The Coronavirus is everywhere and most countries seem to be on full lockdown. Borders, schools, bars and everything else are closed as well. The only thing that doesn’t seem closed is the airports (for now). The people who are in countries that are in full lockdown have a hard time but there is hope. Multiple sources claim that everything will be fine in April. Whether that’s true or not is something that only time will tell. So best case scenario you’re in quarantine for another 3-4 weeks. 3-4 weeks that you should use fully in my opinion. Note that this blog isn’t for people who’re bored and are looking for attention. This blog is for people who want to improve their life and potentially quit their job.
The Coronavirus has shown a lot of people that their jobs can be taken away in seconds. No job means no paycheck right? Not quite, I don’t have a job but I generate income. Everyone can do it. Let’s take a look at how you can make the most out of the Coronavirus quarantine times.
Coronavirus quarantine: don’t panic and be careful with the media.
I want you to panic. No seriously, panic! Tell yourself the apocalypse is coming and that everyone is going to die! Did it help? It didn’t, so stop doing it! Panic is your worst enemy when it comes to this. The media is probably the one that makes you panic since that’s what the media mostly does. I’m not telling you to take Corona lightly but I also encourage you to use common sense if you want to watch the news. They won’t share things that make you happy. Sometimes they will play with the facts to make things seem worse than they are. Question things actively if you’re watching the news.
In the end, there isn’t a lot you can do but acting on panic is the worst thing you can do. Acting on emotion is something that might mess up your life or put you in deeper shit than you already are.
Coronavirus quarantine: the best time is now.
This is a serious opportunity for improvement if you’re willing to take it. Most people see this as time off work and won’t use their time properly. Others will see this as an opportunity to grow. Everything that was holding you back is gone right now. There is no:
- 9-5 lifestyle
- weekends (because there is no 9-5 lifestyle)
- parties
- social gatherings
- meals out
- travel
- hangovers
Every day is like a permanent Saturday until the quarantine ends so now is the time to take initiative. Not doing it now indicates that you’ll probably never do it at all.
Start a blog/podcast and solve specific problems.
People who follow this blog should have noticed something. I’m releasing way more content then I did in the last few months. The reason for this is simple, everybody is at home and you can see my audience and book sales go up (buy it here). This is the perfect time to start a podcast or a blog since you can grow an audience if you’re able to solve a particular problem. You have a lot of free time on your hands which means that you can release a lot of content.
Some examples of problem-solving are these blog posts:
- guide on how to get over a breakup
- guide on how to beat depression
- reflection guide
- a guide to self-love
- this blog post
- ….
you get the point.
Another good option to generate income in this period.
Now I understand that some people have no interest in starting something like this because your income isn’t guaranteed.
Luckily there are options for this. I use a site called Preply (You can set up an account on the site here.) since I arrived here in Thailand. You can teach your native tongue on this website or other subjects like philosophy, physics and so one. The good thing is that you can choose your salary. I charged 30 dollars an hour, taught one hour a week and that is how I was able to pay rent every month. People who take this seriously can work 4 hours a day, earn 120 dollars a day and take the rest of the day off. There are just extremely popular languages, it would be stupid not to teach something that you learned since you were young. Aside from that the schools are closed some people will want to keep learning. Don’t be like most people by missing out on golden opportunities in this period.
Coronavirus quarantine: learn something new or improve.
Feeling bored won’t help you in this day and age. You might as well see the good in what’s happening (no matter how hard it is) and use it to your advantage. Right now you have a lot of time on your hands so why not learn something new? Or pick up something that you kind of forgot about. I would pick up the guitar again if I was at home now. I also signed up for some websites that have striking drills and downloaded some free grappling DVDs from BJJ fanatics. The options are endless here, you don’t have to mindlessly watch the same television shows over and over again. You can spend time doing what you love right now!
Read books!
Another great way to spend your time right now is to read books. Men’s Sana In Corpore Sano is a saying for a reason. A healthy body without a healthy mind is not healthy and vice versa. The books here are either covering Stoicism or self- development. I would recommend Gary J. Bishop’s books the most. All of his books gave me reality checks and made me aware of stuff that I needed to work on in life.
Here are some books recommendations (read the Gary J. Bishop books in the order they’re mentioned):
- Unfuck Yourself by Gary J. Bishop (buy it here)
- Stop Doing That Shit by Gary J. Bishop (buy it here)
- Do The Work by Gary J. Bishop (buy it here)
- The Laws Of Human Nature by Robert Greene (buy it here)
- The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday (buy it here)
- Stillness Is The Key by Ryan Holiday (buy it here)
- The Obstacle Is The Way by Ryan Holiday (buy it here)
- Book Of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi (buy it here)
- How To Win Friends And Influence People by Dale Carnegie (buy it here)
- Meditations by Marcus Aurelius (buy it here)
- The Power Of Now by Eckhart Tolle (buy it here)
- The Way Of Superior Man by David Deida (buy it here)
Coronavirus quarantine: the power of silence and solitude.
I solved a lot of things by just being alone with my thoughts. In the beginning, it was scary because I had a lot of dark thoughts but later on I was able to fix problems in my life just by going into nature and sitting there. Some of my best blog posts, my second book idea, some insights from fighting and so on all came from spending time in solitude. The only way to get to know yourself is to spend time with yourself. Most people don’t want to do this because they don’t like themselves. See this as the perfect opportunity to either reinvent yourself or get inspired by new ideas.
Coronavirus quarantine: keep in touch with loved ones.
This one should be a no brainer. Try to spend time with loved ones or at least call them. This is a time where a lot of people are in a state of panic and fear. Loving them might help them through this difficult period.
Coronavirus quarantine: stay active or get active.
It’s important to stay active to make sure that your body stays in the best shape possible. Sitting all day won’t do you any favors. You can do multiple workouts at home.
You can do workouts with a TRX (buy one here) or a dip/pull- up rack (buy one here). People who have those at home or are going to buy them can follow this workout routine that I shared a while ago.
People who don’t have it and don’t want to buy it can follow this workout routine. It’s a calisthenics routine that I used to prepare for an obstacle run back in 2016. It requires almost no equipment.
Aside from that, you can still run on your own if you’re allowed to go outside or train in a park.
Coronavirus quarantine: hydrate and eat healthily.
This should be a time where you take your nutrition and water intake very seriously. Being in a good shape mentally and physically will help you get through this period right now. The reality is that you always should take your health seriously but you should do it more than ever in times like this! This is the best time to get in shape so what are you waiting for?! Your alarm clock that rings every 10 minutes? I hate to break it you but if you snooze, you lose.
Coronavirus quarantine: one more thing.
I realize that this is a difficult period for a lot of people due to panic and uncertainty. I hope you all stay healthy just as your loved ones. But I also hope that you realize this will end too. After the darkest night comes the brightest day. That is true. Things will get better and go back to normal. You just have to be patient right now.
Till next time.
Alex
Don’t forget to buy my latest book: “The Year Of The Alpha: 366 Lessons On Adding Meaning To Your Life! It’ll take your life from Zero To Alpha. (you can buy it here)
