When was the last time sitting in front of the TV was the solution to a global problem? Enjoy it while it lasts! 

Nearly overnight our society has gone into hibernation. And with all the talk about health and safety, it may seem that there is no place for positive news. Wrong! Positive thinking is one of the best medicines for a crisis like this. Again and again, psychological research has shown that it is the key to overcoming stress, anxiety, and above all, boredom! 

Here are a few tips for how to keep your mood up in spite of it all :)

1. Help others in need!

If you live in a flat, post a note on the front door of your building or other visible spot offering help to seniors or those who are ill (don’t forget to leave your contact info!). Or, if you don’t feel comfortable doing that, give your loved ones a call! You know grandma would be thrilled to hear from you :)

2. Take the time to prepare healthy meals. 

Think of all those rushed mornings when you wished you could sit down for a nice breakfast and read the news. Well, now you can! Try this sweet recipe for Mana banana pancakes from Ben Cristovao, one of our influencers:

Ingredients:

1 cup oat flakes

1 mashed banana

2 scoops Mana Origin Powder

Coconut oil

Fresh fruit for garnish

Method: 

Mix the oat flakes, banana, and Mana Powder together into a thick dough. Add more banana or oat flakes as needed. Then proceed as you would with classic pancakes. We recommend frying the pancakes on coconut oil. As far as the garnish goes, Ben Cristovao likes to use blueberries or chia seeds. He also sometimes adds cinnamon or poppy to the dough :) Bon appétit!

In case you need to replenish your Mana supply, you can order more here.

3. Find a way to stay active. 

11 out of 10 psychologists indicate the positive effects of physical activity. But that’s not so easy now that all of us are staying at home. Nevertheless, where there’s a will, there’s a way. Have a look online and you’ll find a ton of interesting videos. At Mana, we work out with personal trainer Lukáš Kverka, whose Instagram you can find here. What a goofball he is!

4. Play dress-up with the kids. 

Schools are closed, the kids are home, and parents are already posting videos of themselves with their hair on end. Our tip? Play dress-up! Spend the morning creating costumes, make some healthy Mana pancakes for lunch, then spend the afternoon masquerading around as your favorite fairy tale characters. The kids will never forget it!

5. Turn your living room into a cinema den. 

Now is the perfect time for the film marathon you’ve always dreamed of. And you can bring all the outside food and drink you want! Our suggestion? A Mana smoothie bowl garnished with homemade granola and fresh fruit. Try this recipe with hokkaido pumpkin and ginger. It’s great for immunity!

If you haven’t seen it already, check out the film Green Book from director Peter Farrelly. we loved it!

Warning: this experience may be so pleasant that you’ll never want to go out to the movies again.

6. Work through your backlogged to-do list. 

Got holes in your jeans that need sewing? Been meaning to deep-clean the bathroom for a while? Need to rip old family videos to your computer for safekeeping? Now is the perfect time to sit on your balcony or porch and git-r-done!

7. Dust off your collection of board games.

Whether under your bed or buried deep in the closet, you’ve probably got some old board games suffering from neglect. Now is an excellent opportunity to give them new life. Or, if you don’t have any board games (or even if you do), get creative and make your own!

8. Brush up on your language skills.

There is so much language-learning content out there that a lifetime wouldn’t be enough to go through it all, much less your time in quarantine. If textbook exercises are not your style, you can be sure there is a language teacher out there looking to give private lessons online, or if you’re short on funds at the moment, websites like italki.com can help hook you up with language partners for free exchanges (e.g. 30 mins your language, 30 mins their language). 

9. Last but not least, read!

Time to crack open the books you got for Christmas last year :) Reading is a superb exercise for your brain, and a great way to stay sane if quarantine is making you crazy. We recommend turning off all electronic equipment for an hour (except for maybe your e-reader), making some hot cocoa, and letting yourself get carried away.

Mana recommends The Zero Waste Cookbook or The Happiness Project. Oprah recommends Olive, Again. Maybe you have a good recommendation? If so, let us know on Instagram or Facebook!

Slowing the spread of this virus means being responsible and staying inside. Yes, social distancing can be a bummer, but with a bit of patience and creativity, we can handle it! And besides, haven’t you always wanted a little “staycation”? Use it while you got it!