I feel that self-isolation has been going on forever. My feelings of relief that most things are beyond my control transformed into irritation and anger because every day looks the same.
My husband and I joke that now we have six Saturdays and one Sunday because on Sunday the bakery is closed. The weather is beautiful, the sun is shining, and the temperature is rising; you can already feel the warmth of spring and want to go outside without any restrictions. Unfortunately, COVID-19 is still with us and we will probably need to learn how to live with it in the long-term. Our world has changed, and it may never look the same ever again. It is a suspended state and I can’t wait to change it. I really miss face-to-face meetings with my friends, events with our association Polish Professional Women in the Netherlands and hanging out in cafes and restaurants. I just miss my freedom to do the things that I want to do… To boost my mood, I stay in touch with my friends and co-workers almost every day. I contact them in various ways and use many online tools. My whole world has moved online. I want to share how I am dealing with this specific situation using many smart solutions that are available to us today.
Stay in touch using technology
The most important app on my smartphone at the moment is WhatsApp. Thanks to it, I maintain regular contact with almost everyone. Every day I chit-chat with my girlfriends and we share hilarious memes and send photos of our little achievements, such as baking our own bread. We always give each other support and a good word when we feel blue.
Video chats are an alternate way to maintain your friendships. It’s nice to see your friends and family on a screen in real-time. You can even organize a gathering at the same time with a glass of wine and your favorite food. An evening with your girls dressed up in high heels and red lipstick can be an epic idea. And what’s the best part? Afterward, you can go straight to your bed without having to worry about how to get home.
Netflix and chill online
If you’re into movies, a ’Netflix party’ is a great idea. There is an extension in Google Chrome, which allows users to watch shows with others remotely. You just need to create a unique link and share it with your friends. You can’t see others, but you can share your thoughts and reactions in the chat bar. Choose a movie, pop some popcorn, call up your friends, and enjoy your movie night together.
Spend your time with friends streaming
A FaceTime cooking competition is for those who are fascinated with cooking. You can create your own version of popular cooking shows like Master Chef together with your friends. Just make up a menu and discover a new extraordinary way to make it. Let the best dish win. It already sounds like a lot of fun and wine!
Live shows streaming online are getting more and more popular. There are plenty of things you can watch from the safety of your couch like music concerts and theater performances. You can attend a virtual live concert at the same time as your friends. Just hop on the same live stream, watch and enjoy…
Play another level… together!
Playing video games with friends online is the perfect solution in the pandemic time. Gaming consoles give you many opportunities to play together in a variety of ways. If you have an old laptop or smartphone, that’s also something you can play with your pals. You can choose whatever you want and like – just move to a virtual world. You don’t have to be the best player, that’s not the point – online games provide an occasion to meet up, chat, and have experiences together that may or may not involve blowing stuff up.
Virtual workouts
For some of you, it can be hard to find the motivation to workout without your gym buddy, but there is a fantastic solution – training platforms that provide free exercises to do at home. You always follow the instructor or even a whole group. If you still need your best friend, just make a video chat on your phones and do the workout simultaneously.
Ultimately, the point is to find a way to stay in touch with each other. Ask people how they are. And vice versa: let people know how you are doing. In this rough time, it’s important to have positive social interactions, even if they are remote. It helps to boost your mood and gives a feeling that we are not alone in this situation.
