How to take care of yourself in lockdown?

Riding the Isolation Wave

Who would have thought we’d be going through a global pandemic at the start of the decade? Not us. Covid-19 is sweeping across nations of the world, taking lives, and impounding restrictions. Here in the U.K, we are now on full lockdown, and I am sure like me, most of you are missing the interaction, family and the occasional outings. Plus, the good weather has arrived, and we only get to admire it from our windows and occasional trips to the garden! Right now, staying at home and keeping safe is the best thing to do, it helps protect the most vulnerable, safeguards the elderly and helps reduce the strain on the NHS, who are doing a fantastic job! However, being at home 24/7 is overwhelming and can chip a bit at one’s sanity.   

The flip side

Being on mandatory house arrest AKA isolation does have its perks. You have more than enough free time, but you’re supposed to spend it all in the comfort of your home and it can get claustrophobic really fast. This isolation is like an imposed staycation, one which has no end date, and might not bring the peace and relaxation you were hoping for, and if you have kids, that is a definite no no, until 7pm when the kids are tucked in bed. With all the hours on the clock and the days on the calendar, life can become unstructured, a bit hectic and you may find yourself losing track of what day it is! This confusion could trigger paranoia, depression, anxiety and other forms of mental illnesses. Rather than slump in your isolation cocoon, eating snacks every day, why not devote this time to your utmost care. With everything going on it’s easy to lose sight of what’s important, you, your family and your well-being. Hence, this piece is highlighting how you can care for yourself during isolation. And how do you do that? Well, through self-care of course and here are some self-care tips that won’t only curb boredom but will sprinkle positivity into your psyche.

Self-care Tips

Skincare: Taking care of your skin isn’t just aimed at its physicality, the series of activities devoted to skincare is very calming and therapeutic. These activities include exfoliating, cleansing, toning and moisturizing. From an exfoliating mask to a body scrub, drawing yourself a bath to adding nutrients to your skin, the payload will be evident in your appearance and state of mind.

You can check out our skin care products here to get your skin back to full health.

If you are used to waxing or threading at the salon, you may find yourself getting a lot of facial and body hair right now, but you can easily buy wax off Amazon and if you have some thread at home, Google how to thread and you can learn to thread your skin within minutes!

For those overgrown acrylics and hard to take of shellac nails, you can buy removal equipment from Amazon, and purchase ready made false nails.

The key message here, is that, you can be resourceful, maintain your routines and allow yourself to feel good.

Exercise: While the gym and public parks may be closed, there are simple yet equally effective routines that can be done from the comfort of your home. You can get these routines from the internet or simple downloadable apps. Get your whole family involved in this as it will boost their morale and increase their feel-good hormones.

You are allowed out once a day, so you use that time to go running or exercise in your garden, it will cost a lot less than your gym membership! Plus, there are so many live workouts available via zoom and Instagram live right now, we have listed some Instagram channels below you can go to get weekly workouts.

@shanteliaselina

@heelsandfeelsuk

@afro_motion

@dp_fit_

Learning: Wouldn’t it be great to emerge from this pandemic wiser or more conversant with skill than you started? Well, you do have time on your side to achieve any digital skill or even learn a new language, all with the resources of the internet. Even if you want to start reading a book series, you can.

Exercise your mind, don’t be a couch potato, constantly binging on Netflix and chill. Don’t expect to achieve your dreams and goals by sitting back and doing nothing,

Eating: Being stuck in the house, it’s easy to go through your month's supply in weeks. It may be hard, but discipline is key. With the boredom associated with isolation, enough people have deviated from their strict diets and regimes. Whatever you do, be sure to drink plenty of water, eat lots of fruits and vegetables this period as they serve as immunity boosters. Remember, you are what you eat, but try not to waste food. Put leftovers in the fridge and try cooking smaller portions to cut down the food trips and keep within your budgets.

Create structure and routine for your self-care and your daily life to keep you going through this time. Self-care is just as important as survival. Matter of fact, it is a vital survival requirement.