How to Keep Your Sanity if You Live in China During the Coronavirus

Posted: February 22, 2020 by Kelly Branyik

I’ve been “inside” for almost a month tomorrow. Not much has changed since my post a couple of weeks ago when I first talked about what it was like being inside during the coronavirus. But a few things have changed, including how I have been managing my time inside.

Honestly, I can’t believe this is even a topic I’m discussing. It’s so weird to be in a situation like this. My day to day a security guard checks my temperature when I go in and out of my building, I always have to wear a mask outside, and I have to use a tissue to press elevator buttons.

I get to go outside every two days for groceries, but leaving my plaza isn’t exactly the most fun thing since they are monitoring everyone who comes in and out of the building. Additionally, there are so many hurdles to jump if you want to travel somewhere by subway, taxi, train, or plane.

It’s all a giant pain and who would’ve thought I would be here at this time experiencing this.

Anyways.

For those who are extroverts, you might not see any real benefits of basically strongly advised self-containment, but I have managed to see a bright silver lining. Here are some of the benefits of me staying inside during the Coronavirus.

Benefits of Staying Inside During the CoronaVirus

I eat out in restaurants WAY less.
Because I eat in restaurants less, I make healthier meals at home.
The small fortune I spend on Starbucks has been suspended.
I have gotten SO MUCH writing done for my upcoming books.
Building a better day routine has been much easier.
Truthfully, I would love a job where I can work from home.

Let’s just say, for me, I have been much more productive being at home than when I’m out and about. That’s not to say I don’t enjoy going out. I love going outside, and I miss the experience more dearly than you know.

But there are ways I have been keeping my sanity during this time, because if you have nothing to do inside, obviously you’re going to lose your mind.

Read Books

One of my favorite things to do during this coronavirus is to read books. Luckily, I have a lot of books on my list to read. Before I moved to China, I got a library card from my hometown library so I could download eBooks to read whenever and wherever. I just hook it all up to my iPad and I can get lost in adventures without even leaving my apartment. It’s wonderful. If you love reading and don’t want to keep buying eBooks on Amazon, you can ask one of your friends or family members to loan you their library card number and starting building up a list of books you want to read.

Exercise or Do Yoga

This is pretty much a no-brainer. When I get on the phone with my dad, he always says to me, “Are you exercising? Exercising keeps your immune system up and releases endorphins. You’ll be less likely to get sick and you’ll stay happy.” He’s not wrong.

My apartment is small, but it’s big enough for me to do some Zumba with the help of my friends at Live, Love, Party, or do some Yoga with Adriene. I have a jump rope as well, which is another great way to do cardio if you can’t get outside and go for a run.

Meditate

Most all of surviving being indoors this long requires mental strength and stillness. Meditating is such a great way to pull yourself back to your center if you are really starting to feel the negative effects of the coronavirus. It is a huge bummer being inside for so long, but it is only a bummer if we give in to it.

Meditating is a great way to get back to a more positive mental state and there are a number of YouTube videos to help keep you focused during meditation, as well as other apps like Calm and Omvana.

Get Creative

Getting creative might be a side effect of meditating. Perhaps all this weird time spent inside it a good way to start really assessing some bigger goals of yours. You may even have some genius idea or epiphany on some super cool project you want to do. From there you can get a plan started on how to achieve those goals. Some of my friends have started doing more art, making videos, and writing more because of this. For me, I’ve found I have finished more of my book in this time period than before. I have also been able to commit more time to this website too.

Weirdly enough, I’ve been super into TikTok. If that isn’t a way to pass your time. Follow me at @travelbranyik.

Listen to Music

Ambient music playing in the background has been a huge assistant to me finishing a lot of my projects and staying focused. And since I felt I have watched pretty much everything possible on Netflix and YouKu, music is a great alternative in breaking the silence so largely lingering in my apartment.

There are some awesome pre-made playlists on Spotify and iTunes just for the occasion!

Clean Your House

I don’t know about the rest of you, but if my apartment isn’t clean, then I feel even worse, especially if I’m in a bad mood. Don’t let your dirty clothes and dishes pile up. And definitely don’t skip out on sweeping your apartment ad wiping down all surfaces. Cleaning itself can be a meditative experience. And when you live in a clean space, your mind is at ease as well

Spend More Time in the Kitchen

There is no doubt in mind. One thing I have done more during this coronavirus was get in the kitchen and make real meals. I’ve been making healthier meals, juicing, experimenting with other Chinese dishes I miss eating at restaurants, and I’ve been recalling just how easy it is to make homemade items especially when you can’t get them here and now.

One of my favorite things these days is making homemade tortillas from scratch. Next on the list is homemade ravioli using only ingredients I get from the supermarket.

Talk to Your Friends in China

I will admit, even with my positive attitude, I was starting to feel some serious loneliness. But almost as soon as that started, working from home became a thing. Since I am a teacher for EF, we are rolling out an online training platform. Part of the training involves us getting into small groups and actually working on the platform together.

I didn’t realize how much I missed my colleagues, nor how much fun and laughter would be involved thanks to a simple webcam. The first week of training with my colleagues in a virtual classroom improved my mood tenfold.

Call Family & Friends Back Home

It’s truly amazing how technology has empowered us to make connections with our loved ones just 8,000 miles away. When I am most homesick, I can’t just call my family and friends back home and talk with them for a few hours. Being able to do that, especially when you miss home, is a rejuvenating experience.

I relied on talking with my parents for the entire two years I lived in China as a Peace Corps Volunteer. During that time, I never came home, so being able to FaceTime them made such a significant impact on me. It also helped me finish my service with confidence. I knew I would go home without that support.

Play Video Games

So I shamelessly play Forge of the Empires in my minute in between doing all these other things. I love this game because you can build your own little empire, sort of like Age of the Empires (for those of you who remember that game). Plus there are all sorts of little games within Forge of the Empires which doubles the fun.

I’m sure there are tons of other games out there that are sure to interest you and sweep you away from the time you spend tucked away in your home during the coronavirus.