This might not be the most ideal situation since we are all supposed to stay self-quarantined, but if you want to make one last-ditch effort at making money while getting rid of a lot of crap in your world, then this is a good way to do it — just be verrrry careful when dealing with others or handling money, or just keep everything stacked in boxes until the coast is clear.
42. GIVE YOUR EXCESS ITEMS TO CHARITY. Many of you will say this should be at the top of this list, but a lot of people reading this are not in a position to help others first — they have bills to pay, they need money. Do whatever your personal status allows, whatever you are comfortable doing. There are many far less fortunate than you that will need help in this time of crisis, so look for a charity that will redistribute or sell your items.
43. CLEAR OUT YOUR CABINETS. Use this time to look at the expiration date on all your foods & medicines. If it’s past the expiration date, has been open forever, has holes in the packaging, or is so old that a dotcom or UPC isn’t on the label, throw it away.
44. EAT THE FOOD YOU ALREADY HAVE. We all made that run to the grocery store before we closed off our homes, but here’s a little secret — many of you have a TON of food that hasn’t been eaten already. I know that’s not the case with everyone, but here in America, we tend to have the fridge and freezer filled with food, as well as the deep freeze full of venison we hunted last year AND a garage fridge filled with 12 packs of soda. It’s just how we are. Work on using up what you have, and giving up what you do not need.
45. CONSERVE. This may blow over in a couple weeks. Or this may last months, and we may have supply issues for even the most basic items. We don’t know how long this will go on, but plan for the worst and consume accordingly.
46. FILE FOR GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE. Do not wait until your last penny to start the process — getting support from local and national government is hard enough during regular times, imagine trying to do so when fewer workers are handling more cases! Start digging into unemployment, food stamp, and other government / faith-based support systems NOW if you don’t think you can financially make it through this mess.
47. FILL OUT YOUR CENSUS FORM. You got the form, you got the time, just knock it out so that you are represented for future government matters.
48. SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS. Brick & mortar was already having a hard time in the digital economy, but this is going to sink a lot of mom & pop shops. As safe as you are allowed, eat at your local restaurant (or carry out / deliver), buy soap and milk at your cornershop. Buy your albums and comics from your local record store or comic book shop, order from them online if their real-world store is not open.
49. SHOP. This may sound counter to any common sense, but there will be a lot of excess inventory at big box retail that will need to be liquidated. If you have the means, look at online sales for bargains in non-essential day-to-day items, such as suits, clothes, blankets, towels, etc. — none of this matters if this really is the end of the world, but trust me on this, there will be bargains to be had.
50. CLEAN UP YOUR PHONE, YOUR LAPTOP, YOUR DESKTOP. Take this time to get your digital life in order! Pay for a cloud backup of your systems. Go through all 20,000 photos on your phone and delete the extras or the embarrassing ones. Move them into themed folders. Sync all your devices so that you can access files from multiple devices. Clear away any excess programs or apps that are taking up precious space. Make sure your software is up to date.
51. DIG INTO YOUR MUSIC SERVICE. Find playlists that make you happy. Recreate your music collection digitally by starring the artists and albums you used to own on vinyl, cassette, or CD. Connect and follow friends on your music service of choice so you can get turned on to artists you may have forgotten or never heard of. This tip is especially important as bands that would normally tour will need new ways to make a living, and streaming their music helps (also consider buying some mech off their site, since they only receive pennies per thousand streams).
52. CLEAN UP YOUR VIDEO SERVICES. Are you making the most out of your cable service, Amazon Prime, Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBO, Showtime, and those thousand other channels you pay for? Take a moment to understand what you have, turn off the services you don’t use, and build up your video library so you have your favorites within a click or two of viewing whenever you like. Also make sure your services are linked to your mobile device for viewing outside the home.
53. BUILD UP YOUR DVD LIBRARY. If you are financially strapped or not into the online video thing, a ton of your favorite movies can be found at your local library or thrift store. Or chances are, you have a few hundred dusty DVDs on the shelves right behind you!
54. LISTEN TO PODCASTS. There is a wealth of data from trusted experts within reach — instead of listening to the same songs /watching the same shows over and over, feed your brain with intelligent conversation and brilliant stories!
55. LIMIT SCREEN TIME. With so many games, apps, and video outlets out there, it is too easy for a kid to get drawn away from the real world with mindless entertainment. There’s a time and place for everything, so try to keep them reading books instead of watching Frozen 2 for the 18th time.
56. CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTIONS. I know that you are paying for subscriptions you no longer use — it could be for apps, it could be for monthly gift boxes, it could be for those TV channels listed above. You will be shocked to discover that you could save over $1000 a year just by turning off things you do not need!
57. NEGOTIATE YOUR BILLING. Take a hard look at your utilities, credit cards, and services, and talk to a Customer Service Rep at each company to get a better deal. They WANT your business — let them give you a reason to stay with them. You might get a better phone or cable package at a lower rate than what you’re already paying. You may be able to get a lower interest rate if you consolidate your bills. You may be able to defer payment in times of hardship. A little research can save you a LOT of money, and in these uncertain times, cash is king.
58. AUDIT YOUR HOME. Heating bill too high? Is your refrigerator an energy hog? Wind blowing through that window sill? Look at every nook & cranny of your home to see where you can affordably repair or replace items that are costing you money.
59. FIX YOUR CAR. Likewise, there may be issues that are preventing your car from performing at its best. Yeah, changing the tires, getting a tune-up or changing the oil costs money, but spending a little now can save you a massive headache later — you now have the time to drop the car off at the shop, and local mechanics could use your business. Or even better, learn to do a few of these things yourself!
60. GO ANALOG. The world today is a marvelous place to find information or connect with others at any time, but there is nothing better than rewiring your brain than long-form reading. Get lost in a magazine or book, dig deep into other worlds real and imagined, expand your scope of knowledge by picking up one of the dozens of old-fashioned books scattered around your place. Then pass them along (germ-free) to a local Little Free Library.
61. VISIT YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY. If your local branch is not closed, then pick up a couple books of interest to entertain you, inform you, and help you kill hours at a time (and yes, I am fully aware libraries and Kindle have a ton of online reading options, but the point of this is to limit your screen time, to limit distractions, and to focus).
62. STAY HEALTHY. We have heard that this virus affects people with compromised immune systems, those with diabetes, etc. — as if that weren’t enough of an incentive to be healthy, just being in the state of practicing portion control, eating as healthy foods (if possible), and getting some exercise while in isolation can help boost endorphins and keep a more level, if not outright positive, outlook on things.
63. GO OUTSIDE. No living creature was ever meant to be cooped up 24/7, so where allowable, take a walk or ride a bike. Get some fresh air. Get some sun while listening to music or a podcast. Just get out for a little bit each day!
64. HIKE. Get the kids in the car and go out to a local hiking trail. Get away from the city, get away from people, just appreciate the gifts the good Lord has given us and appreciate mother nature!
65. GARDEN. Now is the perfect time to plant seeds to grow your own food or flowers — not only is it a very peaceful, sometimes challenging endeavor (pulling weeds and moving bags of fertilizer is hard!), you and your family get to reap rewards down the road.
66. ROAD TRIP. This might not be possible in certain situations, but if you and they are both safe, take a day trip to visit loved ones in other towns. Or drive out to a nature preserve if it’s open. Just avoid direct contact with strangers and surfaces.
67. STRETCH. You cannot spend all damn day lying down in bed fretting over the world, or planting your ass in the couch consuming news. Get up and move about! Do simple stretching exercises to stay limber, or to work on problem areas.
68. EXERCISE. Just because you are under lockdown does not mean that you shouldn’t exercise. In fact, your health is the #1 thing that will get you through these uncertain times. *As your body allows*, take steps for increased physical activity in order to keep blood flowing, whether it be biking, jogging, climbing stairs, doing push-ups, lifting weights, or whatever your exercise of choice may be. Also, avoid sharing machines or spaces with others, and avoid any strenuous activity that could lead to injury — the *last* thing you want to do right now is go to a doctor for non-virus-related maladies. Also download apps or watch any number of videos to stay motivated.
69. COOK. Whether you are just using up everything that’s been in the freezer / pantry for the past couple of years, or making fresh new recipes, cooking is one of the best ways to pass the time. Experimenting with new spices, filling the room with great smells, sharing that home cooked meal with loved ones, enjoying leftovers the next day, always a wonderful thing.
70. MAKE DINNER TIME QUALITY TIME. Now that you and your family have all the time in the world, use dinner as a vehicle to actually sit around the table for an hour or two and share time, stories, memories. In this crazy world, many of us tend to eat from the counter or the sofa, so make this time together meaningful.
71. MAKE MOVIE TIME QUALITY TIME. After you’ve finished a home cooked dinner, enjoy a movie together! Pick aTV or movie series to watch each night of the week, or pick themes for certain nights (Monday night mysteries! Friday night horror!) — whatever you like — just make a conscious decision to watch certain shows, and not just scroll through the Netflix queue all night.
72. GIVE EVERYONE THEIR SPACE. Being locked away by yourself is bad enough, but imagine trying to constantly stay locked in with a handful of people 24/7 — if your partner or friend were annoying in tiny doses, just imagine all those little things magnifying themselves each day! Just because you’re all in together does not mean you have to be on top of each other all the time. Give each other some room, some privacy, maybe even give others the entire place to themselves for an hour or two if you’re allowed to go out.
73. VIRTUALLY VISIT A MUSEUM. This.
74. PLAY ONLINE GAMES. I really want to stress a conscious, positive use of your time, but I do understand that people like to play video games to relieve stress and connect with others. It’s only natural. But please do so in moderation — this time off is a gift, please don’t treat it like those Christmas holiday breaks where you plan to get all this shit done and go back to work having accomplished nothing.
75. PLAY REAL GAMES. If you are in a closed group with trusted individuals, then pull out the card games, the dice games, and the board games and make it a gaming night. Be cognizant of passing around cards and dice, but there are literally thousands of games out there that make you laugh, that make you think, that make you connect in fun, competitive ways. And if you’re playing games with your kids, SMASH THEM! Teach them failure early. MAKE THEM CRY. Kidding. Don’t be a dick, let them win. Sometimes.
76. BE A KID. Sometimes you just need something mindless and creative to get lost for hours on end, and there are plenty of ways to do that — get a coloring book, put together a puzzle, get a modeling kit. And sniff the glue for a second or two, you grown-up rebel you.
77. TEACH YOUR KIDS. Just because classes are canceled does not mean the learning stops. Get a handle on where your kids’ classwork left off, and keep them rolling in it. Problem solving can bring you both together, and having them do homework can keep them out of your hair for a few hours.
78. GET CREATIVE WITH YOUR KIDS. Here’s hoping you have tons of crayons, magic markers, construction paper, glitter, and Elmer’s glue. if they’re older, challenge them to stage a play. If they’re older than that, challenge them to edit videos! There are practical lessons your kids can learn from play, just don’t tell them that ;-)
79. KARAOKE. Play deejay with a bunch of YouTube videos to sing along to and keep the party going. If you have kids, try to limit “Let It Go” to once a night, but in lieu of having a player piano, gather ‘round the laptop, cast songs to your smart TV, and have a ball.
80. HOST A CONCERT. If you or anyone in your family is gifted in playing a musical instrument, safely have a couple friends over for a concert or a singalong! And if none of you know how to play an instrument, then…
81. LEARN TO PLAY AN INSTRUMENT! There are tons of instructional videos online, and it’s not like you have anything else to do… be productive! In fact…
82. LEARN A NEW HOBBY! Crochet. Needlepoint, beadwork, woodwork. Whatever your space, budget, and patience allows, get lost in a hobby and make something concrete and real in this world.
83. LEARN. LEARN ANYTHING! PERIOD. Learn anything you want — take this quiet time to learn something you have never learned before, whether it be through a book, a biography, a philosophy, an online course, or with a close, talented friend. Do not waste this opportunity to make yourself a better, smarter person!
84. LEARN A NEW TRADE / SKILL. Is there anything that you don’t already know that you wish you did? Is there something you can learn that can help you get a better job — Photoshop? TikTok? Pinterest? Salesforce? Wordpress? Shopify? Any plug-ins associated with any of these platforms? Go for it! THIS IS YOUR TIME.
85. GET BETTER AT YOUR CURRENT SKILLS. Do you already have a handle on certain skills, but need a refresher since you’ve been busy managing others? Take this time to freshen up your knowledge if your skills are a little rusty.
86. PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE. If you are not the absolute best at what you do, then take this down time to get better. If you’re an actor, self-tape. A clogger, clog more. An artist, refine your technique, or even try a new medium. An athlete, work at it. This time is yours to get better at whatever you do.
87. BECOME AN EXPERT. Don’t just peripherally gain some okay knowledge about anything, DIG DEEP and OWN that shit! Then sell your services to others, especially if it taps into remote work.
88. BRAINSTORM. Look around you; think about what problems you have. Get out of your skull; think about what problems others have. Find solutions to large problems and build a business model around it, especially if you have someone you can bounce ideas off of.
89. TAP INTO YOUR SECRET POWERS. When you were taking stock of yourself, did you think to double down on your strengths and find new ways to carve your own path to independence and happiness? Even despite the scary world outside, do you have people in online communities coming to you for advice on particular subjects? Can you monetize that secret power?
90. SET UP YOUR OWN BUSINESS. This remote work thing ain’t gonna go away — in fact, all things related to remote work just got a huge fire under itsass! Travel may (sadly) be replaced with VR, maybe you want to start a business on Shopify or Amazon and start selling via Pinterest and Instagram Stories. Maybe you have a knack for fast and funny jokes and can become a star on TikTok. The world is wide open, so SERIOUSLY consider starting your own business, since chances are a lot of jobs may disappear if this lockdown goes on for an extended period of time.
91. UPDATE YOUR RESUME. If you have been busy working these past few years, then you may not have had a need to update your LinkedIn profile. And whether or not you are out of a gig, take this down time to freshen up details, start writing thought pieces, and post relevant articles every day so that your name is staying in others’ feeds.
92. CREATE. Since you have all this extra time on your hands, don’t just consume, create! Combat all the negative news by pushing your own energy out into the world. Write, act, sing, play, make videos, podcast, draw, just do ANYTHING instead of consuming all the garbage out there.
93. LAUGH. Whether you cut up with your inner circle, or consume video or audio stand-up routines, laughter is going to be an essential component in making it through all this nuttiness. You can either drive yourself crazy with all the (mis)information flying out there, or you can lighten your load and forget about your worries with good friends or a good comedy. Blazing Saddles, anyone?
94. LOVE. In the end, this is the *only* thing that matters. You can be surrounded by stacks of hundred dollar bills and all the world’s greatest possessions — but if you don’t share life with those you love, none of this means shit.
95. HAVE SEX. Duh. If you ain’t got a partner, then self-love helps relieve stress too. And do be careful of Tinder hookups, especially now — it’s all fun & games until a breakout occurs.
96. GET A PET. If it happens that you are far away from the ones you love, or find yourself in isolation, please go out and adopt a pet if any shelters are open — that kitty or pup or parakeet can provide tons of love if you let it. Just keep in mind that a pet is a lifelong commitment, and does require time, care, and money; a pet is not something you just cast aside when it becomes inconvenient.
97. SPEND MORE TIME WITH YOUR PET. If, like most people, you work at an office and don’t get to see your best buddy, now is a great time to take long walks and play with your pets. Because if and when all this passes, you may only get to see your fur babies on early mornings (thanks, a’hole cats and eager pups), nights, and weekends!
98. CALL YOUR SUICIDE PREVENTION HOTLINE. What, did you think was going to be all kittens and rainbows? I don’t want to be an alarmist, but shit’s gonna get dark. And scary. And you may feel all alone, even if you are in isolation with a half dozen other people. No matter how bad you feel, you are never helpless. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, we all need it.
99. WORK. Oh yeah, I forgot that a lot of you are being paid to work from home… if somebody is paying you to work, then do the fricking work! Focus on getting the bulk of your work done in the morning, then keep channels open for communication the rest of the day. If your employer uses workplace monitoring tools, then stay on it.
100. VOLUNTEER. I’m honestly having a hard time trying to write this one since I’m not well-versed in virtually helping others, but surely there’s something out there [trust me, this entry in particular WILL be edited]. There are tons of meal delivery services that will need your help, and they will have safeguards in place, but human contact will be tenuous in the coming weeks. And yes, you can send money to any charity of choice, but this list is an exercise in what to do with your time and being, not just your money. At the very least, make a warm meal for an elderly neighbor, or pass out new socks to the homeless. Do something.
101. CRY IN YOUR CEREAL WHILE LISTENING WHITNEY HOUSTON. Here, watch “Didn’t We Almost Have It All” and think about the way things used to be.
