Perfecting Your Self-Care Routine When You’re Stuck at Home
WHEN ISOLATION MEETS SELF-CARE
Agence Olloweb / Unsplash
If you’re working from home, taking online classes, socially distancing yourself or self-quarantining, your life definitely looks a little different than it did a few weeks ago. So, what do you do? With big life changes like this, there’s a lot of added stress on your mental health. And on top of it, you’re not able to do the things that normally help you keep your mental health in a good place.
If you’re listening to the experts and trying to stay home as much as possible (as we all should be), your life looks a little different today than it did last week. You may be working from home, taking online classes, socially distancing yourself or even self-quarantining if you’re feeling under the weather. With big life changes like this, there’s a lot of added stress on your mental health. And on top of it, you’re not able to do the things that normally help you keep your mental health in a good place. So, what do you do?
It’s just as important to focus on your mental health as it is to think about your physical health right now. If your routine has been thrown off course, and you’re spending more time at home, what do you do to take care of yourself?
Here are some of the different ways to focus on your mental health, even when you’re stuck at home.
Stay socially connected
Facetime, texting, phone calls, Snapchat...you can easily stay connected to people. Yes, it’s not the exact same as face-to-face interaction, but just because you’re “isolated” doesn’t mean you need to cut out all contact with people. Think of this as a unique time to reach out to people that you haven’t talked to in a while — they may need to talk just as much as you do. This is also a time to switch up the way that you connect with people: Facetime Scrabble dates, schedule a dinner over video chat or be pen pals through email with a parent or grandparent.
Still find time for therapy
There’s a good chance that your therapist isn’t having in-office appointments right now, but that doesn’t mean you have to cut out therapy entirely! Chances are, therapy is going to be even more valuable right now, and it’s worth seeing if your therapist would be willing to see you through video chat, a phone call, email — whatever it is!
If you don’t have a regular therapist that you’re already seeing, take advantage of online therapy like BetterHelp or Talkspace.
Move your body
Movement is medicine for your mind. If you’re a regular gym-goer, exercising right now is a huge struggle. But being at home doesn’t mean you can’t still move your body! Go for a walk, do a Youtube workout video, have a dance party with your roommates — wait, is it just us doing that? Anyway, the point is, you can still release all of those mood-boosting chemicals that come from exercising, even if you aren’t at the gym. Check out our Instagram takeover with Dr. LA Thoma Gustin, she covered exercises you can do without ever even leaving your couch!
Find a new hobby
If you’ve ever wanted to draw, cross-stitch, bake bread, or do puzzles, now is the chance to try it! You have time to do the things you’ve never had room in your schedule for. It doesn’t need to be anything super complicated (or super expensive). Any kind of hobby that keeps your mind busy is going to help you.
Write out your feelings
Sometimes the only way to process things is to write it out. We think journaling is a fantastic way to take care of your mind, but it’s especially important right now. There are unique frustrations and struggles that come with isolation, whether you’re living alone or you’re living in a home full of people, and the best way to get your thoughts out is to write. It’ll feel like a weight lifted off your shoulders.
Give meditation a try
Maybe meditation hasn’t ever been your thing, but it can be really helpful as you ride out the difficulties of being at home more than usual. Meditation can help calm any depression or anxiety you’re feeling right now, and it can help you be less reactive in stressful situations – this is for all of you with roommates or kids at home. We have all kinds of tips for how to get started with meditation, the usefulness of it, and some meditation apps you can try out.
Breathe some fresh air
If you’re spending most of your days and nights at home, the most important self-care is actually breathing in the fresh air. (Yes, you can still get outside right now). There are so many benefits to getting some fresh air — like increased happiness and boosted immunity. You can work on your balcony, you can go for a walk, you can sit on your porch and drink some coffee, or you can go to the park and throw a frisbee around for your dog.
Help others where you can
Sometimes, the best way to take care of yourself has absolutely nothing to do with you. We’ve shared some of the ways that doing something for someone else can help you — even if it’s not face-to-face. If you know someone who is at high-risk right now, offer picking up groceries for them. If you know someone who is feeling really anxious right now (which is most people), give them a call and make sure they’re doing ok. Those small acts are going to help you just as much as it helps others.
Create a positive space
Make sure you have a space in your home where you can feel calm, productive, grounded. If you aren’t an expert on Feng Shui or you haven’t binge-watched Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, that’s ok. Self-care, right now, is going to mean making yourself comfortable at home, and having a clean, positive space is one of the most important parts of that.
Build a good routine
When you’re at home more than usual, it can feel like an opportunity to lay on the couch all day and watch a whole lot of TV. For a lot of us, life isn’t completely coming to a halt and we can’t spend the day watching Netflix – even if it’s tempting. Do your best to build a routine that you can follow at home for the next few weeks. Make meals that are as healthy as possible, take a shower and get dressed, go for a daily walk. Your routine may be the most important thing for your self-care at home.
Take care of the basics
When a lot of things feel out of control, doing the “normal” things that usually make up your day feels really strange. But it’s more important now than ever to take care of your most basic needs. It’s amazing how much staying hydrated can improve your mental health, so make sure you’re drinking water. The same goes for eating healthily and on your regular schedule too. Yes, this situation is not normal, but do your best to keep up with your normal needs.