The year is 2020. The US and the world are in the midst of a global pandemic. COVID-19 has dramatically changed our daily lives. I’m not writing this article to tell you to wash your hands, wear your mask, and stay at home as much as you possibly can. Obviously I urge you to follow these CDC recommended safety measures, but these are my tips for taking care of yourself during quarantine beyond the COVID-19 safety guidelines. By implementing my six tips below, you won’t just get by during quarantine, you’ll take care of yourself and come out of quarantine stronger and healthier than before!
1. Establish a Routine
If you’re anything like me, COVID-19 has obliterated your typical daily routine. I thrive off routine, and the first few weeks of quarantine I felt lost and confused without my typical daily patterns. When I finally came to terms with the fact that my “new normal” included working from home and the absence of in-person socializing, I was able to establish a new daily routine that helped me feel grounded in such a foreign time. My daily routine now looks like:
- 5:45 a.m. wake up and hydrate
- 6:15 a.m. workout (typically run outside, ride my stationary bike, or stream a Pure Barre class)
- 7 a.m. outdoor walk
- 8:15 a.m. blend a smoothie
- 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. work remotely (including a full lunch hour away from the computer!)
- 6 p.m. dinner with Billy
- 7 p.m. relax! (work on a hobby, read, call friends or family, play board games, or watch TV)
- 9 p.m. get some sleep!
2. Eat Healthy, Nourishing Food
During stressful times we tend to emotionally eat, often mindlessly chowing down on processed foods and more alcohol than usual. It’s more than okay to indulge every now and then, but when you decide to have that extra glass of wine or delicious cookie, make sure you do it mindfully and as a treat to yourself rather than a negative way to cope with your emotions. For the most part, nourish your body with fruits and veggies over processed snacks and takeout. A good rule of thumb is don’t buy the processed crap and then it won’t be an option to eat!
3. Stay Consistent with Exercise
While many gyms are closed or operating under limited capacity and limited hours, it’s easy to use as an excuse to not workout. Instead of finding an excuse, find a way! There are SO many free home workout videos on social media and YouTube. You can also run, walk, and bike outdoors or pay for one of MANY streaming services through a local gym or national company. Some of my favorite quarantine workouts have been:
- Outdoor runs
- Outdoor walks
- Stationary biking
- Streaming Pure Barre workouts through my local studio membership
- Peloton streaming workouts (I love their outdoor runs, indoor spin classes, strength classes, yoga classes, dance cardio classes, and stretches)
- Free YouTube and Instagram workouts (IG: @athleta, @rachaelsgoodeats, @womenshealthmag, @shannonwatson825 YouTube: The Balanced Life pilates, yoga, and stretching)
4. Stay Connected to your Loved Ones
Quarantine can feel superrrr isolating. I’m so fortunate that I live with my fiance, but I have friends who live alone and therefore are quarantining (yes I just made quarantining a word) alone. My best advice for this? Facetime, call, and text your family and friends! One blessing quarantine has brought us is extra time to connect with people, even if it has to be through a screen right now. I promise, a quick call with your bestie or facetime with your sis will make you feel so much better! If you’re feeling extra adventurous, I highly recommend a facetime game night of Scattergories.
5. Give Yourself Some Grace
If you haven’t noticed, this is an unprecedented time for everyone. You’re not going to have it all figured out. No one is doing this quarantine thing perfectly. Guess what, that’s okay! If you have a day where you don’t have the motivation to workout or you indulge in an extra glass (or two) of wine, it is okay! Allow yourself to feel your feelings, just don’t let yourself stay in a slump or get into a self-destructive pattern.
6. Relax!
Stress is one of the absolute worst things for your body and mind. Try incorporating self-care (whatever that looks like for you!), yoga, stretching, and meditation into your routine. As an enneagram three, I have a hard time just relaxing or doing nothing, but quarantine has helped me learn to slow down. It’s okay to take a break from “go mode” and hustling 24/7. Some of my favorite ways to relax during quarantine have been reading (I already surpassed my goal of 12 books in 2020!), stretching and yoga classes, watching Gilmore Girls (again), long walks, and lots of games with my fiance, Billy.
I hope this article has helped you realize that no one has the “perfect quarantine life” (no matter what Instagram tells you!). Let me know if you try out some of my healthy quarantine tips in the comments below or over on Instagram @havenspanyer. We’re all in this together, and by implementing some of my suggestions above, we can all come out of quarantine feeling nourished in mind and body!