It’s so important to take care of yourself during stressful times. Practice self-care during quarantine and feel your best mentally and physically with these ideas!
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It’s such a weird time and stressful time. Every single one of us has had to adjust to new schedules, daily routines, and being quarantined in our homes. Parents have become teachers and employees have had to find their work-from-home groove. It hasn’t been easy for anyone.
As someone who works from home and isn’t much of a social butterfly anyway, not much has changed for me. My husband, however, has a new work schedule which keeps him home a lot more often. It was an adjustment to get used to (he’s my favorite distraction, but still a distraction which keeps me from my own work), but I’ve become used to having him around.
How to Practice Self-Care During Quarantine
Give yourself a break from the news
The first thing my husband and I decided to do was limit the amount of time we spent watching the news. I used to watch the news every morning and then again at night. Instead, we now watch the news from 5-6PM, then change the channel.
Too much news coverage can be upsetting and overwhelming. Limit how much you watch the news and scroll through social media. It’s super important to keep your mental health in check right now.
Practice calming breathing
After my first trip back to the grocery store about a week ago, I ended up with anxiety the rest of the day. So I sat outside in the sun and took calming breaths.
Take a good, deep breath in through your nose. Feel it fill your lungs and hold it for 3 seconds. Slowly exhale through your mouth as you feel your shoulders relax.
Read a book
Do you have a book that you put down and never finished? Now’s the time to pick it back up again! I’m right smack in the middle of an easy-to-read murder series by Leslie Meier. I try to read at least a chapter or two before I go to bed. It’s become part of my nighttime routine and helps me relax.
Give your immune system a boost
Do you take a multi-vitamin? Add some elderberry to your vitamin and supplement intake. Drink green tea and keep yourself hydrated with lots of water. There are lots of ways you can give your immune system a good boost!
Nourish your body + mind
It’s really easy to get into a junk food rut right now. When you head to the store (or shop through a delivery service), make sure you’re adding plenty of healthy options to keep your body nourished. I’m thankful we have our Hungryroot deliveries to keep us stocked up on healthy foods and vegetables.
It’s also important to nourish your mind. Diffuse some essential oils and try to quiet your mind through meditation. Give yourself a break, get up and stretch, and go outside!
Keep a journal
My blog is basically my journal right now, documenting our journey in the best way I can. But if you’re feeling anxious and overwhelmed right now, keeping a paper journal is a great way to release that tension and emotion.
You might even want to start a gratitude journal. It’s easy to focus on the negatives, but a gratitude journal will allow you to jot down all the positive things you’ve experienced throughout the day.
Take up a new hobby
One thing I really wanted to do while we’re stuck at home is try a new hobby. I’ve been watching a ton of paint pouring videos on Facebook. They’re relaxing to watch and the results always look so pretty!
The first time I tried paint pouring, I used DIY mixes I found online. The result was pretty, but not exactly what I was looking for. So I bought a paint pouring kit off of Amazon and I can’t wait to try it again!
Try a new recipe
We might be limited on the ingredients we have in the house right now, but I’m convinced that you could make a meal out of almost anything! Do a search for recipes using ingredients you have on hand and try something new!
Or, if you’re lucky enough to get a grocery delivery slot, add some new ingredients to your list and try one of those recipes that you’ve saved on Pinterest!
Remember to stay active
This is something I’ve been struggling with. The weather hasn’t been all that cooperative lately and the last time we went to the park, there were too many people there for my liking. We did our social distancing and all of that, but I’d rather stick to our quiet, neighborhood walks.
Hopefully with the sunny, spring weather returning, I’ll find the motivation to get outside and get moving again!
Skincare routine
All of that hand sanitizer and stress can really do a job on your skin! If you’re like me and have a bathroom full of skincare products you’ve been neglecting to use, you might want to reinstate your skincare routine.
Choose a day to pamper yourself. Take a nice, relaxing shower or bath. Then, put on a face mask, slather on a good moisturizer, tidy up your brows, and give yourself a manicure!
Call/text a friend or family
Even though I’ve been trying to limit my time on social media, it’s still important to stay connected. I’ve been trying to call and text my parents as much as possible and have been able to FaceTime with my entire family on multiple occasions. Normally, I hate texting, but I’m thankful to have that option available right now to stay in touch with so many people!
Get dressed
I know. Yoga pants are life. But trust me! As someone who works from home on the regular, I still make it a point to get dressed every single day. It not only makes me feel better about myself, but I feel ready to tackle the day! I get way more done when I’m dressed than when I’m sitting around in my lounge wear!
PS: making the bed helps, too!
Try a new hair color or makeup look
I’m not a big fan of wearing makeup, but I do like to have fun with my hair color every now and then! I’ve always wanted to dye my hair purple, so I figured now was the time to give it a try! I ordered a violet hair color that’s just subtle enough to give my dark hair a plum hue!
If you’re not ready to go the permanent route, try a wash out hair color!
Allow yourself to get emotional
If you’re feeling a range of emotions right now, it’s okay! Be gentle to yourself and allow yourself to feel whatever it is you’re feeling! Cry, scream, yell, get mad, and get it all out of your system! Bottling it up is not good for yourself or anyone around you!
Be kind
Most important of all, be kind. Again, it’s a stressful time for everyone. When you’re at the store grabbing essentials, remember to thank the cashier and other grocery store employees. Be nice to delivery people. And if you can, give your favorite neighborhood restaurant support by ordering takeout from them.
Right now, we all have to come together and do what we can. Stay home, wash your hands, take safety precautions, and be kind.
PIN FOR LATER
What are you doing to practice self-care right now?
3 Comments
These are great tips. I’ve been trying my best to stay away from the news. I like the idea of trying a new hair color or makeup. How fun!
Thank you! We hardly even watch the news anymore because it’s gotten so upsetting. It’s hard not to focus on that, but I’d rather try and focus on being productive and doing fun things while stuck at home! Be safe!
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