Things to do to keep you sane during self-isolation

For many people, self-isolating can be a tough experience. Most of us aren’t used to spending so much time at home so the thought of not leaving the house and not going to work, socialising in person, going to the gym etc. for at least a few weeks can seem daunting, scary and at times impossible. 

Many people have admitted they are not just worried about being a little bored but are genuinely concerned about how this can impact their mental health if they don’t find ways to keep themselves busy. Today I’m going to give you a few suggestions of things that you can do to pass the time and make self-isolation a little more bearable. 

Binge-watch a series you haven't seen before

Let’s be honest, the first thing most of us did when we were told to stay at home was have a good think about what we should watch on TV. Everyone loves to rewatch their favourite shows but why not mix things up a bit by watching something you haven't seen before so you have the element of surprise? Chances are lots of people will be sharing memes from their favourite shows so that could be a good place to start when thinking about potential shows to binge-watch. I highly recommend Tiger King, the show is crazy and the memes are hilarious and just what we need at the moment!

At-home workouts 

As someone who recently (like, very recently) started going to the gym and going to fitness classes I was gutted when I found out couldn’t attend classes for the time being. However, if you still want to work out and you don’t just want to stick with a jog or walk you can find thousands of workout routines and different classes you can do at home and lots don’t require any equipment whatsoever. My gym has been posting videos of instructors teaching their classes so you can look at your gym’s social media accounts to see if they are offering a similar service. 

Learn how to cook/batch cook

If you aren’t a great cook (like myself) then this is the perfect opportunity to gain some cooking skills and try out some new recipes. Everyone needs to learn how to cook and if you are already pretty confident in the kitchen, why not branch out and try something you have been too scared to make before?

If you don’t particularly enjoy cooking but don’t want to live off pasta, rice and frozen food for the foreseeable future (if you managed to bag some despite crazy panic buyers taking it all) why not batch cook so you only have to cook once but have meals for a few days? You’ll thank yourself later and won’t have to leave the house to brave the supermarkets as often. 

Shout out to my bestie who made these insanely delicious breakfast bars that are also super healthy. A great example of some of the things you can make during your spare time. Check out her Instagram @eatwellwithell

Spring clean and get rid of unwanted clutter

I know cleaning is probably the last thing you want to be doing, but they do say a clean space makes you have a clean mind. Use this time to go through all of your things and be ruthless about if you really need all of those shoes, clothes and other general clutter you’ve built up over the years. If you’re going to be stuck indoors for a long time, you don’t want to be surrounded by mess.

Practice self-care

I feel ‘self-care’ has become a bit of an eye-rolling subject and it’s a running joke that anything can be ‘self-care’. However, it’s super important to make sure you are looking after yourself especially when the world is going through this strange and stressful time. 

Take long baths and watch binge watch some shows with a glass of wine (or a bottle we're in lockdown and no doubt our family members are driving us crazy by now). If you don’t already have a good skincare routine- make one! Take the time to pamper yourself and just enjoy some ‘me’ time.

Find a creative hobby/ start a project

One of the best ways to avoid going insane at this time is getting creative and putting your brain and creativity skills to good use. I’ve already mentioned it’s a good idea to experience new things at this time so why not try something you have never done before? Reading, writing blog posts, filming videos, even knitting or puzzles if you’re feeling strong Grandma vibes! (I've just started reading Call the Midwife by Jennifer Worth and would 100% recommend, especially if you love the series).

A lot of us have a huge chunk of spare time at the moment and it may be nice to do something other than look at a TV or computer screen all day (even though I must admit the amount of time I’ve spent on The Sims after work is embarrassing). You can use this time to decorate your house or finally build up some of that furniture you just had to have when you saw it that’s still in its box! 

Of course, the most important thing during this difficult and strange time is to keep yourself and your loved ones safe. As boring as it sounds so important that you obey the government guidelines and practice social distancing. Things will get better but until then, I hope this post has given you at least a few ideas on how to spend your time over the next… however long! 

Until next time,

Becca x