With the current COVID-19 pandemic, governments all over the world have issued advisories against non-essential travel. Now, whether or not your vacation constitutes essential or non-essential travel we will leave that to your discretion. That being said, lots of people the world over, including right here in Kenya, have had to cancel their travel plans and #StayHome. Social distancing by default also means that staying home is perhaps the best way to comply with this policy. Further still, a lot of employees and business owners are now working from home.

Schools and higher education institutions have been closed meaning the kids are also at home. While all this feels like a ‘forced vacation’ one should strive to make the best out of the situation. Firstly, by calling it a ‘staycation’. A staycation is a holiday spent at home. So what are some of the things one can do to make their staycation a success? Here are a few tips.

Work

What? Yes. Take advantage to get some work done. While working and vacationing do not usually go together, a staycation may afford one the time to get to some procrastinated projects without the distractions of having to attend to clients or the usual hustle and bustle of the office. Take this time to reflect on how 2020 has started business-wise. Have you been hitting your new year’s business and work goals? What have you been doing right and what have you been doing wrong? Readjust your goals after putting into consideration how the year has gone so far.

Remember that sooner rather than later, the COVID-19 pandemic will come to pass and life will go back to normal. One can use this staycation to work behind the curtains and emerge a few steps ahead of everyone else once normalcy resumes.

Workout

These tips will get less cumbersome, we promise. In the meantime, all that lazying around the house without getting any physical activity is not good for you. You are probably eating more than when you are at work. Therefore, it is prudent to exercise. One does not even need to go to the gym for this. Simple body-weight exercises such as push-ups, sit-ups, squats, jumping jacks, and skipping rope are all good exercises one can do at home without any equipment.

A staycation also means that one has more time than during their normal work routine to exercise and may end up being healthier and more fit than when one is working. When normalcy resumes, go back to the office with a fit body while everyone else has gained a few kilos.

Family Bonding

It has long been floated around in social circles that the current working generation has little to no time for their families. Kids rarely interact with their parents save on weekends for fleeting moments. This has the effect of turning family members into strangers who may not know about the ups and downs their siblings, parents or children may be going through.

Seeing that learning institutions are closed and the kids are home, this is the perfect opportunity to reinforce family bonds by sharing in conversation, watching TV together, sharing meals, and participating in some indoor family activities. Some of those activities may include playing board games such as scrabble, chess, Monopoly or other games such as Jenga. Sharing stories about life or various topics can also be fun.

The COVID-19 pandemic may have temporarily separated us from the rest of the world but it can bring one’s family closer together.

Read

We all know we should probably read more whether it be a self-improvement non-fiction kind of book or perhaps a really good fictional one. However, with our daily routines, there’s barely any time for that. These days there are certain books that should definitely be on one’s reading list. Such books may include Michelle Obama’s Becoming, Mark Manson’s The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck and books from acclaimed authors such as Malcolm Gladwell, Robert Greene, and Jordan Peterson just to name a few essentials.

Books are a storage of immense knowledge and insight and developing a reading habit can broaden one’s thinking and potentially lead to a significantly better life than the current status quo.

Binge Watch a Series, Play Video Games or Create a TikTok

Basically, what we are saying here is to indulge yourself. After all, it is a vacation, is it not? You are probably behind on a few series you follow. If you are somehow up to date on all of them despite your busy schedule, firstly, congratulations on a wonderful work-life balance. Secondly, one can use this time to discover a new series to make your staycation a bit more interesting.

For the kids and the young at heart video games can be an engaging pastime activity. You will barely notice the hours fly by. The kids will be engaged.

Finally, why not jump on the TikTok craze that has taken the world by storm much like the COVID-19 pandemic. TikTok is a social media app whose format involves creating short funny, catchy or informative videos to share with your followers. Or hop onto any other social media platform and kill time by scrolling through it. Anything to fill those long hours at home.

In Conclusion

#StayHome if you can and play your part in ending the COVID-19 pandemic. As with previous pandemics, this too shall pass and we will all get back to our normal lives.