According to the Guardian, there are now 1 in 5 people in lockdown in an effort to combat the spread of the coronavirus, that’s about 20% of the world’s population.

If you are one of those people stuck at home with nothing to do, or simply working from home, then, like me, you might be feeling a bit anxious and stressed, not to mention bored.

My grandmother always said, “Idle hands are the devil’s playground”, so best to keep busy so your mind doesn’t get too filled up with negative thoughts.

Here are 27 tips to help keep the anxiety at bay, or bring it back under control.

1. Maintain a routine
2. Get dressed and showered every day, and brush your teeth
3. Exercise
   • Try these home workouts from Joe Wicks.
   • He even has a playlist for kids.
4. Yoga
   • For beginners check out this video by Shona Vertue.
   • Or for intermediates this one.
5. Get some fresh air
   • You are still allowed to go outside for a run or a walk once a day, as long as you maintain your distance to others.
6. Listen to some of your favourite music
   • Abba always cheers me up
7. Dance like a crazy person in your own living room.
8. Stay in touch with real people using video calling.
   • Facetime and WhatsApp
9. Meditate
10. Positive affirmations
11. Deliberate positive thinking
    • Write a letter to yourself, describing all your fears, then write down an alternative outcome, an outcome that is positive and uplifting.
    • Write down everything you are grateful for.
12. Mindfulness
13. Guided relaxation to help calm down your thoughts and relax your body
14. Breathing exercises
    • 4-7-8 Breathing Exercise
      • Breathe in through your nose for 4sec
      • Hold your breath for 7sec
      • Exhale through your mouth for 8sec
      • Repeat 10x times
15. Apps that can help:
    • Tide
    • Think Up
    • What’s Up?
16. Stretch regularly
    1. When you work from home you are likely moving around less than when you are at work where you can get up and go speak to real life people.
    2. Try this, or this.
17. Pets
    • Walking your dog is a legitimate exercise.
    • Stroking or petting or hugging is good for your mental health, as well as that of your furry friend.
18. Stress balls & fidget spinners
19. Doodling, drawing, colouring in
20. Start a new hobby
    • Knitting
    • Crochet
    • Paint
    • Drawing
    • Bullet journaling
21. Sign up for an online course
    • Bluprint
22. Gardening
23. Reading
24. Don’t read the news
25. Cut back on alcohol
26. Organize your pantry, wardrobe, sock drawer
    • Throw out all that old stuff you’ve not work in 4 seasons
    • Make a bag you can donate to charity
27. Create a menu plan for the next week
    • You’ll be cooking anyway
    • Here are some great cooking blogs:
      Jamie Oliver
      The Kitchn
      Green Kitchen Stories
      Pinch of Yum

Finally some Tones and I to cheer you up.