First things first, I will not be another social media source telling you that if you don’t come out of quarantine with all your life’s goals achieved then you didn’t make the most of your time.

This is not “free time” and it’s not a vacation. Many of us are working harder than ever to keep all the plates spinning. 

You absolutely do NOT have to use this isolation time to write a novel or get a degree. Maintaining your sanity is more important than productivity right now.

If your anxiety has escalated because:

A. You are out of work.

B. You are trying to work from home.

C. You have suddenly been nominated to be a full time teacher without your consent.

D. Any combination of the above.

Then yes, you should definitely prioritize your mental health. For that, I suggest the post below:  

What Is CBT And Will It Work For Me?

This is the first in a series I am creating for anyone who wants practical self-help strategies you can do on your own, sans therapist. Zero cost to you. No travel and no co-pays? Doesn’t get any better than that in a quarantine.

Check that out as soon as you’re done here!

Now, what if you are maintaining your sanity well enough, and want to make the most of this opportunity to re-evaluate what matters to you?

Here are 5 easy ideas to start pursuing your passions while social distancing:

1. Ask yourself “What can I do?”
2. Get in touch with your inner hippie.
3. Make plans.
4. Get up earlier.
5. Create a new routine.

1. Ask yourself “What can I do?”

Chances are it’s a lot easier to identify the long list of things you can’t do at the moment, but don’t let that rule out everything.

When you really think about it, how many of the things that you can’t do are things you really want to be doing? Yeah, the mall is closed. So are movie theaters. How often do you actually shop for things in person or go see a movie?

Now, think about the activities you always put off because it was easier to keep busy outside the house. What if, despite these circumstances, you do want to pursue some bigger goals? What’s that thing you’ve been wanting to do but just couldn’t quite make the time for? For an online school that has flexible learning options and tuition that isn’t through the roof, I recommend checking out Capella University.

Capella’s degrees are pretty diverse, ranging from business and technology, education, psychology and counseling, nursing, and other health sciences.

Higher education not your thing?

Udemy and Teachable both have an assortment of online courses you can take to boost your knowledge or become certified in a topic. Perhaps this is the better method to dip your toes in the water of a subject you’re interested in pursuing.

Udemy has a large selection of course categories including: Development, Business, Marketing, Design, Photography, Music, IT and Software, and Personal Development.

Teachable is popular for both creating and taking courses, and has a wide variety of FREE courses to choose from.

Check them out and see what you can add to your intellectual repertoire. Can’t hurt to come out of quarantine just a little bit smarter, right?  

2. Get in touch with your inner hippie.

We all have that side of ourselves that wishes we could do all the artsy, out-there, seemingly carefree activities that only successful rich people typically have time to do. Things like collecting crystals, eating a plant-based diet, making food art, and meditating.

When you see Instagram profiles of people who are doing these things, you may quickly recognize that comparison does not do any good, but still tuck the idea away in your mind for “Someday.”

Someday, I will try a vegan diet. Someday, I will try yoga and learn how to do all those crazy flexible poses in cute athletic wear. Someday, I will adopt a puppy and experience being a dog mom and have a reason to get outside and run more.

Has anything like this ever struck your mind?

You know, the things you WISH you could do, but can’t because of all the other obligations you have. It just wouldn’t be practical for you to do what other people you admire are doing. It’s just not the right time. It’s a “someday” thing.

Well, what if someday is fast approaching?

What if now is the perfect time to prioritize the things that you perceive will make you feel more free? What are the things you wish you could do but haven’t because they aren’t “necessary” or because they would require putting your needs and wants first?

As a fellow hippie wannabe, I am giving you permission to pursue your inner free spirit.

Want some inspiration?

Check out these Instagram profiles- but remember! Don’t just scroll like usual and then put your dreams on the back burner. Take action to create your own dream life.

For Yoga Inspiration: @miz.liz and @fpmovement

For Coffee Art Inspiration: @latte_art_tutorials

For Vegan Lifestyle Inspiration: @veggiekins

For Spirituality Inspiration: @iamemmamumford and @nataliaszyszkaa

3. Make plans.

Just because travel may not be the best option right now, that doesn’t mean you can’t start planning. If you didn’t have pending plans before, it’s likely that all this time at home is making you think about getting away.

Why not start planning?

It helps to have something to look forward to when life seems stagnant.

According to Happify, the website dedicated to the science of happiness, 90% of people say that the happiest vacations were planned more than a month in advance.

What can you do to enjoy the planning phase?

Try these Happify tips:

• Watch movies about where you’re going
• Research the fun sites you’ll visit
• Chat about your trip with friends and family
• Read a novel that takes place in your destination

4. Get up Earlier.

Why get up early? And what in the world does getting up earlier have to do with pursuing my passions? 

You may be thinking that your biggest passion currently is sleep. While there’s nothing wrong with that, do you feel like you’re lacking the fulfillment you want out of life? 

If so, getting up earlier could be the key. 

Here’s why-

“There is a sense of control acquired from beating the inner voice. If your mind wins the battle between victim and success, things start on a high note and usually only get better.”  –Ciara Conlon, productivity coach

People who get up earlier feel more in control of their day. You’ve already accomplished something difficult, which leads to a more inspired morning and more time to do what’s important to you. 

Writer and motivational speaker, Robin Sharma, calls this the Mind over Mattress technique. Want to learn more about being an early riser? Check out Robin’s motivational site, The Life Adventure.  

I also recommend my blog post- 5 Reasons to Become a Morning Person to Achieve Your Goals

I created this post to help simplify the desire to pursue your passions. It’s worth a read!

5 Reasons to Become a Morning Person to Achieve Your Goals

5. Create a new routine.

It might be nice to get away from the monotonous structure you had before quarantine, but you might also be finding that having no structure is causing you stress.

If you have no routine, you have no plans. Having no plans means you have a very slim chance of accomplishing anything that matters to you.

Your new routine doesn’t have to be jam-packed with activities. No need to set higher expectations for yourself than you would under normal circumstances. Simply decide what is most important to you and turn your passion into the right amount of action.

How do you do this? 

Here is a quick 2-step guide to turning your passion into an achievable goal:

Now What?

Go and get started with whichever of these 5 ideas best suits you!

Finally, leave me a comment or share a direct message and let me know what passion you’re pursuing while social distancing.

Speaking for myself:

The biggest decision I’ve made during quarantine is adopting my labradoodle puppy. He is a therapy dog in training and has been the perfect distraction from heightened stress and anxiety. He is also a great source of positivity and affection.

Let me know what you are choosing to do to pursue your passions and maintain your mental health!

Here for you,

~Dani