SELF-CARE FOR SELF-ISOLATION.

By Furvah Shah

Following the global outbreak of Coronavirus since late last year, the British government has now declared a national lockdown and issued advice for people to practice social distancing and self-isolation, particularly if you are feeling symptoms such as a cough or high temperature. Since coming into contact with a friend who has since been diagnosed with Coronavirus, I decided to practice self-isolation for the recommended period of 14 days. This means not leaving the house, and having little to no contact with people face-to-face.

For many people, myself included, going outside, being active and regularly socialising is an important part of their routine and plays a key factor in maintaining good mental health. But, during self-isolation, this isn’t entirely possible. But, there are a few things I have done in order to stay positive, active and healthy during this time.

So, here are seven self-care tips, that will hopefully ease the mental pressures for those in self-isolation and lockdown over the coming weeks:

1. Be Active 

As someone who has never even step foot in a gym, my concept of ‘being active’ may differ from others. Personally, I like to do stretches or yoga every morning to wake up my body and make sure I have a good start to the day. Also, at-home workouts are a great way of keeping fit and healthy during self-isolation. I like to follow workouts using the 'Nike Training Club' App, which allows you to choose and tailor exercises to your preference and is super easy to follow!

2. Be in touch with friends and family 

Although face-to-face interactions are not recommended during lockdown and self-isolation, texts, video calls and social media are all great ways to stay in contact with your loved ones. This is important to prevent loneliness and is a helpful and healthy distraction in unnerving times. Some apps I like to use are WhatsApp and, most recently, House Party which is a video-call app. 

3. Stick to Routine

It is really easy to lay in bed all day, eat junk food and binge-watch Netflix during these three weeks of lockdown. But, this can negatively impact your mental health and leave you feeling pretty deflated. Instead, try to stick to your normal routine - wake up in the morning, get ready for the day and set aside specific time for work, exercise, relaxing, hobbies and other activities. This has worked really well for me and has helped me keep on top of everything that I need to do.

4. Get Ready for the Day

Now, I’m not recommending doing a full-beat for staying in the house (unless you really want to, which we fully support at ZARE), but it’s great to get ready for the day, to wake yourself up and feel motivated. For me, this means applying my favourite skincare products in the morning, putting on a pair of earrings and wearing a comfy top. Nevertheless, my pyjama bottoms will probably stay on for the foreseeable future. 

5. Create Spaces

Trying to work from the comfort of your bed isn’t always the best choice, as it can lead to feelings of restlessness when it’s time to sleep. Instead, create a clean space, such as your dining table or desk, to use when it’s time to get some work done. Then, designate other areas, such as your bed, living room or kitchen, for relaxing or hobbies.

6. Pick Up or Practice a Hobby/Skill

Picking up or practising a new skill or hobby during self-isolation is a great way to keep your mind active and motivated. I’m going to focus on learning Spanish over the few weeks by using Duolingo and keeping in touch with Spanish-speaking friends, which has helped so far in keeping my brain functioning and staying in touch with friends who are currently in a similar situation. Also, practising meditation is a great way to help you stay calm and feel centred during turbulent times.

7. Ask for Help

Whether it’s because you forgot to stock up on essentials, or are feeling overwhelmed, it is important to ask for help if you need it. In times like these, it is easy to feel stressed and anxious, but asking for help is one of the first steps in alleviating some pressure. If you have friends or family in your area, perhaps ask them to drop some essentials to you (whilst trying to maintain social distance), and if you feel like your mental health is suffering, draw support from your loved ones and others in similar situations. In times of crisis, much-needed acts of kindness are more common than you think.

It is worrying and unnerving times for that we’re living in. We encourage our readers to be safe, cautious and considerate of those more vulnerable and at risk than yourselves! Take care of your mental health over the coming weeks, and let’s work through this together.