Whilst we are going through ever-changing, worrying times, we wanted to reach out and give a little bit of guidance where we can. As countries around the world are going through the terrible effects of the Coronavirus, many people will find themselves stuck at home for an unclear amount of time. But how do you stay sane in self-isolation?
And now that bars and restaurants in the UK have officially closed too, we all find ourselves spending much, much more time at home. Mentally and physically this can be challenging. How do you stay sane in these challenging times?
Whether you have to self-isolate, are in the middle of a lockdown or having to work from home: Here are some tips to try and stay sane during self-isolation.
Routine – Helps you Stay Sane in Self-Isolation
People are creatures of habit, and thrive better when there is a set routine. One of the major problems you will noticeably face when having to self-isolate is that your normal routine has gone completely out of the window. All of a sudden, there might not be a reason to get out of bed at a certain time anymore. Take a shower? Why bother – it’s not like you’re going to bump into anyone soon! Breakfast? More like lunchtime snacks!
You might be able to cope for a couple of days, but as no-one knows how long we could be stuck in these situations, it is vital for your physical and mental health to create some sort of routine for yourself as soon as possible.
The best way to stick to a routine is to create a daily and weekly schedule. Write it down, on your phone, on a note on the fridge – anywhere that can keep you accountable. One of the best ways to stay sane in self-isolation.
Create your daily schedule – to keep you sane
- Firstly, set a time to go to bed and wake up.
- Treat normal working days (perhaps Mon-Fri) as productivity days now too. Meaning you will go to sleep at a reasonable hour, and wake up at a set time
- Stick to your morning habits.
- Would you normally jump in the shower straight after you got up, to get ready for work? Do this now too! Shower, get dressed, do your hair or makeup as you normally would. Actually getting dressed will make you feel refreshed and organised.
- Create work & relax time
- Just as you would on a normal day, before the Coronavirus hit the world, you would have times of work and times of rest/entertainment. If you are still working, this can be quite easily copied. Plan the hours you are going to do work – making sure to plan breaks in between. Still have a lunch break!
If you are not working, try and set up the ‘work’ hours with a useful task. Always wanted to clear out your wardrobe? Now is your time. Is there a mountain of Tupperware boxes under the sink that really could do with some reorganisation? Do it! Repaint the walls? Now is the time.
- Just as you would on a normal day, before the Coronavirus hit the world, you would have times of work and times of rest/entertainment. If you are still working, this can be quite easily copied. Plan the hours you are going to do work – making sure to plan breaks in between. Still have a lunch break!
- Don’t panic if you slip
- These are unchartered territories for all. Hardly anyone is used to dealing with self-isolation. So even your most perfectly set up a schedule for the day won’t always work out as planned. And don’t worry – just make sure you try again for the next hour, the next task, or the next day. Being in self-isolation is stressful and to keep yourself sane – don’t give yourself a hard time!
Exercise & Fresh Air
Sitting indoors for too long a period of time does not come naturally to us – you need to keep moving. Not only will it keep you fit and healthy, it really will help with your mental health too. If you have a garden or outdoor space and can you go outside – use it! There are plenty of free online home workouts to be found for you to follow, even for very small spaces. In self-isolation, your sanity will be supported by movement – trust us – exercise keeps you sane!
If you cannot be outside, make sure to open windows regularly to keep getting fresh air. If you are feeling unwell, even some light stretching can already help you to keep you moving. You do not have to all of a sudden start lifting heavy weights if you normally never go to the gym! Find something you are feeling comfortable with – maybe a gentle breathing class on youtube or a yoga routine. Whatever it is, keep moving.
Healthy Eating – Keep your mind and body healthy (and sane!)
Sitting indoors with very little to do can for many people lead to one thing: snacking. How many times do you find yourself eating that bag of crisps just because you were bored? Or that whole bar of chocolate disappears mindlessly whilst you are watching a film?
Now more than ever is it important to keep getting enough vitamins and minerals in your body. So don’t deny yourself that nice snack altogether, but make sure you eat a balanced diet with lots of variety where possible. And try and put a limit to the amount of snacks you allow yourself per day. This way you can try your best to keep your energy up and get all those nutrients in your body!
Limit your News Intake
With much more time on your hands, it might be tempting to constantly check the news. We are in unprecedented times, no one really knows what is happening so checking the news can be a natural thing to do. However, try to limit your news intake to maybe once in the morning, and once in the evening. It is good to stay up to date, but to drown yourself in what can seem like only negativity is not going to be good for your mental health. It will definitely be more difficult to stay sane in self-isolation if you are surrounding yourself with negativity. Simply switch it off, and try to focus on another thing to do.
New Skills & Social Contact
Now more than ever is a great time to learn a new skill and to stay in touch with people. A great way to stay sane during self-isolation. Whether you are the most sociable person out there, or if you normally like to keep yourself to yourself: do get in touch with someone. Self-isolation does not have to mean social isolation. We are lucky to be in a time of modern technology which gives us access to things like Skype, Zoom, and Facetime.
Check-in with your family and friends – organise an online ‘party’ where you have a group of you all joining on a video chat just to chat, cry, and laugh together.
You can find so many things online! People are providing online dance lessons, doing cook-a-longs, workouts that you can join. Read that book you have been meaning to read for so long, have a go at mending clothes, get your garden ready for summer.
There are also many qualifications you can do online which will really keep you focused. Polo & Tweed offer tailormade online versions of all the training courses. You can train to become a butler, housekeeper, fine-tune your silver service – all without leaving the house! Interested? Give us a call! We’d love to chat with you – even if you just want to chat. And we are here throughout this to help you through.
Stay safe, and take care of each other.