How to practice self care during social distancing: Simple at home self care ideas

Self-isolation can be stressful.

And of course lonely.

And let’s just admit it. We do miss going to those stores. Or is it just me?

Yes, I am over here longing to go to Homegoods and Target.

Yup, my shopaholic habit is suffering big time.

I guess anything forced on you, and not of your choosing can induce stress.

But self-isolation can be fun and a  great time to practice self-care.

After all, shouldn’t home be our happy place?

So while we grapple with this new way of life, practicing self-care even while social distancing can save our sanity.

I have, therefore, come up with a few ideas and tips to make the stay at home feel more enjoyable.

Take this as an extended vacation I guess, and do things that bring you joy,  ease, and things that improve your life.

If you have something you are looking forward to doing every day, social distancing won’t seem so bad.

Self-care during social distancing

Let’s check out a few great self-care activities to do during social distancing.

As we all know, it’s hard enough to suddenly stop doing all your other out of home self-care activities.

So instead you can do the following:

Engage in some relaxing hobbies.

I love hobbies.

These are those activities that are so much fun but we sometimes have no time for.

You know, we have real jobs to do.

Yes. The work that brings in money. So we neglect hobbies.

Now is a great time to dig into those fun hobbies.

If you find you have more time than you know what to do with, hobbies will take your mind off thoughts of going out to eat, socializing, shopping just because- you know, those things we shouldn’t be doing right now.

What are your favorite hobbies?

Here are a few to consider.

• Crocheting
• Knitting
• Sewing
• Painting and drawing
• Gardening
• Other crafts

Crocheting and knitting.

I love crocheting and knitting.  These two hobbies are so relaxing.

I have been crocheting and knitting since I was a little girl.

I am not an expert by any means.

But the thing is the fun I get from these activities.

And these can actually be lucrative activities. You could even turn this into a full-time hustle.

Crafters such as knitters and crocheters can make and sell items, and even blog about their crafts, teach others online and make a  living from a hobby.

Talk of never working a day in your life.

During self-isolation perfect that craft, that hobby.

Gardening.

Gardening is a great form of self-care.

And just as a heads up, this post contains affiliate links. See the full disclosure here

Gardening calms the minds. And may even benefit anxiety and depression. Think about it.  It is a mindful activity that allows you to be in nature, and nature is so calming.

Also, digging in the dirt is good exercise.

You know exercise helps send those endorphins to the brain. Working in the garden will do the same.

Go dig in the garden and enjoy some endorphins.  Great for easing and calming your mind.

You will have so much fun you will forget you are social distancing when gardening.

And then there are benefits to smelling the soil too. Something to do with some helpful bacteria. I dont have the science right now. If I ever do I will update you. I feel in this case we should just go with the flow… You know, just experiment. 

And the result of all this gardening is beautiful flowers. Or vegetables.

So there you go! Food and beauty.

And if you love gardening so much, you may become an expert and maybe even write about it.

How about a  gardening blog. Here is one  I love called  Succulents and Sunshine.

And what a concept and so pretty makes me want to move to Arizona.

To see more benefits of gardening as a self-care practice that promotes total wellness, see the amazing benefits of gardening explained in The Wellness Garden: Grow, Eat, and Walk Your Way to Better  Health. Let the author Shawna Coronado walk you through designing a healing garden. 

Art- Painting and Drawing

I know totally nothing about this.  But I can draw a stick figure. And that’s about it.

But here is where you let your imagination fly if painting or drawing or both is your thing.

Immerse yourself into some creativity. Draw. Paint. Spend glorious hours creating masterpieces.   Whether you are good or not so good, have fun.

And if you’re good you might even make some extra cash.

Sell on Etsy or another online platform. This may be just the time when you really master your art and self-care may become your livelihood. And how awesome would that be?

This is self-care that really gives back.

So, don’t let quarantine dampen your spirits. Elevate your mood with art.

Ok. What else can you do that is fun to ease the restlessness of isolation or quarantine?

Reading for fun

Got to admit I don’t read as much as I used to. Well, I still love reading.

There is nothing quite like getting lost in a character’s world- their struggles, their joys. You know.

You forget for a moment your own struggles as the characters’ problems move you to tears, and their joy and mishaps make you giggle.

Do you cry when you read something sad, or is Is it just me?

You know when you are reading such a good book and you forget everything else like eating or cleaning? Especially cleaning and the mundane housework. You will forget you are sheltering in isolation if you have the right book. For hours you can be at a beach somewhere, or in a blissful mountain cabin picking wild berries. Or maybe at the French Riviera. Just go with it, okay?

And why not? Yea, I am that girl. I like to run from reality by escaping into another world.

What do you like to read?

For me right now here are some books I am looking forward to reading. During quarantine

I will use this time to sort of travel someplace even if I can’t go anywhere. You can go to Amazon and look at some reviews or get recommendations from friends. And to start  I found that people are raving about the novel   And Then you Loved Me. 

So I am going to get this for my social distancing book club of one.

It looks like an interesting read. If you got some time on your hands and are itching to read something new check out And Then  You Loved Me here. 

Also, When We Believed in Mermaids. This appears to be an amazing read too. I think if this isolating at home takes much longer  I may have a great  Summer of reading.

I remember back when I was a teacher.  Come the Summer holidays I would buy a bunch of books and enjoy long Summer afternoons reading. I am going to go back in time.

Now, if you want to laugh out loud, try  Sorry Not Sorry by Sophie Ranauld.

The title alone gives me a clue this one is going to be fun. I love silly books -and romantic comedies are just that. Frivolous and fun.

And we need fun. We need distractions.

Learn something new

This is a great time to learn something new. Expand on your interests.

What is the one thing you have always wanted to learn or know more about?

Research it and dig deep to expand your knowledge base.

Knowledge is a powerful self-esteem and confidence booster, and a higher form of od self-care.

And I personally think that people who are curious and learn new things are more interesting don’t you think so?

You can emerge from isolation feeling better smarter and a better you.

Perhaps you want to learn new recipes, crafts, or even how to write a book and more.

Expand on your interests.

Go on over to Pinterest and indulge your recipes fancy. Just don’t get caught up in saving and never trying.

Expand and improve your mind (personal growth)

This is the time to really dig into your mindset.

Are there a few things that need tweaking?

Like do you tend to self-sabotage?

Perhaps confidence is not your strong suit?

Read books on personal development to shape your mindset and even your mental health.

I have a few personal favorite motivational books to take you from stuck to growth, personal acceptance, and happiness.

Books such as these teach you how to be the best person you can be.

You may also learn new things and improve yourself through other media like …

Listen to podcasts.

I love podcasts. It is so easy to get inspired. You just put your headphones on and you can listen as you fold laundry or just resting on the couch.

One that instantly comes to mind is The Garyvee Podcast. Well, he does curse a lot but he makes great points. He is unabashed and unfiltered, and a great example of how to go after your dreams and really get unstuck.

Be unapologetic.

You listen and come out inspired to go after it. Whatever it is.

Another great podcast you may want to check while you have the time is High-performance Mindset with Cindra Kamphoff.

And one more… Earn Your Happy Podcast. So inspiring and way to get happy.

And there are many more great podcasts as the internet is wide.

Go and discover these gems and learn and get inspired while you have time during social distancing.

Learning is a great form of self-care.

Watch TED talks

Another way to learn and give your mindset a reboot is by watching TED talks.

There are so many great TED talks that can truly inspire inform, and well, entertain.

Watch TED talks instead of Netflix sometimes, though of course that too is a form of self-care.

My all-time favorite inspirational TED talks are any talks by Brene Brown.

She is real, she is smart, inspiring, and makes you think and see life in a whole new way. Great way to spend your stay at home time.

Here is one that is inspirational and I Mysoon Zayid’s sense of humor, as she says, “I have got 99 problems and palsy is just one of the”  Take a look.

Truly amazing. Goes to show you, you shouldn’t let anything stop you. She has cerebral palsy but she is living life on her own terms.

Read  inspirational blog posts

Another way to learn so much. Of course. You got to weed through the good the bad and the ugly. Just saying. But there are so many good blogs.

Browse  Pinterest and go nuts while you shelter in place. Find those blog post gems. There is a lot to learn and so many different topics.

Here a few awesome bloggers to read and follow…

For international mental health  some of my favorites include:

Anxious Lass

Very Anxious Mommy

And you like mommy blogs? Oh, there are so many but I do really like Elna Cain of Twins Mommy, and Suzi from Start a Mom Blog. And for learning all about the blog, Mommy On Purpose is awesome

Bake something.

There is nothing in this whole wide world that says home like the smell of bread baking.

Okay, baking anything. And by anything I mean cookies, banana bread..yum! Chocolate cake, Apple pie. Yes, it is not just for Thanksgiving.

Bake something and infuse your home with the aromas of home.

This is blissful and your stress level will drop to nonexistent immediately.

Then, of course, there is the bliss of eating warm bread or cookies or…anything baked.

Shelter, bake and forget the world outside. Feel the ultimate comfort of home and enjoy this moment.

Plan and cook healthy meals

Planning meals is a great way to limit your stress from the dreaded “what’s for dinner?”

But

And you need to limit visits to the store, for let’s face it, every time I go to the market I feel like I am in a war zone.

It is frightening looking at all those people with their masks on, and of course, I have mine as well.

That also means when you go you need a  plan.

You have your list and have checked it twice.

You recipes on hard and you have meal plans. You are shopping for meals that will sustain you and that are healthy for a while.

So again, let’s go to Pinterest first to get ideas. I love Pinterest for this.

Shop for what you need to use for at least two weeks to a month.  Here is a good example of a healthy meal plan to start off. 

Then chose and spend some time cooking delicious healthy food. Feeding yourself healthy food is part and parcel of a good self-care plan.

 Boost your immune health

Okay, we cannot talk about quarantine without talking about immune health.

This is perhaps the most important part of self-care during isolation.

So take this time to nourish your body to strengthen your immune system.

There are many ways of boosting your immune system  such as these:

Eat healthy immune-boosting food such as:

• Food rich in vitamin C such s citrus, leafy greens, and even red pepper
• Omega 3 Boosting food
• Foods rich in vitamin A such as leafy greens, carrots, oranges.
• Gut healthy foods like sugar-free yogurt, fermented foods like Kimchi, Kombucha, and Saeukraut.
• Here is a  more expansive discussion of the various ways you can boost your immune system. 

Protect yourself  from infections

This is the very reason for social distancing

And while staying away is the best, you may still find that you have to go out sometimes like to the store.

Then you must not only wear a mask but careful hand hygiene and disinfecting things and surfaces that get touched a lot is important. Wipe that cell phone with a disinfecting wipe.

Do the same to doorknobs and fridge handles as well.

And follow the CDC guidelines for safety. Learn from reputable doctors.   Keep safe.

 Move your body

You knew we had to talk about this one. I mean what is self-care without exercise? Exercise is really important in self-care because it benefits both the body and mental wellbeing.

With exercise, you feel zen and you reap benefits long after you are done, including good sleep as well as looking and feeling fab. You look good you feel good, mostly.

Bodies were made to move.

And I feel this one thing or lack there off is what is making us unhealthy. Sitting too long is the new smoking. And then you sit and smoke? Well, now that is bad.

In modern civilization, we have done a decent job with vaccines and infections. Until now.

We had beat all those diseases for the most part until the coronavirus.

Now we have it real bad especially if we are not healthy.

Metabolic diseases like type two diabetes are for the most part a combination of lifestyle and genetics.

Moving and exercise will help you build strong immunity.

I know the gyms are closed but there are so many exercises you can do at home.

Youtube is the place to be for exercise videos. Turn your TV or phone on and find some moves you can do in the comfort of home.

Some equipment like a stationary bike is great too.

But you can still go out for a walk.

Just make sure to stay clear of other people or at least 6 feet away.

 Do Yoga and meditation

While you are socially distancing, you want to keep your mind at ease. One best way to do this is to practice yoga and meditation.

Yoga is now mainstream and what I love is that you can find a class right from your living room.

Just grab a cute sturdy mat like this one and follow the teacher. Here are some examples of yoga and meditation for anxiety and stress. 

Or this Yoga Nidra. I love it! This will wipe out all your stress. You may fall asleep too.  And a nap or sleep is a great way to practice self-care.

And my ALL time favorite is Yoga with Adriene 

Have a spa day

Have a pamper yourself day and spend the day or afternoon at the spa at home and really indulge yourself.

This is my favorite part of a self-care plan.

Oh, the many ways you can pamper yourself. Let your imagination fly!

But let’s look at the ways, shall we?

Take a long bath

I am simple so  I like little things like just taking a Looong luxurious bath.

That is the ultimate indulgence in my world. I make sure to infuse it with some essential oils. Lavender is great or ylang-ylang, geranium, bergamot, or orange. Or just get an anxiety relief essential oils kit.

I  also sprinkle in a cup of Epsom salts in the bath and light a candle.

Have a glass of wine if you want and just soak the worries away. Read a good book and just let go of all cares.

How about some facials?

Give yourself a facial to nurture your skin. Get your skin glowing with some skin masks.

some detoxifying and rejuvenating facials masks will do the job. You can make some DIY ones or just buy some like this Aztec Secret – Indian Healing Clay 1 lb – Deep Pore Cleansing Facial & Body Mask

This mask is great for acne-prone skin. It heals acne and even fades those acne scars. A win-win for radiant skin. And the review is amazing too.

Here is one other amazing face mask, –M3 Naturals Himalayan Salt Scrub Infused with Collagen and Stem Cell Natural Exfoliating Body Souffle Face for Acne Cellulite Dead Skin Scars Wrinkles Cleansing Exfoliator.

I can’t wait to try this one. It seems heavenly. My skin is starting to feel dull and needs some exfoliating so this looks like it will do the job nicely.  

or you can DIY a nice glowing skin mask. Here is a great recipe. Have a slow relaxed time love your skin.

Paint your nails

Aah, what is a spa day without painting your nails? Give me a bright red, pink, or purple.  Choose your colors and have fun.

Bonus points if you are good at doing nails, with patterns and shapes.

The salons are closed so do the best job you can.

The important thing is to enjoy the process and the outcome of course.

Diffuse essential oils

Essential oils have many benefits from calming our minds to lifting our moods as well as purifying the air, even killing some germs like viruses and bacteria.

So yea, go ahead and get out your diffuser.

I find that this simple diffuser does the job so well, and I love the way it looks, and the calming color changes as well.

So what to diffuse? Well, you could start with a blend that will protect you from infections and support your immune system.

You have heard of Thieves from Young Living? DIY with these oils to recreate the same effect:

• Cinnamon
• Clove
• Eucalyptus
• Rosemary
• orange or lemon

Check this set with most of these oils, and this is other one to get the immune promoting essential oils.

I love that these will infuse your home with aromas that boost your immunity and also make you feel good.

The ultimate in self-care.

Aromatherapy is so good for the mind and your mental health too.

Diffuse your favorite essential oils and inhale to ease your mind.

Have a soothing cup of tea

I love tea. It is so comforting. just the thing to make you feel better.

Many teas have health benefits too that help your body and mind.

Here are a few aromatic soothing and healing teats to try.

Camomille tea

Peppermint tea

Or this amazing sampler of so many varieties. 

Stay Connected with friends and family

We can’t go over, and we can’t have coffee at our favorite place or meet for dinner.

But thank God in 2020 there are many ways of staying connected.

Get on facetime, call, or text. Just make sure you are checking on those friends and family members often. It is hard for everyone.

We all need encouragement.

Journaling

Journaling is one of the most therapeutic mental health practices for self-care.

Writing things down even in just a brain dump sort of way relieves the mind.

There is a sense of release that happens when you get things out of the mind onto paper.

Somehow it is like your a talking to someone about your problems that helps relieve the burdening thoughts.

You can simply write away anything that comes to mind or is pressing on your mind.

You can also use journal prompts. Journal prompts give you a starting point in case you are stuck about where to start.

Here are special journal prompts for anxiety to get you started.

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Related post: Journal Prompts for Mental Health and Self love

Go on memory lane

Take out your photo album if you have any and “revisit” places you have been. Those happy memories will make you feel better. A few laughs and looking back to places and people and will bring joy.

Breakaway from the news.

I like to stay informed. But too much news is downright depressing and it can overwhelm one with helplessness.

Listen to calming music or pump up the volume and dance.

Music is truly good for the soul.

Music has the power to transport you and elevate your mood or feel a certain way. It moves you. AIt is a great way to practice self-care.

Make a playlist of your favorite songs, and have fun listening.

Pump up the volume and dance.

When we dance those endorphins will flow and happiness will flood your mind.

An awesome feeling.

So have fun with music.

Don’t let this isolation get you down.

A dance sesh will have you feeling inflow. Music is a balm to the soul.  So whether you are dancing with volume up or a simple listening to calming music, you reap health benefits.

Clean and organize and declutter

Detoxing your life is so good for mental health. When our lives are less cluttered we feel better.

Many people are living with so much clutter.

Tackle the house and dig into those closets.

Take out everything and sort things you no longer use and donate these.

Go through the house and donate household items too that you no longer use.

Throw things that cannot be donated and not useful.

I really do love the Marie Kondo method. Asking if something brings some joy helps me know if I need to keep, throw, or give away stuff.

Go through your inbox.

Delate and unsubscribe.
Go to your socials and unfollow those who don’t bring you joy or inspire you. Get out of isolation a new you.  Less clutter for a clearer mind.

Kee your feed happy.

The good thing is its spring and a great time for renewal.  Go on and Spring Clean Your Life. All of it.

Watch TV

Yes. You now have a good excuse to go on a Netflix binge. Get out your favorite shows. I need to do this. I pay for it and hardly ever watch.

I am vowing to change that starting tonight. I love a good movie- for me the girly the better.  What do you like to watch?

Break out a bottle of wine, or a cup of tea and just enjoy a marathon of your favorite show.

Sleep enough and well

Many people don’t sleep enough or well. Sleep is as important to your health as eating and exercise.

So much happens during sleep including developing immune memory, regenerating new cells, cleaning out toxins from the brain, and no wonder we feel so awful when we don’t sleep enough.

Personally, lack of sleep makes my body hurt and not to mention the mental fog.

Prioritize your sleep. Don’t watch Netflix too late in the night, and make sure to turn off that phone and stop watching TV  at least an hour before bed. You want to get deep sleep.

Some bd things that interfere with sleep also include too much caffeine, or late exercise, or eating too much and too late.

Use a good bedtime routine with rituals such as a bath before bed, journaling, sleep yoga,  and praying to name a few. See this post about the many benefits of great sleep on how to have great sleep and the dangers of not sleeping enough. It is a good read I promise.

Final words:

Just because we can’t go out and have a party, or frequent our watering holes, or go shopping just because doesn’t mean life has to be dreary. Really. No. A stay at a home time can be rejuvenating, a renewal so we can come out of self-isolation and social distancing better, stronger, wiser.

Give these self-care ideas a try.

And if you are already doing many of them, bravo!

Tell me in comments what your favorite self-care ideas are, and how you are doing right now. I really do want to know. Really.  I hope you are taking great care of your self.

Stay well. Stay strong. Don’t let this quarantine and difficult times put you down. And when you and if you do feel down sometimes, don’t stay there.

Self-care will help.

And oh, don’t be a stranger. Let’s are friends. Follow me here on Instagram, Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter. 

See ya there!