Quarantine Lifestyle

Quarantine Lifestyle

A Checklist

By Jeanne Gowen Dennis

The COVID-19 quarantine provides the perfect opportunity for us to reexamine our priorities in every area of life. If you go through this Quarantine Lifestyle checklist, I think you’ll find some inspiration to make these weeks some of your most interesting and productive all year.

Technology in a Quarantine Lifestyle 

In recent years, technology has made it possible for us to connect with people all over the world. Yet it has, in many ways, supplanted face-to-face communication. The coronavirus quarantine provides a perfect opportunity to reconnect.

• While isolated with your family, are you spending more time individually on your devices? Or are you building stronger relationships with one another?
• Are you taking advantage of streaming church services, sermons, and children’s Sunday school classes?
• Do you discuss with your children the faith topics presented online? Do you invite them to ask questions about anything that confuses them? Are you preparing yourself to answer their faith questions?
• Do you use the Bible (and not the media) as your authority for answering your own and your children’s questions? Are you familiar with sites online that include the text of the Bible, allow you to search the Bible, and offer Bible commentaries? (For example, Bible Gateway)
• Are you keeping in touch with relatives and friends who live alone or might feel lonely during forced separation? Are you making good use of phone, email, and/or video technologies to let others know you care about them?

Quarantine Entertainment and Productivity

The culture promotes pleasure and entertainment over productivity and creativity. Yet, as children of the Creator of all, we were made to be creative. Think of all we might accomplish if we put down the remote, turn off the electronics, and do something with the gifts God has given us!

• Are you spending any extra time you have at home watching TV and searching the Internet? What can you learn, make, or create instead?
• Think about the talents and dreams God has given you. What can you do during this time to exercise or develop those talents? How can you take one more step toward fulfilling your dreams? How can these bring glory to God?
• What are you doing to encourage your children to use their time and talents creatively? How can you help them discover and develop the strengths you see in them?
• Think about the wisdom you wish you had. Including the Bible, what books and authors can you read that might help you gain that wisdom? What books might your children read?
• For entertainment, what can you do that will allow the whole family to interact and have fun together? Read books aloud? Create and/or play games? Put on plays? Sing as a family? Learn to harmonize? Have a camping night inside?

Cleaning Out During Quarantine

We live in a materialistic world. So much of what we own really owns us. Coronavirus seclusion provides a perfect opportunity for us to reevaluate what we have, what we want, and what we need.

• • First, make a list of criteria an item has to meet for you to keep it. For instance, does it create more work to maintain than the benefits it brings? Is the sentimental value greater than the inconvenience or cost of keeping it?
  • Do you have too much stuff to fit in your house? Does everything have a place? Even if you have plenty of room, do you have more than you need?
  • Are these items enslaving you and taking up time and energy you’d rather spend on something else?
  • Can you think of needs in your church or community these items can help fill?
  • What closets or storage areas can you clean out?

Quarantine Lifestyle Health

Most people are thinking about health nowadays. We need a good balance of exercise, good food, water, and rest.

• Are you getting enough exercise, either inside or outside, if allowed?
• If you’re used to doing certain exercises you can’t do at home, have you considered trying a new type of exercise?
• Are you keeping your diet healthy? If you don’t know how to cook, can you watch online recipe videos to learn how?
• Do you drink plenty of water every day?
• Do you get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night? Are your children getting enough sleep? Watch our interview with Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith to find out all the types of rest we need.

Lifestyle and Legacy after Quarantine

The toll COVID-19 has taken around the world has caused many to think about death. Any one of us could die at any time, not just from coronavirus, but from other causes. Isn’t this the perfect time to consider what you want to leave behind?

• Consider your spiritual legacy. Do your relatives, children, and friends know about your faith in Jesus Christ? Do you need to talk to them about salvation and share the gospel? Do you need to grow stronger in your own faith?
• Consider your emotional legacy. Have you told your loved ones how much they mean to you? Have you forgiven all who have hurt you and asked forgiveness of any you have hurt?
• Consider your work legacy. Although we all would like to leave financial gifts to our children and grandchildren, these are tough financial times. What can you leave in the way of wisdom about finances and material possessions? What skills can you pass on by mentoring someone else? What can you leave that can truly improve someone else’s life?
• Consider your soul legacy. What can you leave that will help your children and grandchildren truly know you? How can they learn from your struggles and victories? Have you thought about writing a letter or journal for them? Could you write poetry? Paint pictures? Record a video message? Write your autobiography?

A Better Lifestyle

Now doesn’t all of this sound like more fun than just sitting in front of a TV, computer, or smartphone?

I pray God will bless your time in quarantine with creativity, closer relationships, and especially a more intimate walk with Him.

If you don’t know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, click here to find out how to find salvation and enjoy a relationship with God both now and in eternity. 

To find links for all Heritage of Truth interviews and blog posts, go to TV and Blog by Topic or TV and Blog by Guest/Author.