The novel coronavirus has become a global pandemic as declared by WHO and our lives are no longer functioning "normally." It is a pernicious virus that originated in Wuhan, China back in December and has been affecting people from all over the world. According to the CDC, "Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that are common in people and many different species of animals, including camels, cattle, cats, and bats. Rarely, animal viruses can infect people and then spread between people such as with MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV, and now with this new virus (named SARS-CoV-2)."

The increase in cases and subsequent deaths is something that is soaring rapidly and I'm strongly hoping that an effective cure and clinically well-tested vaccine gets developed to help combat this infectious disease. As of right now, people globally are strongly advised and encouraged to accept "social distancing" as part of their daily lifestyle until further notice by CDC and public health officials. Meanwhile, continuing to wash your hands and staying at home is a must at the moment!

But how can staying home most of the time be desirable in this day and age? Trust me, I have been battling myself internally with this sensitive question for the past few days and have been trying to look at the brighter aspects of it. Staying positive and hopeful is the best perspective one can have at any given time or situation. Likewise, I have strong faith in the fact that time is the ultimate healer of anything; whether it be an internal or external wound. Eventually, there will be an end to this destructive coronavirus and let's continue to keep our fingers crossed.

While pondering the question I proposed, I realized that you can certainly make the most of your time spent at home both efficient and worth-while. You just have to keep your head in the game and focus on developing a daily routine just like you had when you were at work, school, college, etc. That may mean making a list of your "Things to Do" and remaining constantly aware of what your priorities are.

Also, you are welcome to still engage in "virtual" social interactions with your friends, colleagues, and family. You can also read books that you hardly have time to read due to work stress and engage in virtual book discussions if you really want to go the extra mile. In all honesty, it is simply all up to YOU as to how you would prefer spending your time during your stay at your most sweetest place.

This new way of life may not sound too appealing at first, but remember that this will most likely be a temporary situation and you never know what benefits can emerge from this in the future! After all, the coronavirus is more of a deadly conundrum that we are desperately trying to escape BUT for how long remains the question? Even though self-quarantine and adjusting to life at home may not be completely easy, this can possibly lead to a decline in COVID-19 cases and subsequent deaths globally which is our ultimate goal as humans.

May there be light at the end of this vicious tunnel and may we return to our good ole' days soon...