Having spent a lot of time at home and self-reflecting lately, I have become so motivated to improve my Vietnamese. I don’t think that means I need to take language lessons and write essays in Vietnamese every day. But I think fun activities like watching movies and reading books will help me along the way to expand my vocabulary and becoming more used to different uses of the language. I have already finished a Vietnamese movie that I’ve been meaning to watch since for-f-ever). And soon I’ll be really starting this new book. And I’m just excited because it is also a self-help/care kind of book. And I think it’s even more important now than ever to dedicate time to take care of yourself.
I was looking through my list of books I still wanted to read which I saved on goodreads (oldie but a goldie), and I found this Vietnamese book that I had saved in the list, called “Tuổi Trẻ Đáng Giá Bao Nhiêu” by Rosie Nguyen. Translated it means, “How much is your youth worth”. I honestly do not remember adding this book or where I even got it recommended. But I am so glad that I saved it. Curious about how the book was structured, I got myself a free sample for my kindle. The very first chapter was named “While you are still in your 20s” (this is my English translation).
Quarantining at home
Having much more free time now and being stuck at home, can you really get to all of us, can’t it? I’m sure I am not the only one that thinks this. While I don’t mean to say that all of us need to pick up a new hobby, become Masterchef, learn 4 different new languages, become a project manager and yogi, I think it’s good to find the time for things you have been thinking of but just never got around to.
For me,
Just chill!
Life is always so fast-moving and about getting from A to B as soon as possible, so it’s okay to just take your time and take it slow. Please do not make yourself feel so horribly guilty about your productivity level and daily achievements. While you may not believe it, a lot of people are struggling with productivity right now. You are not alone and nobody is expecting you to come out of this and be a first-class violinist or a
I am telling you this so specifically because I have
My bullet journal
But that doesn’t mean there is no way to motivate yourself to live. I recently started a bullet journal because my productivity was seriously going down the drain. And I think it really helps (at least for me) to give yourself some daily goals.
I set my self small and realistic goals. 3 goals a day. Sometimes that’s literally just hanging up the laundry because honestly, getting up at all is an accomplis
I think having a little journel, whatever you choose to use it for, gives some kind of mental assistance in the chaos that we live in. So really, recommend it to anyone, even if you are not into drawing. It could be your daily thoughts, goals, accomplischments or whatever you chose! As long as you dedicate some time for yourself, I believe that you are doing yourself a favour babe.
If you want to read a bit more about what I have to say about Journals and how I make and use my bullet journal, check out this post:
Activities to do during quarantine times
As I said before, please do not feel pressured to do anything at all. I don’t know the science behind this, but it does become mentally exhausting to hang out by yourself and just kind of being stuck at home. But if you find yourself bored of your Netflix shows or have been playing way too much Animal Crossing lately, and are looking for a little change of scene from staying home, I’d like to give you some suggestions.
- Sit in a different room
- repeat step 1, but you can also lie down. End.
Ha! I am just kidding. It is definitely not a wrong idea, but I do have some other suggestions lined up that I believe may help you a bit more.
1. Cooking and baking
Hey, I know everyone has been on to this. There are a million Memes out there, but I do think it is an important time to make sure that you are getting well fed and keeping yourself healthy (to some
I believe it is a great way to give yourself a bit of distraction. This is especially true if you are just a beginner and trying out all these new recipes. You will easily kill several hours of your day. And I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t leave much time left of the day before I will be back asleep.
Banh Trang Nuong (Vietnamese Crepe) 
Pho Ga (Vietnamese Noodle Soup)
Most of all, the better you get, the prouder and more accomplished you feel which, I think, all of us kind of need right now. Or maybe I am just talking about myself, but I also just really like eating good food. Muốn ăn thì phải lăn vào bếp! (Translated: “If you wanna eat, you gotta roll into the kitchen”).
2. Reading and watching
Look, I understand that not all of us have the mental capacity to read books. So maybe comics are better for
What do you mean by passive? I think reading helps you to improve your language ski
That does not mean all of us have to read non-fiction “self-help” books in their second language to feel productive. No. Read something that makes you feel happy. May it be a romance story between teenagers or someone’s real journey through life. Anything that makes you feel happy, should be seen as a productive activity.
3. Creative activities
In times where we are surrounded by the same things daily, it is very easy to get drained. To feel bored. Out of place. Demotivated. I think that focusing on one thing can sometimes help to regain attention and the right mentality. But let it be fun! Staying home shouldn’t rob you of fun activities. That’s why I see creative activities like editing a video or photo different than reading and watching.
Maybe you have been very alone with your thoughts and they are just kind of starting to spill out of your pot. Maybe this gives may be a good time to write. While this is not something for everyone. I feel listened to when I write because you are free to talk for as long as you want without interruption.
Maybe this is a good time for you to let out your feelings through drawings. Look you don’t have to be the next Van Gogh. Follow a Mike Ross tutorial or copy a journal page from Pinterest. Whatever. It’s unleashing creativity. Its a mindful activity and I think that’s the point.
Been working really hard on my back and hip flexibility and strengthening 
And I am seeing some progress! (I couldn’t even reach my foot from the side, let alone flip my elbow up)
4. Exercise
You don’t need to run 500 miles a day, but daily stretches will do you plenty of good, and keep you young! While I know it’s difficult to find motivation, I think a good way to look at it is a reward because it’s part of self-care.
After that long home-office day, my shoulders and lower back are really dying so doing the tiniest bit of yoga makes me mentally feel a little more alive. I think of it as a reward to my body for getting me through the day!
5. Clean and tidy up
Now if you really have the time. Decluttering your physical space will help you declutter your thoughts. So take care of yourself, by taking care of your home.
