By Sarah Wylde
We are in day, endless Monday, of quarantine. Depending where you are, your restrictions may not be as tight as others. I hope you are following what your county/city has in place, are washing your hands, and wearing a mask. During quarantine our daily routines and life in general are out of whack, we feel lost, unsure of what to do, and what the future will look like. It is hard to wrap our heads around that this is the new normal for the foreseeable future. That brings me to the topic of this week’s post, making sure you are taking a break during quarantine.
Usually I have been able to submit weekly posts not a problem. With the pandemic I found it hard to wrap my head around everything and be positive. So, I took some time and disconnected from social media, constant news watching, and screen time to recharge. It helped a lot, and while I am still a ball of anxiety it is manageable and I am able to find positive things to write about again. My intention is not to bum you out but hopefully let you know that you are not alone in your feelings, even though we have to be physically alone. During this post, I am going to share what I found worked for myself and the weekly self-care plan/tool kit that I printed out and taped on my closet door as a reminder for when I need it.
Let’s start with what quarantine is. First it is different from isolating, quarantine is staying home to prevent the spread of disease. In this case, COVID-19. Doing this will help slow and stop the spread of the virus and flatten the curve. This is especially important to those with low immune systems who are more susceptible to infection and getting sick. Another reason people are stressing the masks. We have all this thrown at us quickly and have had to adapt to a lot of change all at once, but it is manageable if we come together.
We all want to know what is going on with the pandemic, protests, politics, and everything else in the world it is easy to get lost in the noise and overwhelmed. That overwhelmed feeling can bring on anxiety and depression episodes in those that suffer with mental health problems, which is why taking breaks and limiting your screen times is important. Even go as far as to not posting on your own social media accounts. Also, when you do watch or read the news make sure it is a reliable, accurate, and up to date source. One thing that I try to do every day is meditate. I find it so peaceful and grounding and it helps me combat my depression and anxiety.
Some things to add to your daily routine could be working out during commercials of the show you are watching, yoga from a YouTube video, try a new recipe, journaling, taking an online class, read those books on your shelf, and whatever else you find relaxing.
My weekly self-care/toolkit:
Monday – Write a letter to mail to a family member or friend.
Tuesday – Breathing exercises. Also, do them when needed.
Wednesday – Run a bath with essential oils, candle light, and soothing music.
Thursday – Sit on my patio and read all day.
Friday – Zoom/Skype/Facetime call with a friend or family member.
Saturday – Movie night (pjs, pillow, blanket, popcorn)
Sunday – Art day (paint, color, draw, cross-stitch, etc.)
I would love to hear what is in your quarantine self-care kit.
Until next time, take care, stay safe, and be kind.
Sarah Wylde