Life in quarantine has been getting to me. I’m moody, stir crazy, antsy, upset and frustrated all in the same day, and then I get upset with myself for being upset. It’s easy to beat ourselves up for being an emotional, unproductive couch potato-meets-marshmallow of sorts, and it’s hard to know how to take the next step. Taking care of ourselves has gone by the wayside, so I wanted to share 7 ideas on how to practice self-care in quarantine.
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Journal your thoughts
Like I said, my emotions have been off the walls; I feel like I’m cycling through the five stages of grief on the daily. And being the Enneagram 3 that I am, I hate how inefficient feelings are, but ignoring our emotions only leads to more chaos. Feelings aren’t a bad thing, and quarantine life probably has you experiencing every last one of ’em.
Spend time processing your thoughts by journaling. It’s been helpful for me to write out the specific emotions I’m feeling like “anger” or “frustration” and then writing why. Maybe the idea of journaling makes you squirm. If writing about your feelings makes you feel funky, try making a gratitude list to remember what you’re grateful for during these tough times.
Pamper your skin
Obviously, we can’t get manicures and pedicures during quarantine, so make it a point to love your skin well during this lockdown. Paint your nails, do a face mask, take a bath with a couple drops of lavender essential oil. It’s seriously the best.
Recently, I tried a foot mask, which is basically a plastic sock filled with lots of fun ingredients that you wear for an hour and then all of the dead skin comes off a week later. So cool right?! I put my leopard print plastic socks on for an hour while I read Jen Gotch’s new book, The Upside of Being Down.
Practice good hygiene
I know no one is going to be seeing you any time soon, but do yourself a favor and practice good hygiene during quarantine. Like usual, I’ve been showering every morning, and this helps me stay in a good routine. And don’t forget to shave those legs, girl!
I’ve also been putting makeup regularly. Not much, but it still helps me feel like I’m “going to” work and school. I also still want to take an ounce of pride in my appearance during quarantine.
Exercise regularly
This act of self care has literally been a godsend. It’s a known fact that exercise boosts your mood and gives you those happy chemicals. And that’s so important especially now when life feels more chaotic and sad than normal.
I’ve been taking walks almost every day around my neighborhood and even have a bit of a tan line. (For a fair-skinned gal like myself, that’s a big accomplishment.) I’ve also been doing video workouts like Yoga With Adriene and PopSugar fitness.
Maybe you haven’t had the time to invest in exercise or aren’t ready for a full-blown workout. Do simple exercises while you watch T.V. I was watching The O.C. with my sister recently and did some mason twists with an exercise ball and exercises from my lower back.
If you’re looking for simple exercises to do with or without equipment, I love my friend Caitlyn’s account. I bookmarked this post of hers to get ab exercise ideas:
Get out of the house
For some people this might not be an option depending on health concerns and social distancing laws. But it has been life-giving to get out of my house, even just for a drive. If you’re comfortable, drive through Starbucks for a treat or grab dinner to-go. Sit outside on your patio or porch. Maybe just open your window. Take a walk. Perhaps it means taking a long drive to nowhere specific and listen to your favorite music.
Schedule in social time
Quarantine time has made me really apathetic. I’ve also been grieving, and the way I naturally handle that is isolation. And to some degree, that is good and healthy and normal for a life in lockdown.
But I believe we are made for community and relationships. Even if you don’t feel like it, even if you’re so sick of Zoom meetings (me), be proactive about scheduling time with friends and family.
On Sunday afternoons, I like to plan my weeks. This means texting several friends and asking if they’d like to FaceTime on a specific day this week.
I’ve also been using quarantine time to write letters. I recently bought these adorable prints from Made Whole Collective and have sent them out to cheer up my friends.
Pick up or revisit a hobby
It’s okay if you use this extra time to relax — no shaming to be had there! But I’ve found that I’ve been more motivated and excited to pour into my hobby aka this very blog that you’re reading. I completely overhauled my site’s design, launched a free Blogging Basics video series and wrote an ebook called Become a Pro Blogger in 2 Weeks. Whew!
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Investing in this hobby has truly kept me sane, and it’s a great way to practice self-care. Start scrapbooking again, write that next bestselling fiction novel, pick up knitting, learn a new language, try a new recipe, learn a magic trick — seriously, the sky is the limit. Take this extra time to reinvest in your self because it’s not selfish!
Self-care is taking a new look in quarantine, but it’s just as important — honestly, probably more so — to practice in these tough times. Share your favorite self-care ideas in the comments.
