Quarantine Self Care
Being quarantined during this pandemic is no fun for any of us. Not only are we are stuck at home with nowhere to go (except short trips to the grocery store or pharmacy), we are also trying to keep our lives as normal as possible, while worrying about keeping ourselves safe and healthy and if all of this isn’t enough, we are also worrying about our jobs and our financial situations, but at some point, this will pass. So, what do you do in the meantime? Start by taking care of yourself with these self-care tips:
Maintain Your Mental Health
This is the most important thing you need to do. Without mental clarity, it will be hard to take care of yourself (or your family), so think positive and get active!
Set your alarm clock. Wake up on time and get dressed. You are not on vacation. Set tasks to do during the day and the week. Keep yourself busy. If you are working from home and/or homeschooling your kids, you already have some structure. If you are not working from home or homeschooling, there are likely tons of house chores you have pushed off, so now is your chance to get them done.
Limit your time watching, listening, or reading the news. Don’t keep the TV on in the background. Play some fun music instead. Social networks suck up your time regardless of world pandemic or not. Define specific times you (or your kids) will be on them and stay off at all other times. Pick up the phone or have video calls with people who make you feel good. This will give you an emotional boost and meditation; prayer and other spiritual activities can help too. Also, if you can get outdoors (without risking your health or that of someone else), go for a walk or hike, read a book, take a relaxing bath or play with your kids and go to bed at a decent hour and get a good night’s sleep.
Take Care of Your Body
Work out in your living room, bedroom or your backyard. There are tons of workout videos available for free. Better yet, do your workout with friends through apps such as Google Hangout, Zoom or Houseparty. A 30-minute workout once a day can help you stay fit and drastically improve your mental health as well.
Nourish Yourself
There has never been a better time to eat healthy. While its true comfort food is what many people are seeking now, there is a limit on how many days in a row we can have mac n cheese, ice cream, cookies or pizza. Make your kitchen a healthy place by making sure you buy (or order online) mostly whole foods (fruits, veggies, lean meats, whole grain breads, pastas and cereals and low fat dairy and cook healthy meals as often as possible). If you don’t have junk food available, you won’t eat it. Wash and dice fresh fruit and vegetables to have on hand when you (or the kids) get the munchies (or feel the need to snack because of boredom). Nuts, seeds or trail mix are also great snacks to have on hand too. Also, keep yourself hydrated by drinking water throughout the day every day.
Being on lockdown doesn’t mean you have to give up yourself completely. Yes, getting daily tasks done does require more discipline than usual, but here is an opportunity to work on creating a healthier version of yourself because if you are not taking care of yourself first, you will not be able to take care of the ones who depend on you the most and until next time, be happy, healthy and beautiful.