Keeping Busy and Healthy During Quarantine

Hi everyone! I hope you’re all staying sane during this crazy time! It is really hard to be home all day long, not seeing friends and family. I myself have been struggling, but staying home is so important and something we just need to do for the foreseeable future! I have a few suggestions on things I have been finding useful to keep me busy during quarantine, as well as thing that have helped with my mental health!

These are some things you can do to improve your mental health:

• The number one thing that has helped me is to maintain a sense of normalcy. For me that means waking up and getting ready as I do on every normal day. Even though I am not leaving the house it is so important for me to change out of my pjs, wash my face and get ready for the day. I find that by doing this I am more prepared for the day, and ready to get everything done!
• Self-Care: During this time self-care is so important! I think it is important to continue with any self-care activities you usually do, and maybe even add a few new ones to your self-care regime. For me this has including doing face masks, hair masks, painting my nails and fake tanning. It also means wearing my favorite cozy clothes on my days off from work!

One of my favorite cozy sets from American Eagle!

• Exercise: This is definitely one of the most important things you can do for your mental health. Try to exercise daily if possible, whether that be in the yard, going for a walk, or exercising indoors. I have been running on the treadmill, going for walks, and using fitness apps. There are so many great fitness apps that you can use, I personally like 30 day squat, 30 day arms, and Nike Training Club.
• Get outside: Even if it is just for 10 minutes, go for a walk or sit outside. The fresh air will make a world of difference!
• FaceTime your friends and family: Try and talk to someone different every day. Most people are indoors and in the same situation as you! I have found by talking to someone everyday it helps me to feel less alone, and it is a great way to catch up with friends I haven’t spoken to in a while! If you have a group of friends you can also do virtual happy hour!
• Make a to do list: Have a clear idea of what you are wanting to achieve in a day, and hold yourself accountable. I find without a to-do list I often achieve nothing in the day, and end up feeling upset with myself.

Things to keep you busy:

• • Cooking: If you have been wanting to cook more now is definitely a great time to start! If you are trying to avoid going to the grocery store, online meal kits such as Hello Fresh, Home Chef, and Sun Basket are great, as everything is delivered right to your door!
  • Home projects: Now is a great time to do all those home projects you have been wanting to do! I have been working on organizing my room and bathroom at the moment.
  • Clean out your closet: I know this is something we all mean to do, but rarely get around to do it. I recommend making three piles: clothes you want to keep, clothes to donate to charity, and clothes you want to sell. There are still a lot of donation centers such as The Salvation Army and Goodwill that are still open, and I am sure they will be needing donations during this difficult time! List some of your clothes on Poshmark, or once you can go out again try selling them at stores such as Uptown Cheapskate or Plato’s Closet. If they don’t sell after a while, consider donating them as well!
  • Start a new hobby: Try something you’ve always wanted to try! Some ideas are scrapbooking, making photobooks online, baking, or painting!
  • Listen to Podcasts: If you are trying to limit the amount of Netflix you watch, listening to podcasts is a great way to be entertained! My favorites are Chicks in the Office and Off the Vine with Kaitlyn Bristowe.
  • Clean out your camera roll: How many of us have thousands of photos on our phone? Yep, I am one of them! Use this time to delete some photos, and maybe save your favorites onto your laptop so you don’t lose them!
  • Read a book: Order some books on Amazon, read on your Kindle, or read books at home you have been meaning to. I am currently Reading Beautiful Boy by David Scheff, and am going to read Carrie Underwood’s Find Your Path once I am done.

• Make TikToks: TikTok is huge right now, and what better way to pass the time than to make some videos. TikTok has so many fun dance videos you can recreate or better yet come up with something original yourself!

Thanks for taking the time to read this! I hope you are all coping with the quarantine, and if you need someone to talk to, feel free to reach out!