Birjees Hussain

With the virus causing chaos in many parts of the world and several families having to go into either mandatory or self-isolation, there is the added risk of people succumbing to cabin fever. One couple in the US, whose offices had told them that they had to work from home for a time, joked that it’s not the virus that would get them but having to see each other and get into arguments over the littlest things every day all day for God only knows how long.

This might seem like a joke but being in close proximity with anyone for any length of time without a break can take a toll on one’s sanity. No matter how close you are to someone, a break away from them is always needed for the relationship to remain healthy.

Since many schools around the world have temporarily closed there is the added worry that, aside from just the husband and wife being in the home, there are now kids running around the place too.

What do you do to kill time every day? More importantly, how do you go about creating a schedule and sticking to it for more than a single day? What can you do to keep yourself busy and sane when your outdoor time should be limited to essential activities such as shopping for groceries and medications only? I read some ideas and thought they were pretty good to employ even if there isn’t a virus.

Get up as you would if you were getting ready to go to work, school or university. Do not think of it as a vacation because, if you do you will acquire bad habits that will be incredibly difficult to shake off when everything goes back to normal. Having said that, though, do pretend, on certain days, that you are on vacation. For example, make sure that, during your activities, you make a distinction between weekdays and weekends.

Voluntary isolation doesn’t mean not getting fresh air. If you live in a house that has a garden go into it. Do some gardening, have a family picnic, run around if there is enough room or at least jog on the spot if you don’t. Get your children to play in the garden for an hour or so. However, if you live in a flat that has just a balcony then use it for taking in some sun. Get your kids to sunbathe on it but only under your supervision.

But sometimes all you can manage are indoor activities. If that is the case, as it is for many of us, read a book, maybe even one you’ve already read and liked. You could also use the time to learn a course online, even if it’s a short course. Promise yourself that you will learn something new every day. Make sure to strictly plan out activities for your kids too. They have a short attention span and the slightest bit of boredom will lead them to go stir crazy and unmanageable. Make sure that the activities are educational as well as entertaining and with rewards at the end for participating.

Even if you feel you’re isolated, don’t forget that you are not alone in this. Many families are going through what you are going through. I, therefore, recommend keeping in touch with people. Start a WhatsApp group or write emails perhaps where you can share your feelings and fun and creative ideas to keep your family busy.

One thing I would recommend is to not watch the news all day. You might find that watching constant updates of the virus may cause you unnecessary panic. By all means check in a couple of times a day to see what’s happening and what you next need to do but do not sit there glued to a news channel. The worst culprit is social media where people post information without knowing if it’s from a reliable source. Don’t forget, unnecessary panic leads to stress which in turn leads to reduced immunity thereby making you more vulnerable to catching things. Lastly, remember this time is transitory. It will pass and eventually everyone will breathe a sigh of relief as things return to normal. InshaAllah.