How to avoid getting bored: tips to enjoy your time at home

At this stage, we imagine you’re fully aware of the impact COVID-19 is having on the whole world. You’ve probably lost count of the articles you’ve read or the times you’ve talked about the issue.

There’s a lot of talk about the measures being taken to prevent infection from this virus. But have you stopped to think about what you can do to care for your mental health in the coming days?

In times of uncertainty, negative feelings may affect us more than we’d like. Yet, it’s really important to pay heed to our emotions and focus on pampering our brain. This way, we can whip up the positive energy we need to deal with this period, helping those closest to us in the process.

At FloraQueen, we have put together some tips to help you get the most out of these days at home. But the main gist is: look after yourself!

Eat fruit

Everyone knows that eating plenty of fruit is one of the best ways to care for our body. But if you want a fix of good humour, certain special fruits are capable of improving your mood.

Bananas, for instance, contain an amino acid that can generate serotonin, which helps us feel more cheerful. Oranges, melon and pineapple are also your allies if you want to feel more positive energy.

It’s more important than ever to eat fruit now, to keep us strong and healthy. With these tips, you can already start selecting your favourites and preparing a delicious smoothie to soothe both body and soul. Make sure you share it with us!

Write

The frantic rhythm of our lives often prevents us from listening to our feelings. If you’ve been running on autopilot, then make the most of this new-found time at home to dedicate 15 minutes a day to putting everything that goes through your mind to paper. When you finish, go over what you’ve written. Psychologists recommend this exercise to work on our emotional wellbeing.

Writing our thoughts down allows us to understand them better, as we put them into perspective. It also helps us get to know ourselves better and care for our mental health.

So, dust off your diary and let your emotions speak. You’ll be surprised by the result.

Learn a new language

Have you ever heard a language and thought, ‘It sounds so nice; I wish I could speak it’? Of course you have. There’s no need to reach native level to feel the benefits of studying a new language. The process exercises our brain, making it more flexible, while improving our memory and attention capacity.

According to the experts from the Babbel app, just 15 minutes a day is enough for your brain to gradually absorb a new language. So, no excuses!

Train your inner bookworm

Do you too have a shelf full of books you’ve left ‘for when you have time’? Now’s the time to tackle them. Plus, reading strengthens neuronal networks and makes our thought processes more agile. In the long term, it can even help us prevent diseases as serious as Alzheimer’s.

If your reading habit is a bit rusty, don’t forget that reading is like exercise: you have to ease into it gradually. With just 10 pages a day, your brain will get accustomed and you’ll be capable of spending more time stuck in your book. We bet you’ll end up hooked!

Call your loved ones

Thanks to the wonders of technology, it’s easier than ever to feel closer to our loved ones. Yet, we’re often so busy with our routine that we forget to spend time cultivating these relationships.

Use this time to call that family member or friend you don’t speak to as often as you’d like. A conversation with a loved one reduces stress and strengthens the mind, especially if you’re home alone.

Do some crafts

Arts and crafts are another great way to activate the brain without even realising it. They help us focus our attention on a specific situation, giving us a greater sense of control and improving our self-esteem. What’s more, they’re the perfect antidote to avoid or ease depression.

At FloraQueen, we propose the following exercise: if you have flowers at home and don’t want them to wilt, did you know that it’s very easy to dry them? Roses, for example, look fabulous as dried flowers.

One of the most common methods of drying flowers is to tie a string to the end of each stem, leave them hanging upside down to dry in a dark and ventilated place for three weeks and spray them with hairspray to stop the petals from falling off. Just wait and see how long they last!

This is just one example of the many crafts you can do at home. The possibilities are endless and there’s something for everyone. Choose yours and enjoy it from time to time. You’ll soon notice the difference.

Get some exercise

The same way not doing exercise makes us feel guilty, staying active improves discipline, helping us face the day with more optimism. If you find it hard to be consistent when it comes to exercise, just 5 to 15 minutes a day are enough to start noticing positive changes.

You know what they say: mens sana in corpore sano!

It’s true that life can be tough sometimes. But often, it all depends on the lens we choose to look at it through.

We challenge you to get the most out of every situation, even the most difficult. And when things are going well, all we can say to you is: relax and enjoy! That’s what we’re here for.

So what are you going to get up to at home over the next few days? Let us know!