It’s hard to believe that we’re already in the 4th month of the year, and I can’t believe that we’re going through a pandemic! It looks like our 2020 plans are on hold. However, this is only an illusion. We have to ask ourselves, how can we find balance with our 2020 goals while quarantined?

Well, today’s reality isn’t easy to digest, depending on how the quarantine affected you. I know that some people are working from home, some are unemployed, and some don’t have a choice but to go out there to make a living. 

It’s not easy to be in either situation because some don’t have the same advantage. Therefore, even though the season doesn’t look good overall, you have to find your strength. For example, I know people that are now temporarily unemployed, so their advantage might be that they have plenty of time. 

When I realized that I was getting affected by the pandemic, I was worried about my parents’ health the most. My employment reassured me that we were safe; we’ve started working from home with our regular pay. That was my advantage in the storm, and I’m very thankful for it. 

However, I still had 2020 goals that were affected severely by it. I had to either remove them or replace them with an alternative plan. I asked myself, how do I keep up with my 2020 goals when I have to stay home? 

The biggest question to answer before we start is this: where do I want to be in 2021?

I don’t know about you, but I’m not sure how long this storm will last. What I’m sure of is once it ends, some of us will gain more knowledge, will own their own business or be their better selves physically, mentally or spiritually.

Depending on your current situation, if you ever wanted to change something in your life, this is a good time to do it. There’s nobody that can check up on you and try to judge you; you can start doing these changes in the comfort of your own home!

What do you feed your mind during this season?

It’s crucial to get your head straight during this time. You can easily feed your mind with negativity that you see online. You have the choice to turn your phone off or unfollow negative people on your social media. 

It’s important to know what goes in and out of your head. Being conscious of what you feed your mind is essential. If you spend your time watching Netflix and not do anything else to motivate yourself to be better, that’s going to backfire.

You need positivity, encouragement to be better. So what do you do with your time at home? Do you spend your time scrolling down on social media? Are you aware of how the posts are affecting your energy? Are the people you follow are spreading positivity or are they feeding you fear?

I’m not telling you not to watch the news or not to entertain yourself. I’m telling you that you are in control of what you feed your mind. If you’re negative at the moment, it’s because you surround yourself with negativity. However, you need to set time for everything to balance yourself. But try your hardest to surround yourself with positivity than fear. 

I have been doing many different things to stay positive during the storm. I unfollowed anyone that only posted about Corona Virus and spreading fear without teaching me how I can be positive during this time. I spend less time on social media because it’s most of the time full of distraction. And, I continued to watch my favourite shows without it interfering with my productivity time.

Do I cancel my resolutions? 

Your 2020 resolutions might not be clear to you anymore. You probably cancelled your beach body that you wanted to achieve because the gym closed down. You got temporarily laid off, so you probably don’t see how you can attain your financial goals.

I understand that your situation might be devastating; however, as I describe above, find the advantage that you can take today to be better tomorrow.

I would even encourage you to write down another resolution; it’s never too late! If you were planning on travelling, unfortunately, you will have to cancel that. Your 2020 aims could be to do a check-up on your mental health or get closer to your family and friends or learn how to draw.

Plans have changed, how do I keep my goals while at home?

I know that I had no choice but to cancel some of my goals because of all the flight cancellations and social distancing. I didn’t have a long list either, so I didn’t have to change a lot about my 2020 goals. However, I did have to change my plans to achieve my goals.

I was pleased that the gym closed because I had a reason not to have that beach body. However, when I went on Instagram, I saw how many people were posting home workouts. I was devastated but motivated at the same time, and this is the type of motivation that you need.

Yes, I hate working out, but I force myself to move this body before it’s too late. So, don’t sit down and watch Netflix all day, make time for yourself, for your health. 

If you’re like me and you had some financial goals, you can still achieve them. However, it depends on your situation. I’d say, if you have that opportunity to work, you have a higher chance of saving more money. And this is a great time to do so!

Learn at home

If you’ve experienced a temporary lay off, this is another opportunity for you. You have a lot of time to go on Youtube and learn new skills. You can also learn from attending online webinars and read other blogs to keep you motivated. And in terms of savings, save as much as you can.

Take full advantage of your opportunity. However, keep in mind that it’s not time to waste money unless it’s necessary, like buying food. Don’t spend your money on online shopping, that’s a terrible idea! Why are you even shopping online? You won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. Don’t worry about the discounts, those come and goes.

On my end, I was lucky enough to keep working from home. I can’t express how blessed I felt. And seeing my co-workers buy things online was tempting to me. However, my goals are more significant than that. So, I’m taking full advantage of working from home. 

When you find your way of taking advantage of this pandemic, you will see better results in the long run. 

How do I find a better way to balance my productivity?

The best way to staying productive while at home is to create a routine! We’re human beings, and we function better when we have a habit. You can spend the whole night watching movies and sleep all day and eat and repeat. You will notice how you’re slowly gaining weight, and your mental health will be affected by it.

So this is an excellent opportunity to start creating a routine. Find what works best for you. You have to create a method that works and keep it up for as long as you can. You can set your alarm at any time that you want, but don’t stay in bed. Go outside at some point during the day, just for a quick walk. 

Get into that routine, write what works best for you. Find balance, how long are you going to watch TV? How long are you going to work out? Using time wisely is super important.

Lately, what I have been trying is writing at a different time of the day, even though I know very well that writing earlier in the morning works better. I also tried to find a workout schedule that works for me, and I found out that working out every single day keeps me motivated. 

Be honest with yourself, where do you want to be once this is over?

I understand how this pandemic is affecting the world. You can either drown yourself in the storm or decide to be different and come out of it more durable. Staying safe and healthy should be your top priority, so is your mental health. I know that some of you are extrovert, and it’s not easy to stay home alone. But this is also an opportunity for you to learn how to enjoy your own company.

Where do you want to be in 2021?

By inviting positivity, creating a new plan and a routine, I’m sure that every day you will contribute at least 1% of who you will be in 2021.

I will finish this blog post with this lovely quote —

The meaning of life is nothing very special. Try to be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book now and then, get some walking in, and try to live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations. -Monty Python