Being cooped up is not something that most Americans handle well. The general population looks forward to getting outdoors for fresh air, shopping or taking a drive. Unfortunately, the lockdown due to the Coronavirus prevents these types of activities. On the upside, this time off provides an endless amount of time. You can use it to get your life in order, complete home projects or list items online for sale.
Losing Income
Artists generally live a “feast or famine” lifestyle. They often rely on painting sales sold at an art gallery or in recent times, list their paintings on sites such as CafePress and Artfinder. Without a weekly source of income, access to cash can dry up quickly. And without a steady source of income, you may often pay bills late, resulting in poor credit. The good news is that, while you wait for unemployment benefits or the stimulus check, there are companies that offer bad credit loans.
Creating a Budget
With oodles of time on your hands, there’s no better time than now to create a household budget. There are online sites that provide free worksheets to help you get started. Once you have one printed, gather your bills and fill in the blanks. This will give you an understanding of your finances and allow you to create short-term goals.
Home Projects
Most people have a few items around the home that need attention. With an open schedule, you can take one day each week and dedicate it to completing a home project. This may include cleaning out a basement, garage or attic. You can also get your home organized by finding a place for everything or changing the look of a room completely.
Your Business
Your art studio is the place where you make money. However, if it’s in disarray it can be hard to find the supplies you need or keep track of supplies so you don’t run out. Use this time to get your space in tip-top shape. Thankfully, online stores, for the most part, are still operational and placing an order for your supplies is something doable.
Put a Focus on Your Health
Spending most of your time at home can have some health advantages. If you normally eat out on the fly, you will now eat home more often. This means that you can improve your health over the next month or so and develop good eating habits that will remain in effect after the lockdown ends. Also, just because you aren’t allowed to go to the gym right now doesn’t mean that you can’t still workout. You just have to do it at home. Take a walk around the block a few times at a brisk pace or pull the bike out and enjoy the fresh air. If you prefer to remain indoors, there are workout programs such as Aaptiv that allow you to work up a sweat.
Your Mental State of Mind
If you’re the type of person who needs to interact with others, finding yourself trapped indoors away from everyone can cause high anxiety. Many people don’t handle isolation well. The good news is that you can practice the art of meditation as a way to relax and regain control over your emotions.
Keeping In Touch
There are some advantages to a lockdown in this age versus the sixties or even the seventies. Today, with advancements in technology, you can see friends and loved ones using Skype or FaceTime on an iPhone. This lets you keep in touch every couple of days or monitor how someone is doing.
The lockdown will end and life will return to normal. In the meantime, you can use this time to get your life and home in order.