I haven’t blogged for almost two years now and I’ve been wracking my brain for some time on how to get back into it. And seeing that we’re in the midst of a global pandemic, I thought writing about ways to “survive” Self-Quarantine at home would be the best thing! I’m an introvert at heart, always have been and probably always will be. But even for me, the thought of having to spend forced time locked up in the house for an unforeseeable time period is pretty frightening. So I can only imagine what the social butterflies out there must be feeling. So please read this blog post where I’ll share some ways on how to keep your body and mind busy in order to survive #SELFQUARANTINE!
Give yourself a break
If your company or place of employment decided to temporarily close for the benefit of your health, take this time off to rest a bit. We’ve all been going through some sort of hell on earth lately, so you deserve to take some time to just breathe.. It’s also a time to be grateful. Be grateful you’re (still) healthy, be grateful your job allows you to work from home, be grateful there is still enough food supply and so on.. just be grateful.
A great way to relax is to turn your space into a home spa like you’ve probably always wanted too. Put on some meditation music, light up some candles, do a little Yoga, take a long hot bath while enjoying a mud face mask, give yourself a pedicure or whip-up a homemade hair mask! Or catch up on some long needed sleep.
Get Inspired
Working from home or not, this “time-off” doesn’t mean you can’t still live up to your full potential. That would be such a waste. Your life still needs to be lived! So use the time you have wisely. Always wanted to start an online business? Do it. A Youtube channel? Film a video. An online course? Sign up. Wanted to write a novel? Grab a pen and paper. The excuse of not having enough time is pretty much invalid at this point. I’m a chronic list-maker, so whenever I start to feel a little down about the situation we’re living in, I’ll start to pen down whatever comes to mind. A list of places I wish to still travel too this year, a list of summer activities I’ll want to do.. just anything to try and stay optimistic!
Some might say it’s also a great moment to learn a new skill or two. Get creative! Learn a new recipe or perfect an old one. Become the next Picasso and try painting a masterpiece. Brush up on your degree, you know the one you majored in in college. Endless possibilities, really!
Spring Cleaning
To stay a little on the topic of not saying there’s no time, here’s another way to stay busy for a while. Today is literally the first day of spring. We all know it’s been a cold winter, in more ways than one! So although we’re stuck in the house for the most part, we should still feel excited about the start of a new season. Therefor do some Spring cleaning!
Clean out your closet, your bedroom, bath room, living area.. clean it all. Or just start small: deep clean under your bed, the kitchen cabinet, your nightstand and so on. It’ll give you a satisfaction of knowing your house is clean, fully wiped down and there’s less chance of the COVID-19 virus to linger around all your belongings. And while you’re at it: recycle those paper tissues you dry your hands with after the endless hand-washing, the food cans and the plastic bottles. We still got an earth to protect!
Not going out also means you don’t have to get fully dolled up for a while (unless you have a work conference, in that case a little touch up wouldn’t hurt). So go through your makeup collection and get rid of everything that’s expired or that you don’t like anymore. Or if you’re a makeup hoarder (somewhat like me), watch tutorials and polish your beauty skills.
Practice Social Distancing, But Stay Social
I can’t urge you all enough to practice social distancing until the pandemic literally dies down. And the best way to do so is by staying home! I’m aware it might cause some people anxiety, frustration maybe even claustrophobia at one point. But the health of yourself, your family, friends, neighbors and ultimately the entire community really depend on this determination. Yes, go get groceries, go let the dog out or get some fresh air. But any other off-line social activity can wait, I promise!
With that being said, staying home because you have too can also cause loneliness and depression. So while you’re trying to stay away from people in real life, please reach out to human connection online! Check up on your relatives, friends, colleagues, because we’re all in this together. Have a Netflix watch party, a virtual Zumba class with friends or even participate in Instagram‘s many Story trends. Do whatever you need to do to still feel connected to the outside world. Have a (huge) following on social media? Reach out: use your influential platform to engage, entertain and escape the world’s problems.
Tip: See if and how your place of work is staying socially active online! Are there any hashtags to stay connected? Any trends in their stories you can participate in? Or for the creative types: start your own and propose it to the online team!
You Can Do It!
I sincerely hope I was able to inspire you to make the best out of the #SELFQUARANTINE period we’re all going through. Times are challenging, uncertain and terrifying, but I strongly believe this too shall pass. If you too have some ways to make this situation more bearable for all at home, please don’t hesitate to share these in the comments.
To all medical and elderly care workers, grocery store employees, parcel and food deliverers, volunteers : I sincerely respect you, I thank you!
So true, stay social and productive at home. So sense in stressing your body and mind being anxious and worried! This to shall pass. I’m working on the front lines as a Charge Respiratory Therapist at our local hospital. We have to stay optimistic and diligent so we can care well for our patients.