Common sense tips for living at home (without lockdown panic)

Between smart working and new restrictions (albeit limited), we will certainly spend more time in our homes in the coming months. Better, therefore, to immediately treasure what we learned between March and May

Milan, April 3, 2020 (photo: Elena Piccini / Gilardi Photo Library / Getty Images) There is no doubt that in the coming months we will find ourselves spending more time in home than usual. Because smart working continues for many (many companies have announced that telework will go on until January, while others bring employees back to the office in shifts, a few days a week). Because so many continue to choose to avoid going to the gym or restaurant. Because a cold will be enough to trigger the alarm in the whole family. Because the arrival of cold weather will limit outdoor activities. And because the worsening of infections could still lead to new restrictions limited to certain areas and to some aspects of our lives. So, better be ready. Putting what we learned into play between March and May.

Tidying up the home office

Turin, May 16, 2020 (photo: Stefano Guidi / Getty Images) Some are back more or less stable in the office, but many still work from home. And smart working continues to be encouraged, in order to avoid travel and exposure to contagion where possible. If you have not already done so, then, you should think about arranging your home station: from the chair to the table, from the computer to the webcam for video calls, to the essential stationery and internet connection. For low-income families there is a 500 euro technological bonus, but you could also share wi-fi and printer with a neighbor (obviously to be used with the right spacing).

Try asking if your company can provide you with a more up-to-date (and safer: those who ask employees to work with old-fashioned PCs should take this into account) than your old grinder. Some companies even provide ergonomic chairs, others make agreements with coworking spaces for those who cannot return to the office but are unable to work from home, due to lack of space or tools.

Rethinking shopping

Pouring into supermarkets and discount stores to stock end of the world is no use for anyone. However, providing smarter spending could help. Writing a careful list of what you need so you don't run out of and have to clog up supermarkets every day makes sense. Also opt for some more voluminous online orders than usual, to have some stock in the pantry. Without excess, because we have learned that food is never lacking, not even in March and April. Simply to limit visits to the shops.

Also, don't forget that the neighborhood shops, the so-called proximity trade, are precious. Many have continued to do home deliveries, especially for the elderly, and are willing to prepare groceries over the phone so you can just drop by and pick them up. Take the time to get to know the shopkeepers in the area, understand which ones might be useful in case of limitations and how you can get in touch with them.

The gym in the living room

If you go back to training in gym makes you anxious and you don't really want to run in the cold, get organized to keep fit at home. Remember that during the lockdown you would have paid for the weights or the yoga mat? And how much did you envy your cousin with the treadmill? Here, think about it now: now that it is not a problem to place orders online, go shopping in stores or ask friends if by chance they have an old exercise bike that they would like to get rid of. Try some online courses to see what is right for you and to understand what you might need to continue training in the living room.

Don't underestimate your hobbies

Rome, March 22, 2020 (photo : Marco Di Lauro / Getty Images) Free time at home risks becoming infinite, we have learned it on our skin. So don't underestimate the importance of a hobby. Do you want to crochet? Make sure you have needles and threads. Go in search of board games and puzzles in your old bedroom at your parents' house. Do a search on online libraries that allow you to borrow books and magazines virtually. Get yourself an e-reader and the novels you intend to read all your life. Subscribe to streaming sites. And if you really feel nostalgia for the songs on the balcony, let your guitar tune.

Network

In recent months there has been a lot of talk about the "city of 15 minutes", neighborhoods tailored to size man in which to find everything you need. Around your home, in addition to the shops that can prove to be a boon for shopping, there should be many precious realities to discover. If you join the social street in your area (it usually has a Facebook group), you will realize that there is someone lending what you are looking for, giving yoga classes online, that the baker coordinates volunteering to help the most people. fragile. Also try to network and make arrangements with condominiums, with neighbors, with those who live in the same courtyard as you: you will still feel less isolated.

Choose where and with whom

Rome, March 15, 2020 (photo: Christian Minelli / NurPhoto via Getty Images) Of course, it's not always possible. But compared to last spring, when the coronavirus emergency fell into our lives like a cold shower, this time there is time to reflect. Now, for example, you could decide to stay with your partner who lives in another region, to do smart working from the house to the sea, perhaps with the two friends who, in spring, found themselves alone just like you. Make assumptions, make sure Grandma understood how to get a video call, hear who suffered the most when they were in isolation to make sure they are okay. Reflecting on it, as long as there is a way to organize, is a right. And a way to remember what really was at the top of your priority list during the lockdown between March and May.