We’re living in uncertain times these days due to the pandemic. In the Philippines, particularly in Luzon, where I am, we’ve been put under enhanced community quarantine. It’s the strictest lockdown category where people are only allowed to go out at certain window hours and only to buy essential things like food and medicine. We’re now on the 25th day of being in quarantine. My daily life certainly has changed drastically. I went from almost always rushing to get somewhere, swamped with work and planning the next travel with friends/family to just being home all the time. It’s hard honestly but one has to cope. One way I’m doing that is by learning to establish a new daily routine.

My New Daily Routine

Weekdays still mean prepping for work – only I don’t have to commute to the office.

  • Alarm still set at 7 in the morning… 

And actually get out of bed at 8!😅

  • Prep for the day

To set my mind to the idea that I’m still working, even from home, I make sure to still do my usual morning routine as though I’m going to the office: breakfast, coffee, bath and skincare.

  • Gather my laptop and all other work stuff and set up at my temporary home office           

This is really just our dining table which we hardly use. I have a study table in my room but it’s too hot to work there.

  • Go for a little walk and feel the sunshine in our garden

It’s not much of a garden – just a couple of trees and plants – but I get my Vitamin D from the sun from there.

  • Squeeze in a few minutes of exercise after work

    Thankfully, the Internet has a lot of fitness routines I can follow. Fitness First regularly sends workout tips via email and so does Ride Revolution. There are also Facebook live classes. Yoga Plus for instance offers free yoga classes daily at 4PM.

 

  • Light Dinner

    After freshening up, I eat a light dinner. I usually eat oatmeal or a banana plus water. But at times I order salad from Juju Eats. 

 

  • Movie Night

I like to unwind with a movie or two these days before bedtime. I alternate between Netflix and HBO Go. Here are some movies I recently watched.

 

I reserve the weekends mostly for reading and video chatting with friends. Although I do squeeze in some cleaning or laundry as well. It’s not to say I no longer feel anxious about Covid-19 but having a routine helps to calm my mind. As for keeping cabin fever at bay, I do these things.