Sheltering in place, and face masks, and social distancing OH MY! Anyone else feeling overwhelmed and drained from their new Covid-19 lifestyle? Everyone is talking about their quarantine glow ups, which is great for them, but it can feel like a gut punch for the rest of us who are struggling through all of the changes. For many of us, our entire day has changed, starting from the moment we wake up, and not ending until we go to bed. Our sleeping pattern is different, our work and school situations are different, the way we socialize is different, and for some of us, we are even living in a new place with new people. With all of this change, it is only natural to become overwhelmed, and that is why I am writing this.
This is for everyone who is not yet experiencing their quarantine glo up, including myself. Truth be told, giving advice is always easier than taking advice, so here I am. In order to set my intentions, I need to spew my opinion on you poor souls, so here it goes, six ways to avoid the Corona Quarantine Blues.
1. Journal
Journaling is always a great way to get things off of your mind, especially when social distancing makes it difficult to see the people who are normally your support system. Journaling can be used simple as a way to look back on things later in life, but also as an artistic outlet. The benefits of journaling can be These are three ways to journal that I have found helpful.
Write about your day to day experiences. This is a time that we will probably remember for the rest of our lives. The next generation will ask us about what it was like to be alive during the Covid-19 pandemic. Heck, maybe a historian will use your journal entry in a textbook someday. One day, maybe you’ll want look back on Great Toilet Paper Shortage of 2020,
Grieve. We all have lost something during the pandemic. Some have lost their lives, their family members, their jobs, or their health. Grieve the plans that you had made, whether you are losing a vacation, a wedding, a funeral, or something that seems trivial, like a coffee date. Knowing what other people have suffered, can make our losses seem insignificant. There will always be someone who is in more pain than you, but that does not stop the hurt that you are feeling. You might be beating yourself up, feeling stupid for being upset about the little things, but let me be the first to say that the pain you are experiencing is just as valid as the pain experienced by those around you. You must take the time to grieve; you will never be able to heal until you acknowledge that you have a wound. If you need to cry, cry. If you need to punch a pillow, punch that pillow. Let. It. Out.
Take time to be grateful. After a good cry sesh, it’s time to remember all of the good in the world. Maybe you still have your health, maybe you have a safe place to take shelter, or maybe you have a strong support group to lean on during tough times. For me, being quarantined has allowed me to spend a lot more time cooking than I was able to before. It has truly been a gift.
2. Drink your water!
You probably have heard the many people who swear that water cured them. Now their skin is glowing, their depression is cured, and they lost 20 pounds. While these claims may fall short, there is a ton of truth in the superpowers of water. If you are dehydrated, your body does not have the resources to protect you from nasty colds, let alone Covid-19.
Remember by the time you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated. Staying on top of your water intake does not have to be a huge task. Set a few reminders on your phone, leave a sticky note on your mirror. I use a super cute app where you grow a plant with every glass of water that you drink. If you aren’t a fan of water, throw some fruit in it and call it infused.
3. Keep What You Can of Your Routine
Life may feel like it just came to a screeching halt, but that is not true. The world is still turning, you are still waking up each day, and every morning the sun still rises! These are my very essential, but sometimes daunting parts of my routine that I am trying to salvage…
Get dressed and ready each day. When taking care of elderly people, this is one of the number one suggestions. It sounds goofy, but you dress for the part — you are setting your intentions for the day. So by wearing your robe and slippers the WHOLE day, you are telling yourself that you never really left the bed and that you are not going to participate in the day.
Wake up at the same time each day. Ever heard of a circadian rhythm? This is what defines your sleeping patterns. It is the reason you wake up one minute before your alarm, and it can also be the reason that you are stuck lying awake at 3 in the morning. The later is because you got your rhythm out of wack. How do you keep it in wack? The easiest and most effective way is to wake up at the same time every day.
Keep up with your skin care routine or whatever it is you do to keep your hygiene in check. It is so tempting for me to skip the facewash and the toner and moisturizer and the list that seems to go on forever, because motivation is slim pickings during these times. But of course I am regretting it the next day… EVERY TIME. I feel so much better when I do these little things.
Don’t stop doing what makes you happy. Every Monday night, everyone from my dorm hall would meet in the hallway and we’d talk about life and eat some snacks. Every Wednesday, I would go to a yoga class on campus. These things make me happy and I obviously can’t go to them physically anymore but that doesn’t mean that they have to be eliminated from my life entirely. Now I hop on Zoom every Monday night to meet with the gal pals, and every Wednesday, I whip out the yoga mat. These things might not look the same for you anymore, but you can still do them with minor adjustments.
4. Get Some Fresh Air
Maybe this means taking your once-daily-government-allowed-walk, or maybe it means doing your homework/ work in your backyard. Even working next to an opened window can do wonders. Change up your scenery and breath deeply.
5. Have Your Very Own Quarantine Glow Up
Maybe you won’t come out of this 10 pounds lighter and with glowing skin, but that doesn’t mean you can’t try out that new hobby that you’ve always wanted to do.
Try that thing. You know exactly what I’m talking about. You’ve always wanted to cook that recipe, or read that book, or try your hand at painting. Now is the time! Things might still be busy, but you’ve probably never been able to spend so much time at home, so take advantage of it.
Call up those people you’ve lost touch with. I am normally someone who keeps to herself aside from a few super close friends. Coronavirus is such a great excuse to give someone a call that you haven’t talked to in forever. Although this is a stressful and slightly postapocalyptic time, it is something that we all have in common, which makes it the easiest thing ever to talk about. You will feel so much better afterwards, I promise.
Make some goals. I am a HUGE fan of lists, so making lists goals is good clean fun for me. Remember to keep them S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measureable, Achievable, Relevant, Time Bound). This can the perfect mood booster to because it gives you somethings to look forward to.
6. REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE ENOUGH
You might be seeing all of your friends lounging poolside and mastering embroidery, having the time of their lives. Remember that social media is a highlight reel, not real life. It is not fair to compare your behind the scenes to the final cuts. That person that you are comparing yourself to probably took 20 pictures before posting that one, and they might have hated the other 19. They are probably struggling with all of the changes as well! You are not alone in this.
Celebrate your accomplishments. Even if you have to drag your butt out of bed, you’re getting up and deciding participate in the day. This is not always easy, and you should be proud that you are overcoming. If you do a single thing on this list, you are working towards bettering yourself and that is such a huge feat.
Let’s work together and hold each other accountable! Comment below one thing from this article that you are promising yourself to do this week.
Comments