14 Good Things To Do Besides Worry While Sheltered in Place

The COVID-19 novel coronavirus has come and the Whole Whale offices in NYC and SF are officially work from home for the near future. Beginning March 17th, San Francisco has implemented a ‘shelter in slace’ directive, which probably other cities may also follow the example. We’ve all been advised to practice “social distancing” to stop the rapid spread of the virus. A standard 14-day quarantine period established by the US Centers for Disease Control for the virus has been recommended. This means potentially a lot of time cooped up at home trying to stave off cabin fever during what could potentially become a very isolated and panicky time.

I’ve not been diagnosed with the Coronavirus myself (yet?), but I am going to be professionally isolated for awhile... Here’s a list of 14 thoughtful and positive things for each day that I am going to challenge myself to do. You’re welcome to join or share.

1. Write a positive review of a local business or service on a public platform (Google/Yelp/other). Why? Many service businesses and professionals are going to be hurt by the lack of foot traffic and general patronage due to the Coronavirus.
2. Write an unprompted recommendation for a past coworker/employee/boss on LinkedIn. Why? In a time of professional uncertainty, it might help them in future job searches and at the very least make them feel good.
3. Become a sustaining monthly donor of a cause you care about for the price of the lunch you would have bought today. Why? Nonprofits are being equally hurt by cancellations of group gatherings like annual fundraisers. Sustaining donors offer incredible stability in future nonprofit planning.
4. Record a short interview with your parents or grandparents. Why? It may become a valuable moment that future you or generations might want to hear. Tips for recording this kind of interview: https://www.wholewhale.com/tips/how-to-make-a-nonprofit-podcast/
5. Send a card or postcard to an old friend you’ve fallen out of touch with using a tool like https://www.postable.com/. Why? Social distancing is a state of mind and sending IRL mail can make people feel far more connected than an Instagram like.
6. Praise a public official/leader doing the right thing in public on Twitter, reinforcing a behavior you want to see them continue. Why? The default vilification and vitriolic threads on social platforms is ignored by the recipient and only fosters more division. More about how representatives actually pay attention to their constituents on social.
7. Donate to one (or more!) female political candidates’ campaign in the party of your choice — like viral sensation Katie Porter whose race will be hotly contested in CA’s 45th district. Why? Women hold less than 25% of political positions nationwide despite making up over 50% of the population. It’s time.
8. Leave a rating and review of a podcast you like on Apple Podcasts. Why? Many content creators depend on the algorithm gods of Apple and even one review can help them climb the ranks, getting their message heard by more listeners. In many cases, those podcasts support their small business — it certainly helps ours at Whole Whale.
9. Plant something in your house or apartment. Why? Taking care of a plant can actually help your mental health, reduce stress and make the world a little greener. Don’t have a seed or clipping? Just grab a garlic clove or the cut end of a green onion and stick it in a cup with a little bit of water, and those things will grow anywhere.
10. Fill out your Census and make a social post to remind others to do the same. Why? The US Census and critical at-risk populations may be severely undercounted due to the press cycles of Coronavirus. The Census only happens once every 10 years and impacts billions of dollars for your region. Also, for the first time ever, the Census can be filled out online.
11. Record a short video message for someone that means something to you in your life. Why? Videos are super personal and bring the type of emotion and connection that words often fail to capture. And they can last forever to brighten someone’s day! You can use your device’s native video recorder, Insta stories, or private youtube link.
12. Email your first (good) boss and thank them. Why? You’d be surprised how little leaders actually hear messages like this and it is a nice excuse to say hi.
13. Buy something from a B Corp from this official directory. Why? Companies at all levels are going to be struggling, so if you were going to buy a thing anyway, just do it from a company with a double bottom line who is working to make this world better.
14. Learn a new skill. With endless video tutorials on YouTube, Udemy, etc., pick something you’ve been wanting to learn more about and dig in. Why? Because learning new things has been said to lead to lower rates of depression, higher personal confidence and social connection, and even longer life. If you’re not sure where to start, we have a ton of great online courses on Whole Whale University.

Don’t worry if you can’t do them all.

Consider sharing this as people all around you may be looking for something positive to spread in a time of social distancing. And please share any other ideas or recommendations you have to make productive use of our extended time at home in the comments below!