The country is in a state of panic due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, otherwise known as COVID-19. Most schools, restaurants, and corporations have shut their doors to crowds over 10-100 people until the end of March, with the POTUS projecting ramifications of the virus lasting until July or August of this year. Many people are consumed with anxiety, fearful of how the virus may impact their employment and their family’s health. Although we do not yet know what impact COVID-19 will have on the nation, we can take action to stay mentally and emotionally well during this time of uncertainty. Self-care practices such as reducing stress by taking a break from 24 hour news coverage, meditation/prayer, keeping a “coronavirus journal”, or starting an online watch party to watch a show or movie with friends can help individuals that feel isolated and/or depressed by the social distancing policy that is being encouraged. But what about couples that feel stuck at home and begin experiencing cabin fever? Here are 5 ways that you and your partner can take advantage of this down time and reconnect.
1. Cook a new recipe- Using ingredients that you already have in your kitchen, google some new recipes that you can cook together. Don’t worry if you’re not the next Gordon Ramsay. Half of the fun is laughing over the trial and error you experienced as a team.
2. Start a new book- Pick a genre that interests you both and start reading a mutually decided upon book together. Hold weekly “book club meetings” complete with finger foods to discuss your ideas and reactions to the book.
3. At-home workouts- Find a challenging new workout regimen and motivate each other to work out daily. Programs and apps like The Daily Burn offer free 60 day trials and dozens of workouts to choose from, ranging from yoga to weight lifting. Be sure to check for local gyms online that may be offering free virtual workouts during the pandemic as well.
4. Spring cleaning- What better way to abide by the motto “Happy Spouse, Happy House” than to use this time to clean your living space. Taking a “divide and conquer” approach by splitting up different rooms in the home may prevent one partner from feeling burdened by cleaning the entire house alone, but tackling this task together will create more connectedness. Decide together what clothes, appliances, and random household objects to keep or toss and bonus points if you stumble across keepsakes that bring up fond memories of your time together.
5. Game night- At least once a week, wipe off the dust on your old board or card games and have a game night with your partner. Make the games interesting by creating special prizes for the winner each week, such as “No Dishes For a Week” or “TV Show of Your Choice Tonight”. If you’d like to spice things up, consider adding treats for the winner such as massages, foreplay, or costumed role play using those clothes or lingerie that you didn’t throw out during spring cleaning.
We’d love to hear from you! How are you and your partner spending this extra time together? Share with us in the comments below!
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