5 Ways to Survive Social Distancing

Whether we like it or not, we’re all #stayingathome for the foreseeable future. But what do we all do when we can’t leave the house? (Besides Netflix.)

People have been getting pretty creative so far. Football fans worldwide have been challenging each other to toilet roll keepie uppies.

But 24-7 TikTok will lose its charm eventually. So we’ve come up with FIVE other ways to entertain yourself during coronavirus…

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#1 Stay active

A global pandemic might be the perfect excuse to not get out of bed. But three weeks of that will turn your mind to mush. As well as keeping you fit and healthy, physical exercise releases feel-good endorphins AND increases productivity.

There are literally thousands of home workout videos online, and even a quick 10-20 minute session each day will have a positive impact on how you feel.

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#2 Stick to a routine

This is SO important. Getting out of bed, showering and putting clean clothes are usually part of everyday life. So keep it that way.

Setting yourself goals and making regular to-do-lists will give your day structure.

Here’s the kind of list you could make:

• Breakfast
• 15-minute work out
• Read a book
• Call a pal
• Make a sandwich
• Go for a walk
• Search and apply for apprenticeships
• Dinner
• Netflix / knitting / yoga
• Sleep

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#3 Join a house party

We don’t mean grab a few tinnies and head round your mate’s house.

We’re talking about the group video chat app Houseparty, which has been keeping friends and loved ones connected over the last few weeks. There are even in-app trivia games on anything from Harry Potter to Mean Girls, for when you run out of things to say.

If nothing else, it will give you an excuse to put some clothes on.

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#4 Practice mindfulness

Mindfulness is all about being in the present. It’s about stepping back, and thinking about our emotions and behaviour. Something that can be particularly hard to do at university, where three years go faster than the Night Bus in Harry Potter.

Professor Williams (former director of the Oxford Mindfulness Centre), says rather than blocking negative thoughts, the key is being able to refocus your mind.

“Imagine standing at a bus station and seeing ‘thought buses’ coming and going without having to get on them and be taken away. This can be very hard, but with gentle persistence, it is possible.”

This change in perspective has been proven to boost your mental wellbeing, productivity and creativity.

Try putting your phone in a different room, taking some deep breaths and letting your mind wander for a few minutes each day. Or have a go at a mindful activity, such as yoga, tai-chi or meditation.

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#5 Find your perfect apprenticeship

When you’re not catching up with pals, put aside some time to start your search for an apprenticeship. It’s never too early to look – lots of roles are offered on a first-come-first basis, and you don’t want to miss out.

Social distancing or not, we’re here to support you in making that first step in your career.

Here’s how we can help:

REVIEWS

Our website is home to nearly 24,000 apprenticeship reviews. These reviews can tell you what it’s really like to do a particular apprenticeship, for a particular employer, from someone who has actually done it.

They cover everything from how supportive the employer is to insights on company culture. All stuff you can’t get from reading a job description.

JOBS

There are currently 234 jobs live on RateMyApprenticeship.co.uk, in a cool 19 different industries. These include:

• Education & Childcare
• Health & Beauty
• Health & Social Care Services
• Medicine
• Media

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CAREER ADVICE

For more information, head over to our blog for gripping reads. You’ll also find plenty of application advice to guide you through the process.

If you can’t decide between a career in accounting, and a career in pharmaceuticals, we’ve got resources for that too. Our industry guides put the spotlight on what it’s like to work in a range of different industries, and how to break into them.

(You should probably just cancel your Netflix subscription now.)

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