Undoubtedly, this period of isolation presents a difficult time for everyone right now. Normal daily life has been completely altered: Classes have moved online, stores and restaurants are closed and you’ve been split up from your friends. With all of this going on, it is more important than ever to practice self-care. Here are some ways in which you can continue to take care of yourself without leaving the house.

Face Masks

Face masks are basically the cover image for all self-care articles. And for good reason, they exfoliate your skin, leaving you feeling refreshed and pampered. If you have some at home, incorporating them into a daily skin routine is an easy check on your self-care list. But with stores closed, not everyone has pre-packaged face masks stocked away. If that’s the case for you, here’s a link to 5 DIY face masks you can make from the comfort of your home!

Listen to Music or a Podcast

A great way to unwind throughout the day is to listen to the music you enjoy or an interesting podcast. You can make a playlist with your current favorite songs or a throwback playlist with some old jams (One Direction IS coming back, just you wait). If you’re more of a podcast person, those can also be a great way to relax. Here are 5 podcasts that are sure to brighten your spirits. Cindy Liming’s “Your Daily Dose of Awesome” is a great choice if you’re looking for one that’s sure to make you smile and laugh!

Exercise/Yoga

Exercise has been a personal favorite activity of mine during the quarantine. It is a great way to get your body moving and leave you feeling refreshed. Quarantine is a great time to learn new exercises and ways to stay active in your home without being at a gym, so try this beginner’s yoga video if you’re looking for something new!

Sleep

During quarantine, you might find that you’re sleeping more or less than you usually would, but making sure that you get at least eight hours a night is a good self-care practice. If your sleep schedule is thrown off and you are having trouble sleeping during regular hours, try this app, Calm, that has plenty of sleep stories to help you fall asleep. My personal favorite is the sleep story “Blue Gold” narrated by Stephen Fry. Give it a try!

Journal

Journaling is a great way to let go of the overwhelming thoughts clouding your mind. Researchers found that journaling is successful in lowering stress levels, and in times like this when anxieties are heightened, try writing down how you’re feeling into a notebook (or whatever you may have lying around the house) and transfer those feelings onto the paper. If you’re stuck for how to start, here is a list of 1,000 writing prompts from The New York Times. Prompt 289: “Are You Afraid of Math?” led me to the realization that I am, actually, afraid of math. On a more serious note, prompts such as Prompt 2: “Are You the Same Person on Social Media as You Are in Real Life?” offer the chance to do some deeper thinking.          

Clean

Another great way to keep yourself organized and feeling good is by cleaning. This might not sound like the most exciting activity, but tidying your cluttered surroundings and creating an organized workspace is a good way to clear your mind. If you’re looking for motivation to start cleaning, try the Marie Kondo style and tidy up as quickly as you can in a short period of time, getting rid of (or donating!) all the things you don’t need or use.

However you choose to self-care, you can still set some time aside each day for your well-being while staying in your home. There are plenty more ways you can incorporate self-care into your daily routine such as baking, scrapbooking, reading, meditation and so much more, so don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and try something new! Although things seem out of place now, this quote from Matt Haig says it best: “One day this will be over, and we will be grateful for life in ways we never felt possible before.”

Article thumbnail: Thought Catalog thoughtcatalog / CC0