5 simple steps to be happy at home
Living in prison at home was certainly not on our wish list for the year 2020, but so much so that, like it or not, we find ourselves in this situation. Of course, we could spend our days snorting and staring at the hands of the clock, hoping that, by doing so, time passes faster, or we could try to change perspective and see things differently, perhaps better. As rhetorical as it may sound, let's think about how lucky we are to have a roof over our heads. This is a privilege not to be taken for granted. Our home is our little refuge from the world, a place to feel safe, free to be ourselves.
How many times, suffocated by a routine, to say the least, unsustainable, we just wanted to cross the threshold of our home and close the world behind us? Here, now we can do it, indeed, we are already doing it. Sooner or later, (we, however, hopefully soon), we will return to life as before, a life dedicated to sociability, commitments and, unfortunately, stress. So why don't we try to “enjoy” this moment of pause within the walls of the house? Below we list 5 simple daily gestures with which to keep your happiness trained without leaving home!
1. We make the bed every morning
“But if I have to unpack it in the evening, why make the bed every morning?”, This question has always echoed in the homes of millions of people. For some it is a futile effort that is hard to make sense of. Yet, Gretchen Rubin, author of the best-seller The Happiness Book, is of a completely different opinion. The writer, in fact, firmly argues how much this simple gesture, which takes only 3 minutes, is the key to starting the day in a good mood. Making the bed allows us to have a morning routine and gives us a priceless sense of accomplishment. It also gives a neat look to our room, the same one in which many of us usually spend most of our day.
2. Let's open the windows
As grandmothers teach us, the day cannot begin without first airing the room. Immediately after having breakfast, regardless of the weather conditions, we open the windows of our home and let the new air cool the spaces kept closed all night. On the other hand, air exchange is essential to eliminate the bacteria with which, otherwise, we would have to share the rent. In a phase of forced confinement, this simple gesture helps us relive that magical feeling of being outdoors and, if the sun is shining outside, even better. Flooding the house with natural light is a panacea for the mood - in this moment more vulnerable than ever - and gives us a good dose of vitamin D.
3. Let's bring spring into the house
One of the things we miss most in this difficult time is contact with nature. Spring certainly does not help us, quite the contrary. The trees in bloom, the chirping of birds, the city that is filled with new colors, watching this natural spectacle from behind a window is certainly not comforting, especially considering that having a garden is a privilege for a few. However, there is a way to bring a little spring into the house. When we go shopping, between a pack of yeast and a sack of flour, we also put some plants in our cart. Cacti, succulents or fresh flowers, there is plenty of choice for green and non-green thumbs. We furnish our home with that green touch that will immediately give color and warmth to the environment. Additionally, caring for a plant can fall into the category of home hobbies to clear your mind and spend time constructively.
4. Let us surround ourselves with beautiful and inspiring things
With all this time available, why not become an interior designer and review the layout of our interiors? Being forced to stay inside the walls of the house, making our stay as comfortable as possible is the least that can be done. Let's frame old photos that bring us back to happy memories and hang them together with the drawings of our heart. We recover souvenirs of past holidays from dusty boxes and arrange them here and there in the rooms, they will help us to travel - at least - with the mind. In short, let's surround ourselves with beautiful things, those that, just looking at them, immediately give us a feeling of well-being. We need it.
5. We don't procrastinate
Having a lot of free time is not a good excuse to keep putting it off. In addition to making the bed immediately after getting up, it is important to carry out all those basic household tasks on a daily basis to keep the house tidy and clean. When we finish eating, we immediately wash the dishes and put them in their place, without clogging the sink for days. Although, at the moment, there are no great opportunities to change our outfits, we avoid piling clothes on chairs, beds or, worse, scattered on the floor. Let's change burnt out light bulbs, take the garbage down, in short, we don't lose those habits that, however boring, allow us to keep a semblance of normality in a completely anomalous situation.
