With the exception of frontliners and essential workers, many people are left stuck at their residences as they follow self-isolation and social distancing recommendations. This situation can get increasingly stressful as time goes on, and it can also affect your mental and physical health. However, there are ways to make this uncertain period easier on yourself. Here are a few ideas to help you cope better:
Make it a point to get quality sleep.
Prior to this, you were likely sleep-deprived because you needed to wake up early to get ready, possibly eat breakfast, and get to work on time. Now, you don’t have to do that because you have to stay home. Self-isolation might drastically alter your sleeping pattern, making it harder for you to fall asleep. Since you’re less tired than usual, focusing on making yourself feel relaxed and calm to get rest should be a priority. Play your favorite calming music, put on cozy pajamas and relaxing socks for men by Burlix, or take melatonin to help with this.
It’s important to use this time to get an adequate amount of sleep, especially when you’re so used to sleeping less than the recommended hours. Being sleep-deprived while being stuck at home can easily make you feel more paranoid and anxious about the future. It can be harder to doze off when your mind is constantly wandering at night too. Putting yourself in a relaxing situation can help you stay calm and enable you to rest properly.
Improve the look of your space.
If there happens to be a major home improvement or cleaning project that you’ve needed time to undertake, now is the best time to get them done. Look around your home to see if anything needs to be cleaned up and reshuffled. Declutter and reorganize the junk in each of your home’s rooms to improve the ambience indoors. Rearrange the furniture in your living room to give it a more open feel.
Then, you can attend to the smaller details. Change your bedsheets or drapes, making sure to wash the old, dusty ones. Clean up the stains on your stove top, oven, and microwave. Taking the time to beautify and clean your home can be very therapeutic, and it can also help you feel less anxious.
Maintain a routine even while in self-isolation.
Being cooped up at home can easily make you feel demotivated. It can be tempting to abandon your usual routine in light of this “new normal”, as it can seem pointless to continue. However, following some kind of routine is more than just a means to fulfill your obligations. Routine, even some semblance of it, can help you stay sane. Otherwise, you might find yourself getting stuck in a boredom-induced funk that might eventually become stressful and hard to get out of.
Wake up and shower in the morning even if you’re not going out. Shave or trim your facial hair, and continue eating three meals a day. Try to keep on doing your favorite outdoor activities from home. Go online shopping. Make yourself some fancy coffee in your kitchen, and exercise on the days that you used to go to the gym. You’ll find that sticking to some kind of routine can help give you a sense of normalcy, which can help make self-isolation less stressful.
Set up a designated “work area” in your home.
If you’re going to work from home, assign one specific area exclusively for work. Make sure it’s in a well-lit area that is quiet and distraction-free so you can be fully present and attentive on work calls. You also need to ensure that the table or desk can accommodate your laptop and coffee mug, and that it has ample space for you to get clerical work done as well.
Once you decide on a place in your home, stay there and don’t change it. Just like your regular office work, you need to fully focus on work whenever you’re in this space. When the work day is over, get out of your assigned “work zone” and maintain that distance so you can focus on relaxing in other areas of your home. Just because you’re working remotely, you don’t have to feel like you’re permanently stuck at work. Having a place just for work can help you maintain a work-life balance.
Finish those activities that you keep putting off.
Remember all those activities that have always taken a backseat because you didn’t have time in the past? You now have the time to complete a few or all of those activities because you’re staying at home. Why not spend that time trying out new recipes or taking up an entirely new skill? Or you can watch all the films on your to-watch list and share your thoughts and insights with others online. If you’re a gamer, you can try a new game and fully enjoy it.
There are days when self-isolation can be unbearable, leading to intensified feelings of anxiety and loneliness. Know that it’s completely normal to feel trapped and scared, but it’s important to remember to take care of yourself as well. Hopefully with this list, you have a few ways to better cope during this tense and uncertain time for everyone.
