Quarantine Sanity: How I'm Practicing Self Care
Hey Everyone!
With the COVID global pandemic changing our lives for the foreseeable future. I wanted to share some tips and activities I’ve been practicing to maintain a consistent level of self-care in my life. During this crazy time period, it’s important that we’re prioritizing our mental health! Take a look.
Set a morning routine for yourself.
By starting your day with a routine, you’re setting yourself up to succeed for the rest of the day. It can be as small as drinking a cup of tea and opening your windows. Create a mini routine for yourself and when you complete it, celebrate! I don’t care how small it is, celebrate your wins. Treat yourself to something. It’ll give you something to look forward to the next time you do it.
Get Physical.
One of the main things helping me cope right now is exercising. Going for a daily walk and spending a few minutes in nature truly helps. There’s nothing wrong with getting a little bit of sunshine. Just make sure you’re doing it safely and practicing social distancing. If you can’t make it outside, get up off the couch. Tons of gyms and influencers are offering free workouts online. Pick one and challenge yourself.
Socialize
I know facetiming, houseparty-ing, and zooming can be pretty exhausting,. However, they do help! Pick one person a day or maybe someone different every day to chat with. I call my mom regularly and it’s really helped break up my day.
Delete your social media for a few hours.
Instagram, Twitter, and news fatigue are real. Just press delete for a little bit.
Pamper Yourself
Light a candle, do a face mask, do your nails, draw a bubble bath, wash your hair, or dress up for the day. Do what you makes you feel good. (I cannot tell ya’ll how HYPE I was to give myself a pedicure. Who knew seeing a fresh coat of polish could bring me so much joy.)
Go for a drive
If you can do this safely, I highly recommend it. I’ve been driving to the water to watch the rise and it’s really given me something to look forward to.
Hobby time
Cooking, knitting, painting, do a puzzle, write a poem. Express your happiness, sadness, anger or whatever mood you’re going through with a hobby
Stimulate Your Mind (But Be Careful of Info Overload)
Read a book, listen to a podcast, watch a tv show or a film, explore YouTube videos (Ted talks), and allow your mind to get lost in something else for a second. Just be mindful that right now your mind can be fatigued easily so please be careful with that you give it.
Practice Emotional Self-Care
Try journaling, meditation, or talking to a professional (FT, Virtual sessions, or apps.) We’re going through an extremely difficult time right now, it’s important to ask for help.
Lastly, be gentle with yourself and do not feel pressured! One day I’m super productive, the next I sit on my couch all day and watch Jurassic Park for the 10000th time. Our windows of tolerance are constantly changing and we’re going through a million emotions in one day. You don’t have to come out of this with a book or a new project. The only thing you have to do is be present with yourself and listen to what your body is telling you.
I hope this helped. Be safe everyone.
Courtney
