Amid the coronavirus outbreak, you may be coping with feelings of anxiety, depression, and uncertainty if you’ve lost your job or had your hours reduced, and you may feel lonely, isolated, and bored after being stuck at home for so many weeks on end. If you’re used to having your hair professionally cut, colored, and styled, the pandemic may be taking its toll on your body image and self-esteem as well. In fact, an April poll conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) found that the pandemic has negatively affected the mental health of more than 45 percent of U.S. adults.
While the COVID-19 outbreak could permanently alter life as we know it, posttraumatic growth is possible after any major change or challenge in life. If you’ve lost your job, for instance, you could take advantage of this opportunity and turn your greatest passions into a new career. If you’re feeling bored and isolated as you shelter in place and distance yourself from your loved ones, you could take up a new skill or hobby from home. For some tips on making the most of these pandemic-induced lifestyle changes, read on.
Lose Your Job? Embark on a New Career
If you’ve recently lost your job, the pandemic could be an excellent time to transform your greatest passions and interests into the career you’ve always wanted. Whether you’re passionate about graphic design, photography, or the great outdoors, you could turn your interests into a profit if you use this extra time on your hands to develop a career plan for the future and stick to it. Here are some tips to help you get started:
- If you have experience using Adobe InDesign and you’re interested in typesetting, desktop publishing, or graphic design, you could use freelance job boards like Upwork to look for new clients and customers.
- Start a photography business if you’re ready to take your love of photography to the next level. Photography genres range from wedding and event photography to photojournalism and aerial photography.
- Make a fulfilling career out of your love for the outdoors. According to Travel + Leisure, several jobs that allow you to spend more time outdoors include surveyors, agriculture workers, recreational workers, and environmental scientists.
Can’t Cut and Color Your Hair? Try a New Look
If you’ve been eager to try a bold new hairstyle, the pandemic could be the perfect time to do it — especially if stay-at-home orders have kept you from cutting, coloring, and styling your hair in a way that would normally boost your self-image. Whether you’re working from home, wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) that hides your hair from the public, or you’re having trouble maintaining your current hairstyle during the COVID-19 lockdown, now could be an excellent time to experiment with the style you’ve always wanted but have been too nervous to try.
Bored at Home? Take Up a New Hobby
If you’re bored at home and looking for something unique to dabble in during the pandemic, it may be time to take up a new hobby or skill. Several great hobbies that can be enjoyed from the safety of your home include things like:
- Relaxing activities such as yoga, reading, knitting, and scrapbooking.
- Active hobbies such as running, dancing, cycling, or skateboarding.
- Skill-based hobbies like learning a language, playing an instrument, or creating your own board or video game.
- Expressive activities like painting, songwriting, or photography.
- Hobbies that help you to escape from the real world, include live-action roleplaying (LARPing), film making, or role-playing games (RPGs).
While the COVID-19 outbreak has affected each of our lives in one way or another, we can make the most of these pandemic-induced lifestyle changes by turning our passions into a career, experimenting with a new look that helps us to feel great about ourselves, and enjoying our time at home by taking up a new hobby or skill. Personal growth is possible after a major lifestyle change, challenge, or trauma, and the coronavirus crisis is no exception.