books to read in self-quarantine

Whether you like it or not, you’re doing the right thing and performing your civic duty by isolating yourself in your house. I know it’s tough but self-quarantine is the best and most effective strategy to stave off this COVID-19 pandemic and “flatten the curve.” 

This global health crisis is serious and we all must take care of ourselves and others by staying indoors. This means you would be either working from home, or worse, not working at all because your workplace is shut down.

Just because you’re confined to your living room doesn’t mean that you must start binge-watching shows and movies on Amazon Prime, Netflix or Disney Plus. Nor does it imply that you can waste your time playing video games for endless hours. 

My sincere suggestion is to use your precious time and attention in this crisis for good and for constructive pursuits. And in my opinion, the best way you can do that is by accruing knowledge and wisdom via books. Of course, you can watch shows and movies to relax and distract yourself from feeling anxious and stressed about uncertain times, but try to focus a major portion of your time on self-education and personal development. 

Whether you’re a bibliophile or not, you would already have a few books in your mind. Chances are you would have always wished to read more but you didn’t have the time. Well, your wish has been granted. Now you have all the time in the world. So set aside time every day to either read or listen to a book. Let go of the easy novels and beach reads, and read something related to self-improvement or a certain topic that you have been curious about. Go deep, and read something that is both educational and enjoyable. Maybe even spiritual.

Reading is an incredible activity; it’s both enriching and uplifting. So, in these difficult times, it can surely be something worthwhile with a lasting ROI. 

And if you’re clueless about where to begin and what to read, don’t worry, I have got you covered. Here are some book recommendations for you as you go through this crisis: 

1. Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
2. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
3. The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy
4. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
5. Siddhartha by Herman Hesse
6. The 5 AM Club by Robin Sharma
7. Essential by Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus
8. The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran
9. Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari
10. Life’s Amazing Secrets by Gaur Gopal Das

Enjoy these books, and just hang in there. Let’s keep ourselves motivated, inspired and productive as we fight the pandemic and go through these uncertain times.