Personal brands: Making the most of your quarantine period (solitude)

How to maximize your ‘Stay-at-Home’ Season

“It is reminding us of how important our family and home life is and how much we have neglected this. It is forcing us back into our houses so we can rebuild them into our home and to strengthen our family unit.” – Bill Gates

Here are a number of ideas and activities you can consider to maximize the moment.

1. Introspection: sit back and review your life, take stock of where you've been, what you've done and where you are going. It's a good time to reassess your life. Ask yourself questions, be hard on yourself and gradually get answers to them.

2. Relax: take time to slow down, have a good rest as much as you can, your body and your mind needs it. Don't get too busy, take it easy on yourself.

3. Read books (materials): use this period as an opportunity to read some books. Read it at your own pace and add to your knowledge. Subscribe to useful online newsletters, magazines and blogs.

4. Listen to audiobooks: one of the quickest ways to consume contents is by listening to the audios. Get as many audio books as you can, listen intentional, listen while doing chores, let it just play at the background. For your kids, Amazon has made available it’s audible platform for kids all over the world to listen to a huge collection of stories for free as along as schools are closed. Visit https://stories.audible.com/start-listen

5. Enjoy music: create your own playlist of your favorite tracks and enjoy. [I'm currently enjoying my classical playlist]

6. Write a book: your story is unique; someone need to read that. Your wisdom is great, share it with the world. Begin today, just write! [Send me a mail if you desire to write a book]

7. Kid's Time: if you are blessed with children use this period as an opportunity to bond better, get to know them well. Play fun games with them. I bet, this would be one of the best investments and memories you'd never regret.

8. Learn a skill: pick any area you'd like to learn and delve deeper. Take an online course or coaching. Add to what you already know. Enrich yourself.

9. Practice your craft: if you had always wanted to paint, do it. Try some new recipes. Dare something and do it!

10. Drive-Through: not a time through a fast food joint but a time through the woods or hood. Drive slowly through town, observing nature and savoring the moments. Observe all those things you've been missing in your daily commute. [This will not be appropriate of your City is Lockdown]

11. Teach a course online: Share your expertise, either as a side gig or voluntary activity. Many online platforms offers such opportunities e.g. teachable.com, skillshare.com, udemy.com you may want to start a YouTube channel. All these could help with some extra income as well.

12. Spark up the love: if you are blessed to be married, make the most of the moment. Revive the love and romance in your marriage. If in a relationship, get creative with SMS to keep the love going.

13. Seek God: get to know your creator the more, spend time praying and listening to God's voice. It’s good time to invest in prayers. Praying for the affected, pray for family & friends and pray for the world.

14. Plan Properly: a good time to look at your schedules in life. If you have not had any, then do so, set goals and targets to pursue. Plan your career. The aftermath of the crisis will have an impact on many careers, think ahead, plan and prepare.

15. Healthy lifestyle: check your diet to ensure you are having a well-balanced diet. Exercise daily to stay in shape and healthy.

16. Reconsider your Relationships: it's a good time to prune, know those who really matter and those who matter to you as well. There are levels of relationships and not everyone should have a front roll seat in your life; cut of those you need to and nurture the ones that needs to. Nurture the good ones and disconnect from the ill ones.

17. Create your gratitude list: one of the most fruitful habits to develop in a season like this is gratitude. Be thankful for all the things you have and around you. Daily reach out and thank people who are being supportive. Thank God for life. Stay thankful and don't nurse any ungrateful spirit to rub you of your joy and blessings.

18. Don’t fret: breaking news here and there may cause some level of anxiety, but don’t entertain fear; activate your faith in times like these. When you harbor fear it weakens even your immune system. You may have a cause to be afraid but focus on possibilities, the best that could ever happen. Stay hopeful, it’s helpful in time like these. Believe and expect the best.

19. Live simply: don’t complicate things for yourself. This season reminds us of the little pleasures of life. Enjoy it!

Bernard Kelvin Clive is an Author, Speaker and Corporate Trainer. Africa’s foremost author(ity) on Personal Branding. An Amazon bestselling author of over 40 published books. As a speaker & trainer he has been known to simplify complex ideas about branding and life and present them to audiences in clear, actionable steps. He has over a decade experience in digital publishing and has globally consulted for entrepreneurs, pastors, and people like you to write books and build brands. He hosts the number one ranked Career & Business Podcast in Ghana. Bernard is a brand strategist at BKC consulting and runs the monthly Branding & Publishing Masterclass.