Tips for staying safe and sane during lockdowns

It’s almost been a year and a half since the COVID-19 pandemic began, however it still continues to go strong. Not just Pakistan, but various other countries around the globe are resorting to lockdowns once again in order to curtail the growing number of cases. Therefore, the responsibility of staying home to contain the spread falls on us.

In light of the rapidly growing cases and several genetic mutations of the virus, Pakistan is witnessing a new wave of restrictions being imposed by the government. The prevailing situational uncertainty and lockdowns can take a toll on your productivity and mental health. For this, we have prepared the following list of things to do while staying at home.

1. Pick a Hobby

We all have a list of things we envision doing if we get some time out of our busy schedules, well this is the opportunity to do all of that! It’s time to brush up those painting skills, pick up the spoon to cook, a shovel for gardening or do anything else you have wanted to do.

2. Enjoy a lazy day and have takeout food

If you don’t feel like cooking and dining out is not an option during lockdown, then just order food at home.  Take advantage of the discounts offered on hundreds of restaurants across Pakistan through food delivery applications and chill out in front of your TV screens.

3. Shop Online

It is extremely simple and convenient to buy almost everything online. From groceries to food, there are platforms now offering deliveries within the hour. Most of these services also offer discounts on purchases and deliver freshly packed goods at your doorstep. Sanitization and safety protocols are also followed which is extremely important but most of all, these services ensure that people can stay safe and order everything they need from the safety of their homes.

4. Shift to Digital Banking

Surviving even a day without conducting financial transactions seems almost impossible. Visiting the bank during lockdown, under time restrictions, is a hassle in itself, and there is always a threat of exposure. However, numerous digital banking platforms, such as Easypaisa, act as a one stop solution for conducting all kinds of transactions like money transfer, bill payment, mobile top-ups, allowing users from all telco networks to use the App. This makes our lives really easy and gives us the convenience of conducting transactions anytime and anywhere.

Millions of users are shifting towards digital payments and those who haven’t, should also consider signing up from the comfort of their homes as it only takes two minutes to open a mobile wallet account to lead a convenient and hassle free digital lifestyle.

5. Harness the power of virtual connectivity

Remember the time when we used to enjoy working from home while making dalgona coffee, playing ludo online and celebrating our friends’ birthdays over video call? Maybe it’s time to bring all that back. Making use of the internet to hold online meet-ups, playing games and connecting with friends and family can really be a game changer for your mental and physical health.

It feels like a lifetime since Coronavirus was declared a pandemic and it feels difficult to find motivation with each passing day. However, we hope this list might help you to put things into perspective and act as a reminder to keep our physical and mental health in check and stay motivated towards overcoming this crisis.