The spike of COVID-19 cases in Indonesia made me scared. It’s hard for me to keep positive in mind while I always hear the bad news every day, like the death numbers that are increasingly running to count, my relatives who got positive results, and so on. On the other hand, piles of must-to-do duties need to be done, and I need to have positive vibes to accomplish that. 

After stepping back for a while, I found ways to keep productive while COVID-19 news is increasing. Perhaps, it inspires you too.

Make a restriction from constant bad news

If your anxiety starts to come, it’s okay to turn off your TV, sign out your Instagram account to stay away from a chain of unwanted news that we don’t want to hear. Receiving concerning news can trigger a seemingly endless spiral of negative emotion. And, when confronted with negative emotion, it can be very tempting to try to resist acknowledging the dark emotions to protect yourself.

Lying on the bed too long will ruin your plan for today

We went straight to checking our cell phones after waking up in the morning. Actually, it's an unwise habit. You have a lot of things to do today, but seeing your screen on the bed will ruin your plan. Again, the bad news on social media will distract you, and it’s not good for your mood. Let’s stand up and try to make your bed ASAP. Listening to the upbeat music is recommended to make your fire up. Just make your morning busier so the negativity doesn't have a chance to enter your world.

Get your plant buddy!

Seriously? Yes, because at home, we tend to be lazy. So try to grow plants! Planting is an attractive option to fill leisure time. You can start with easy to handle plants, like cactus. Don't forget to commit to taking care of it. Aside from making our earth greener, it makes us wake up earlier to water them. Goodbye, lazy time!

Apps for productivity 

Are you addicted to cell phones? Apps will solve it! Many  available applications in the App Store or Play Store can actually  help us stay productive. They have a productivity section that supports our activities, both free and purchased. The functions that they provide like making notifications silent, helping organize your schedule and activities, or reminding us what to do. 

Clean your house

A chaotic life is good breeding grounds for a messy space. But a cluttered home can brew disorder in our lives too. Messiness can be a vicious cycle, one that may start with physical clutter but always ends in mental clutter. In order to nip chaos in the bud, it’s important to clean, science says.

I began to make cleaning a top priority of mine only after I saw the benefits. Not only did I feel more in control of my life, but I felt more relaxed when I did rest. I could think more clearly when I did work. A neat surrounding made me happier. So now, tidying up is the first thing I do, even if I have a busy day,