Quarantine Survival Mode
I’m sure I’m not alone when I say quarantine is really starting to take its toll on me. At first, it wasn’t too bad- it was new so even though it sucked, there was something rewarding about figuring out this new normal. But now everything is settled and still closed, and I’m starting to lose it a little bit. I’ll have two days where everything is perfectly fine and I’m productive and feeling ok, and then I’ll have a day where it’s so hard to get out of bed and get myself to do anything. I’m much more prone to negative thinking than normal and simultaneously crave and fear human interaction.
It’s not that I don’t have enough to keep me busy - I figured that part out - it’s that I’m starting to feel that constant layer of stress we’re all under by this pandemic. So I’ve had to work out new ways to keep things in focus for myself and keep me as sane as possible given the current circumstances.
Most of these strategies are going to sound ridiculously simple, but it’s more about being intentional about them, and trying to focus only on that simple thing for however long I’m doing it.
Morning Ritual - If you’re familiar with my typical morning routine, you should know that I’ve thrown it completely out the window during quarantine. I’m lucky if I’m up by seven on most days (as opposed to 5am before), I don’t workout first thing, and there’s really no reason to put myself together - but here are a few things I still do that really help.
Because I don’t workout first thing, I need another way to wake myself up, so I splash cold, and I mean cold, water on my face as soon as I go into the bathroom. It’s not a cold shower, so just splashing my face ends up leaving me feel super awake and refreshed. I’ll put on some moisturizer and I’m good to go.
Lounge clothes - do not spend the whole day in your pajamas. This one is easy for me since I don’t really wear anything to bed and putting on a proper outfit - even a comfy one- is great for getting into a productive mindset
Journaling - I hadn’t really been into journaling before all this. I found it laborious and I couldn’t justify carving out time for it. But since being in quarantine, it’s really helped me control my thoughts. I use it to hash out negativity, promote focus, or simply to walk through things that are percolating in my mind. Because I interact with way less people every day - this helps me not go crazy in my own head.
Coffee, Butter, and Sugar- Not together, but as part of my breakfast. If I actually devote my full attention to making and drinking my coffee, it brings me so much calm and joy. And for my breakfast, I’ve been using it as a time to indulge - usually in the form of butter and/or sugar. I eat pastries and breads and fruits and chocolate for breakfast now rather than just eggs and avocados. Even richly buttered toast and soft scrambled eggs feels decadent if I put enough butter in there. Is this best for my health? Maybe not, but it makes me so happy to eat this way in the morning so it’s worth it to me.
Ok, so after my morning routine, I’m lucky enough to just go to work. My job has changed very little besides going remote, so I’m still stuck in just as many meetings and with just as many client deliverables to work on as before. I’m so so grateful for this though, not only because my income has remained consistent, but because it gives me a reason to get up and get things done, and provides structure to my day since I still work between 8am and 5pm roughly every day.
After I’m done with all my work though - there are a couple things I’ve started to implement that keep me from spiraling into negativity before I go to bed.
Walking - I still do my normal workout everyday, but if it’s sunny I make extra effort to go outside for a walk or sometimes a run. Why? Movement and especially the sun make SUCH a difference on your mood. Even just ten minutes outside on a sunny day can improve your outlook by a lot.
Painting - I am not typically a creative person but boredom shopping got the best of me and I invested in some gouache paints. I’m terrible at creating anything recognizable, but it is so soothing to paint patterns and little designs at the end of the day. It keeps my brain engaged but in a calm way that still allows me to decompress without completely vegging out.
Gaming - I never thought I’d see the day, but similar to the paints - my boredom bred curiosity and I invested in a Nintendo Switch. I only have a couple games so far, but I definitely see the draw. Gaming is a way to keep your brain engaged on something completely, outside of work or other things going on, and gives you tangible rewards for your progress which of course hit that dopamine center in your brain. So it actually ends up being a great way to work out stress or work out other problems you may be facing by focusing on completely made up ones in the game.
I still engage in my other hobbies and self care like reading, practicing language, skin care, therapy, and working out regularly. But those weren’t enough to keep all my negativity at bay once quarantine kept getting extended. The things I’ve listed above may seem so small, but since I have time to focus and do them all with care and intention now, they’ve made such a difference in my well being. If you’re struggling, keep trying new things to bring even small slivers of joy into your life. If you spend enough time focused on them, they can mean more to your well being than you might have ever imagined.
Dreamy cappuccinos. Considering investing in some tools to replicate these. Yum.