Now that everyone is strongly encouraged to stay inside and not leave the house unless there is an emergency, it is easy to fall into a mental slump. 

Being required to stay at home all day encourages sleeping and eating all day long, but here are a few tips to keep you out of a rut to keep you not only mentally healthy but also help keep you physically healthy. 

Here are five ways to avoid falling into a quarantine slump.

Stick to a schedule 

This will help provide some stability in this time of uncertainty. Try to wake up at a decent time every day and go ahead and get ready for the day, regardless of if you plan on leaving the house or not. This will help get you up and moving and keep you from sleeping all day. 

Find a new hobby

Being stuck at home can easily become boring. If you have something you have been wanting to learn like knitting or guitar, then go for it. Now is the best time to pick up a new hobby in order to defeat boredom and just learn something new. 

Spring clean

Houses can quickly get messy and cluttered when you are spending 24/7 in them. It is springtime, so why not go ahead and do some spring cleaning? This will not only give you something to do, but it will also ensure that everything is clean and disinfected so you have less of a chance of getting sick. 

Go for a hike

Most state parks are staying open during this trying time. With all of this free time, you should try to get as much fresh air as you can. Not only will some exercise be good for your body after staying inside for so long, but it will also be good for your mental health to get out of the house. 

Start a project

This one goes hand-in-hand with picking up a new hobby. You could maybe start a little garden or read a book that you have been meaning to get to. You could even redecorate your room or house. Any kind of time consuming project since there is no telling how long this pandemic will last. 

This is a difficult time for all of us. Having to uproot and change your whole routine in the middle of the semester is hard, so if you are in a slump because of all of this, it is completely valid. I hope these tips help and that all of you stay safe and healthy.