How to Stay Productive During the Pandemic: Op-Ed

Earlier this year, I couldn’t understand why I was feeling so down. I thought it was just something that I was feeling, but I saw that other people my age were feeling the same way. Knowing that I wasn’t in this alone really helped me. I wanted to share some things I have been dealing with, and what I have been doing to lift my spirits. I hope that you can use my experience to benefit yourself.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us have been isolated in our homes, stuck with some annoying siblings (LOL) and are forced to be stuck on a screen all day. I don’t know about the rest of you guys but it has been exhausting waking up for school just to go on a screen and end up being confused. I was so frustrated with all my work piling up that I didn't even want to get out of bed anymore. I was sick and tired of submitting my assignments last minute and being stressed about it all weekend. But, I told myself that I could do better. I sat down one day and made myself a schedule and it has been so helpful. I dedicate Monday and Tuesday to my most difficult work and do easier assignments whenever I have freetime like on a Wednesday. When I separated my work like this I wasn’t so stressed over the weekends and it gave me time to relax. This schedule gave me so much relief and I hope you all can make a schedule for yourself that accommodates you so you don't have to feel so stressed.

I'm not gonna lie, I gained some weight being in quarantine. What can we do? I was able to walk around school and be busy in my everyday life. Then when the pandemic hit, I was stuck at home with food and boredom, being too afraid to step outside. I began feeling unhappy about the way I looked. For weeks, I have been wanting to get back into a healthier schedule, but it always seemed too hard and I backed out halfway. However, I decided I needed motivation to exercise, so I downloaded the Strava app to track how much I walk. Last week, I walked 1 mile on Friday and this week, I walked 1 mile on Wednesday, 2 miles on Thursday, and 3 Miles on Friday. I'm slowly building up my stamina again. I am so proud of myself for doing this, as this exercise has increased my mood and has built up some of my strength. Now that I have started I feel like I can’t stop. The best part is that it feels mentally refreshing. I think we can add a little more exercise to our lives. Trust me, once you get into a routine it becomes second nature.

Hopefully, you can incorporate some of these activities into your daily life to be more happy and productive during the pandemic!