Wherever you are in the world, no doubt you are feeling some effects from COVID-19. Here in Spain we are on lockdown and stay at home to help lessen the spread of the virus. As we are scheduled to be at home now for a little longer on this beautiful island perhaps creating a routine during isolation wouldn’t be so bad.

Exercise

Whether you have a dog and can get out in the fresh air for a short time or not. There are plenty of online providers now offering daily lessens. Joe Wicks, The Body Coach and indeed Mr Motivator are offering daily classes to benefit both adults and children. Get those endorphins flowing. Meditation is an excellent way to zone out from the negativity and children can even get involved in this too. Yoga and pilates are great ways to stretch and keep yourself in good shape.

Cooking

If you are a fabulous cook then dust off those cookbooks and try new dishes with fresh local ingredients. Use those store cupboard staples and see how creative you can be making dishes that can be portioned and frozen. If you have little ones in the house why not spend a morning baking and an afternoon sampling the delights of your efforts.

Explore the world from home

Lots of museums are setting up their exhibits online, so we can still get our arts and culture fixes from the confines of our homes. Here’s a look inside the Met!

Learn a new skill

Have you always thought about learning Spanish or Mandarin? Perhaps now is the time to devote an hour or two a day to make your brain work. Whether you are still working from home or need to find something to do, it is important to use our brain and develop some new talent whilst doing so. Download a language app like Memrise or Duolingo and start practicing. Or, if you’re not interested in learning a new language, sign up for another kind of online class.

Volunteer Virtually

There are lots of communities to support right now, and though we can’t necessarily provide relief or comfort with our physical presence, we can certainly contribute what we can. That may be registering to be one of the people that talks to someone elderly and alone during this isolation. Online communities have risen dramatically over recent weeks and it is good to think you are doing something positive for someone else.

Of course, you could spend a few hours exploring the fabulous properties here on and choosing your favourites. Letting the mind wander is an excellent way to relax during this isolation period. Or you could plan your home refurbishment.

Stay safe out there.