How To Practice Self Care During The Pandemic

We’re deep in the COVID-19 Pandemic and like most of the world right now, I’m stuck in quarantine. While already being a homeschooler, my church and youth group is currently online, my library is closed until further notice, and I can’t really go anywhere except my job (I work in a local grocery/supplements store so I’m essential!)

I’ve had a LOT of anxiety since this all went down and as we’ve all learned, mental health and self-care are going to be super important to help us get through the next month or however long this pandemic lasts for.

Therefore, today I’m going to be sharing with you 11 ways you can practice self-care during this pandemic. These can, of course, be applied to any time, but as we’re all stuck at home with limited access to resources, these are great options to take care of yourself and your mental health during this stressful time.

Let’s dive straight in!

Self Care During The Pandemic

Journal Your Thoughts: In 20, 30, 40, even 50 years, this is going to be considered national history. Imagine how valuable information like your journals will be! You can give an inside look at what life was like during this time in history. Not to mention, this is fantastic self-care! Remember, your feelings are valid and I think it’s super important to be entuned with your feelings and thoughts. You can also write out your prayers.
Avoid The News: There is a difference between staying informed and getting caught up in the drama and opinions associated with it. One of the reasons my anxiety skyrocketed to the level that it has is because I spent a LOT of time pouring over the news, the updates, and the posts on social media from everyone I knew corresponding with Coronavirus. To battle the anxiety, I’m avoiding going to the news pages unless necessary. While I believe it’s important to stay up-to-date with executive orders and restrictions, I think listening to everyone complaining is enough to drive all of us crazy. So. Don’t do it.
Move Your Body: Since we’re all stuck in the house, it makes sense to want to just sit on the couch all day eating chips. I’ve never been a huge fan of doing workouts but let’s be honest–doing them makes us feel so much better in the long run. However, there are many ways to move your body and get your blood moving: Take a walk, stretch, do some yoga or pilates, dance in your bedroom, there are many possibilities depending on your interests. Either way, getting up and moving your body can be an instant mood booster.
Create Morning & Evening Routines: These don’t have to be complicated! Make a list of 3 to 5 habits you want to incorporate into your morning/evening. Pinterest can be great for inspiration. Personally, I love Brittney Kristina’s morning routine (read it here!) and I suggest you try hers if you’re stuck. I’m experimenting and trying hers for a week to see if it works for me. If not, I will adjust as needed. I thinking having a morning routine is SO important. Try implementing one during the pandemic and I encourage you to keep it up even after it’s over.
Declutter Your Spaces: Springtime has just arrived so as it’s the season for spring cleaning, a great method of self-care is cleaning out your spaces and getting rid of stuff! Oftentimes, we hold onto way too many clothes, papers, coffee mugs, etc. and they tend to stack up! Since we’re all going to be in the same spaces all the time for the foreseeable future, it makes sense we ought to take the time to tidy our spaces. It’ll make our mental space also feel way more clearer if we don’t have to stare at our mess.
Write A Happy List: Sure, it’s easy to focus on all the things we can be upset about right now. Things are not the way we want them to be, but maybe that’s because we’re right where God wants us to be right now. So, take the time to make a list of things you’re happy about. I’d suggest specifically focusing on things we have/can do right now. Maybe your list includes your favorite book, chocolate, the ability to stay connected with people through technology, and so on. One of the things that I’m happy about right now is all the free and cheap ebooks available! I’m making it a point to support other artists right now because that makes me happy.
Create something: If you’re like me, you probably create in some or multiple forms! If you can/want to, I encourage you to create a lot right now! Obviously, if you’re not mentally or emotionally up for it, don’t, but if you are feeling good, go for it! Write, draw, sing covers, do your thing! And even if you’re not totally up for it yet, maybe discipline yourself to do it anyways–even for just a little while. For me at least, creating even when I don’t feel inspired, has helped me manage my anxiety. Obviously, I don’t want anyone to feel pressure because not everyone is feeling the way I do.