12 Ideas To Help Beat The Pandemic Blues

Hello, my friends, I hope you had a most wonderful weekend! I’m not sure about you, but I have yet to speak to one person who hasn’t been emotionally impacted by the pandemic. It’s overwhelming at times and can easily get you down if you’re not taking care of yourself. So today, I wanted to share these 12 ideas to help beat the pandemic blues.

First and foremost, know that you are not alone. Feeling blue, exhausted or whatever emotional obstacles you may be struggling with is entirely normal, especially in times of uncertainty.

There are times these blues can hit unexpectedly and get you into a funk. It’s important to be cautious not to fall deep into negative feelings or dwelling on worries or scary headlines in times like those.

Surrounding yourself with a positive tribe, focusing on the blessings and simple pleasures in life are good ways to lift your spirits.

I created a free weekly self-care planner sheet and a list of self-care ideas for you below. Print as many copies as you would like, and feel free to share them with friends since we all need to be taking better care of ourselves these days.

Here are my tried-and-true ideas to help you overcome the pandemic blues (or winter blues) and stay focused on having a great year no matter what.

12 Practical Ideas To Help Beat The Pandemic Blues

1. Have a routine.

I know it’s tempting to sleep in, stay up later and maybe be a bit lazier now that many of us work from home, especially in the morning because, let’s face it, a warm cozy duvet on a cold morning is pure heaven!

Sticking with a routine, though and having an ample amount of sleep (7-9 hours) keeps you sharper for work and more energized throughout the day.

Sleeping in too long or not having a regular sleep routine contributes to feeling fatigued during the day and having lower energy levels.

Treat working at home or doing online schooling the same as if you were leaving the house. Get up on time, have breakfast and get dressed (something comfy and casual).

When you are done for the day, make sure you go offline—establish boundaries for working at home so that work isn’t trickling into every aspect of your home life.

2. Carve out daily self-care time.

When it comes to ideas to help beat the pandemic blues this is an essential one!

Practicing self-care is probably one of the best ways to help beat the blues. It’s important to actually schedule a daily relaxing time to help ensure you follow through.

It’s easy to neglect our own needs, but we need to take better care of ourselves more than ever, given everything going on.

Do your best to make sure you will be free of distractions. It can be 15 minutes a couple of times a day or thirty minutes before bedtime, whatever makes sense and works for you.

Just as you would take a lunch break or short coffee/tea breaks at work, don’t skip out on these at home.

Download the self-care ideas list and weekly planner sheet at the end of the post so you can easily schedule your self-care time in.

3. Stay socially connected.

It’s essential to have quality social connections during this time to combat the feelings of loneliness and isolation that can be heightened due to social distancing.

Try to have regular Zoom calls with family or friends, pick up the phone and talk to people instead of texting and pop by for socially distanced visits. It’s reassuring and medicine for our souls to be surrounded by those we love.

4. Read more.

Reading has been a life-saver for me, I’ve been able to delve into books I had been putting off for too long.

I’ve recently enjoyed some personal development books such as Everything Is Figureoutable and just started Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, which is a must-read for introverts.

Maybe for you, it’s historical non-fiction that grips you or an epic fiction book that gets your imagination flowing and takes you away on a magical adventure for a while—so many genres to keep you busy all year long.

5. Bring nature indoors.

Although we can’t completely recreate the outdoors in our homes, you can do things that help, such as opening up your windows for fresh air and filling rooms with plants.

Some ideas for easy houseplants to take care of are pothos, spider plant, monstera deliciosa, cactus, bamboo plants and birds nest fern.

You can also create a living wall with plants in one of your rooms or plant a mini herb garden.

Light therapy lamps are used by people who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (also known as winter blues), as they give off bright light that mimics outdoor lighting and helps lift your mood. So this is another option for bringing nature indoors; you can find light therapy lamp options here.

6. Make time for regular family fun.

Family fun time is an excellent way to beat that pandemic blues, spend quality time together and cheer everyone up on long winter days. If you don’t have children, you can enjoy these with your partner or friends too.

As parents, we have to be mindful that children may not be as vocal about how they feel or may not know how to articulate their frustrations or confusion about the pandemic. Helping them have a positive experience during this time is important for their mental health and wellbeing.

Some idea’s:

• Host your own game-show or personalized trivia with Kahoot.com
• Take a local road trip
• Go on a nature walk
• Bake together
• Have an at-home dance party
• Family craft time (i.e. a family tree with photos, holiday cards, DIY candles or bath bombs)
• Board game nights
• Take up a family sport (badminton, basketball, ping-pong, volleyball)
• Bike riding
• Movie night with popcorn and the works
• Do a 3-D puzzle
• Visit a local farm to pick fruit
• Go tobogganing or ice skating
• Build a blanket fort and tell stories
• Learn some easy magic tricks
• Do a scavenger hunt inside or in the backyard
• Take virtual trips to local or international museums, zoos or aquariums

7. Try new recipes.

Trying new recipes is a great way to keep busy and add some excitement to mealtime.

Pinterest is the perfect place to find whatever your heart desires, and getting the kids involved keeps them busy, teaches them a new life skill and helps them feel valued.

For a fun idea, set up pancake or waffle stations on the weekend with assorted toppings, ice cream and Nutella.

8. Exercise at home.

With many gyms being closed, we still need to keep physically active. Exercise releases “feel-good” chemicals in your brain called endorphins. These help to reduce anxiety and make you feel more relaxed.

Keep it light and fun, stair-climbing, hopping on the treadmill, get some home gym equipment and weights. I know many people who swear by the Peloton bike, so it’s a good investment if you can.

We love going on walks and exploring local forests as you are keeping active while getting some Vitamin D and fresh air.

You can also register for online memberships at places such a YMCA360. FitnessBlender is a site that offers tons of free workout videos.

9. Pay it forward.

Helping others during these challenging times is a fantastic way to contribute to the community and increase your contentment level.

Some ideas:

• Volunteer at a local non-profit agency
• Donate old items you no longer need
• Pay for someone’s order at the drive-through
• Do an errand for an elderly neighbour
• Mail out thank you cards to frontline workers
• Give your regular cashier at the grocery store a gift card
• Donate to local food banks
• Support someone you know who is in need (regular phone call check-in’s, bringing them some tea and goodies, mowing their lawn or shovelling the snow)

10. Try a new hobby or skill.

Now is the perfect time to try out a new hobby or learn a skill you’ve been interested in. Maybe it’s jewellery making, woodwork, photography, painting, cooking, journaling, skating, or graphic design. Find more hobby ideas and practical ways to stay positive during the pandemic here.

Taking up something you enjoy will help beat these pandemic blues, and who knows, it can one day turn into a side-hustle or small business for some extra income.

11. Spiritual self-care

Doing things that positively feed your soul and give you a sense of peace, are so needed at this time.

No matter if you are a person of faith or not, we are all bombarded with negativity, fear-mongering, tragic news, highly divisive topics and opinions all day. If you are not tending to your spiritual wellness, things can certainly become more grim and scary.

Do your best to prioritize taking care of your inner peace, whether through your faith, inspirational reading, prayer, deep breathing, meditation, or relaxing exercises such as pilates or yoga.

12. Simply Relax

Last but not least, simply relax and do nothing, yes I said it…do nothing.

Do you ever feel like you should always be doing something to “keep busy” or feel guilty when doing nothing? It’s a vicious cycle if you stay in this mindset since there is always something you can be doing. I mean, adulting means our to-do lists pretty much never end, am I right?!

Taking time for yourself to do nothing at all is not only totally okay, but it’s also key for well-being.

Take a nap if you need, stare out the window at the pretty snowfall or up at the stars, take a long bubble bath or shower and sip some tea while listening to calming music. Relaxation is an important part of self-care.

Slowing down isn’t being lazy or unproductive; it’s part of self-love and taking care of your needs.

Final thoughts on ideas to beat the pandemic blues:

As challenging as this pandemic is, you’ve got this! You are stronger and braver than you give yourself credit for, and remember that this too shall pass. No matter what level of blues you are experiencing, it’s important to address those feelings, so they don’t escalate.

It’s perfectly normal to feel down, so don’t beat yourself up about that. The key is not staying stuck there so you can focus on your wellness and do more of the things that bring you joy.😊

Please also remember that professional support is available; if you need to access it, connect with your doctor to discuss options.

I genuinely hope these ideas will be beneficial to you and your family. Take care and have a most fantastic week!

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Don’t forget to download your self-care printables below.

I would love to hear your ideas to help beat the pandemic blues, please share in the

Please note: This article is not meant as medical advice, if you are suffering from depression or any other mental health concerns please connect with your doctor for professional support or treatment.

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