As countries around the world put in place increasingly drastic measures to contain the spread of COVID-19, should Singaporeans fret about being encouraged to stay home as much as possible?
You will be surprised at how we can still stay productive, and make use of our homebound days creatively.
Working from home� with your kids in the same space
If you are a working parent and have been operating from home lately, you may be one of the many who are trying to get used to this mode of office. What's more, if you have kids demanding your attention and time simultaneously.
Just like very few of us sit at our office desks for eight hours straight, we should not feel compelled to do so at home, merely to prove that we are really working. Be sure to take regular breaks from our laptop. Make coffee or tea (as we would in the office pantry), have lunch over an hour, read the news, and have group calls and chats with colleagues.
Just as importantly, communicate with your children that you need time to complete work, and seek help from secondary carers to keep them occupied. Set aside time to check on your kids (such as when you go make your coffee) and enjoy your stay-home lunch with them (yes, away from your laptop). At the end of your work day, let them know you are out of work mode�, and resume family time.
Staying socially connected
Earlier mentioned, even as you work alone and remotely, you should still stay connected with your colleagues. While we may not be able to gather in large groups for now, we can still �catch up� in other ways. Try hanging out with your friends �virtually� over coffee from the comfort of your respective homes, set up games through apps, or have video calls with family members not staying with you (you may even have friends or relatives overseas, who are just as homebound as you are now).
These regular social interactions keep you from falling into feeling isolated (or worse, trapped in your own home with your kids!).
Starting a new hobby� with your kids
See this period as a great opportunity to start something new. If you have been thinking of doing something about your neglected balcony (which has ended up as storage space), why not consider growing indoor plants? Start a small herb garden, it does not have to take up much space or cost much. Take the chance to get your children interested in plants, and cultivate their sense of responsibility in caring for something living.
If plants are not your thing, take up an art or craft, or embark on a puzzle project � train your children�s coordination skills and patience in completing something they start.
Game to try something even more adventurous? Why not take up the #ActiveParentsSGChallenge with your kids this month? Check out the details here!
Bringing the fitness indoors
For some, going to the gym is more than just getting a regular dose of exercise � it is valuable me-time, an outlet from the day�s stress and frustration. For others, being outdoors or in the sun is a weekly ritual with the kids. No doubt such times call for some compromise to our routine, it does not mean we need to stop working out altogether.
There are so many resources online, and cute family videos of DIY obstacle courses, parent-child yoga and even popular pop dance (who says dancing with your parents can�t be cool?). What�s best, these are free activities you can easily set up and do at home. Why not check out some of these ideas from myActiveSG?
- How to keep your kids active and entertained at home?
- A fun workout for your kids
- Yoga for kids and its benefits
- 5 easy home workouts to burn calories efficiently
Last but not least, we can all play a part to be socially responsible citizens in this national and global fight against COVID-19. Stay safe with MOH�s 5Ms.
Related Articles
Related Topics
Recent Events & Programmes
Related Articles
Related Topics
Related Articles
View AllRelated Topics
[BlogPost 164749641842 NSG 2024 Netball: Senior Div Girls League 3 Preliminary Round 2, BlogPost 163985727414 Beyond the Field: Exciting Sports Careers for Non-Athletes, BlogPost 164438712123 NSG 2024 Badminton: Senior Div Girls Quarter-Finals, BlogPost 164238055490 Evergreen Aleksandar Duric Still Making Headlines at 53, BlogPost 164170080646 NSG 2024 Rope Skipping: Junior Div Girls Freestyle Team Finals, BlogPost 162884973666 Move and Rest Better With Data From Your Own Body, BlogPost 163393049482 Life Comes Full Circle For Serangoon Garden Secondary School's Fahrish Khan, BlogPost 163258797651 Making Golf a Sport for All, BlogPost 162512222328 NSG 2024 Sepaktakraw: Senior Div Yuhua Primary School vs Qihua Primary School, BlogPost 162233592997 Gritty Lions Suffer Loss to China, BlogPost 162089384371 On Your Mark, Get Ready, Go Running, BlogPost 161670652697 Lions' Excellent Showing Against China, BlogPost 161435270031 Ogura Optimistic for Exciting Clash against China, BlogPost 161127614758 The Future of Basketball in Singapore: Why 3x3 is Here to Stay, BlogPost 161033673012 The Active Lifestyler's Guide to the New ActiveSG Delta Sport Centre, BlogPost 161128356680 Grand New Champions Crowned at WTT Singapore Smash 2024, BlogPost 160844835218 NSG 2024 Table Tennis: C Div Boys Pool Round, BlogPost 160210745115 NSG 2024 Basketball: Senior Div Girls Tampines Primary School vs Frontier Primary School, BlogPost 159881180544 Whirlwind Return to Women's Football, BlogPost 159633541417 Singapore Smash to Elevate a New Legacy, BlogPost 158983580420 NSG 2024 Rugby: B Div Damai Secondary School vs Peirce Secondary School, BlogPost 159003960202 SFA Fiesta: Kicking off 2024 to a Roaring Start, BlogPost 158830735126 NSG 2024 Football: B Div Girls Preliminary Round Meridian Secondary School VS Bowen Secondary School, BlogPost 158536989718 Team Nila Volunteers Recognized At Awards Ceremony, BlogPost 158270107806 NSG 2024 Hockey: B Div Boys Preliminary Round Raffles Institution VS St. Hilda Secondary School, BlogPost 157966862615 NSG 2024 Floorball: B Division Preliminary Rounds Kick Off!, BlogPost 157562433712 What Is Safe Sport?, BlogPost 157559446197 Sengkang Secondary: Cultivating Well-Rounded Footballers, BlogPost 157368261167 New National Training Centre for Cricket at West Coast Ground, BlogPost 155340164987 Active Ageing with Joey Bonifacio, BlogPost 155930815517 Inaugural Singapore Youth League kicks off from 24th February 2024, BlogPost 155340164727 Bukit Canberra : the Coolest Spot in the North, BlogPost 155368905255 How Padang Fandi Inspired Ayden to Chase his Dream, BlogPost 154755572826 Ageing Backwards with Elizabeth Cheang, BlogPost 154094657315 Running For Fitness, BlogPost 153318636178 Excitement Builds for FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup 2024, BlogPost 153198644247 World's Top Four Confirmed for 2024 HSBC Women's World Championship, BlogPost 149413941770 Cultivating Your Kids’ Interest in the Outdoors, BlogPost 149413941163 Making Sport More Appealing for Our Kids, BlogPost 149412549409 Solo Or Team Sport – Choosing the Best for Your Child, BlogPost 151197478798 Former Lions Stalwart Baihakki Khaizan Sheds Light on New Accreditation to Elevate Grassroots Football and Youth Development, BlogPost 80703591291 New Year, Fitter You! Here are the top 3 workouts for the New Year, BlogPost 81171151456 7 Reasons Why Sports are Great for Children’s Mental Health, BlogPost 80542065330 17 Best Yoga Classes & Studios in Singapore [+ Rating & Prices], BlogPost 149404351798 From Brush to Lens: A Student's Journey in the World of Art and Sports Photography, BlogPost 149402825063 The Benefits of Active Parenting, BlogPost 149397832009 Sweden Claim 9th Straight Gold at the Women's World Floorball Championship, BlogPost 149397831449 Lion City Sailors Win 2023 Singapore Cup, BlogPost 148511324266 Pitch Perfect with Jonathan Teo, BlogPost 148511724402 Seniors: Increase your flexibility bit by bit with these stretches]