Keeping a greatness and growth mindset – 10+ ways to pass the time during the coronavirus quarantine

Mar 2020

The last few days and the next few weeks are sure to test all of us. We have all gone through moments of fear, worry and sadness. Personally, I have found comfort reading the story of Isaac Newton during the Great Plague of London, which killed over one-quarter of London’s population in 1665. Then a student, Newton left school in Cambridge to return to his family during a period of social distancing. While confined to his home with additional time to think and reflect, Newton made some of his greatest discoveries, including gravity. I am hopeful thinking about what ingenuity and creativity might come from this pandemic.

With greatness and growth in mind, I offer some suggestions to help you pass the time.

  1. For the cultural enthusiast: Get your culture fix on:
  1. For the budding chef:
  1. For the animal lover:
  1. For the book worm:
  • Pick up an e-book from your public library and after you have your library card, download and use Libby to read, listen to audiobooks, and more.
  • If you want to read a classic head to Project Gutenberg. Want to bulk up on science research? Head here.
  1. For the health nut:
  • If you’re looking to unwind through yoga, here are a few options. I happen to enjoy these upbeat dance class workouts that originated in Miami.
  • Explore the world of meditation through the Headspace app. We could all use some space away from the news.
  1. For the lifelong learner:
  • For online learning courses, this website sets out a lot of options including free courses from Stanford, Harvard, Yale, etc.
  • If you’ve been itching to learn some new software, or bulk up on your Excel knowledge, head to Lynda.com – they offer a free month of learning if you want to give it a try.
  • There’s no time like the present to understand basic plumbing – you never know when this will come in handy.
  • Reignite the Nancy Drew inside of you with these mystery podcasts: Serial (season 1 is the best), Crimetown (season 2 is all about corruption within the city of Detroit), Dirty John (now also turned into a TV series)
  • Want to better understand the world around you? A few popular podcasts to check out: 99% Invisible (discover the invisible design all around you), Hidden Brain (discover yourself in more detail), Revisionist History (if you enjoy Malcolm Gladwell) or Hardcore History.
  1. For our community:
  • Research volunteering opportunities in your hometown and mark down the most interesting ones. VolunteerMatch is one place to start. When this situation ends, our communities will need help.
  • Many soup kitchens and food banks are looking for volunteers to help make deliveries. Reach out to one near you to see how you can help.
  1. For the movie fanatic:
  1. For your closet:
  • Tidy your space the Marie Kondo way. There’s also a fabulous Netflix Series.
  • Donate your clothing (no human interaction required). ThredUp will send you a bag (with postage!) to drop in the mail. You may even make a little extra cash depending on the quality and brands of the items.
  1. For the social butterfly:
  • Write actual letters (like with a pen and paper) to family and friends with that stationary you’ve been meaning to use.
  • Set up a google hangout chat with friends you haven’t had time to connect with.

BONUS: For the (wannabe) financially savvy

  • Create a family balance sheet to better understand your cash flow; evaluate your priorities and reallocate as necessary.
  • Review your credit cards to see if you’re still getting the best bang for your buck. The Points Guy is a fantastic resource.
  • Consider a Roth IRA conversion, especially while the market is trading at a discount. Money in a Roth IRA will grow tax-free and there are no minimum required distributions when you turn age 70, as there are with IRAs. Note: This is a taxable event so consult a professional to understand if this is right for you.
  • Get around to doing your 2019 tax return. You don’t want to be stuck inside post-quarantine because you didn’t get this done while you had the time.

 I would love to hear of your moments of greatness to share back with this community – feel free to email me at stephanie@bloomassetmanagement.com! Stay safe.

 

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