In these times brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, the streets are quieter and while most businesses may be working from home, we highly recommend using the weekends to do something special for yourself. It’s an important aspect of being quarantined: self-care. Self-care will help calm the nerves for those of us feeling anxious. Implementing self-care will uplift your spirits and if you’ve never done it before, maybe it’s something you can continue doing when we come out on the other side.
1/ Take a break from the news
Consuming social media and watching the news for a certain amount of time is okay, however, make sure the sources are trustworthy. There is fake news flooding the internet. If that Whatsapp group starts becoming too much, you’re more than welcome to leave social connections that stir anxiety. The minute you start to feel overwhelmed or anxious then we advise you to stop watching and give yourself some time to calm down.
2/ Nourish your body
Feed your body and mind with positive things. Read books, sleep more, cook for yourself and your family. While our social situations all look different, it’s important to find solitude during this time. There are many local home delivery food services that are attending to all our needs during this time, such as We Are Food for delicious ready-made frozen meals, Granadilla Veggie Box for fresh fruit and vegetables, Raw Nutrition for fresh produce, Caught Online for fresh seafood and Wild Organics for organic food to name a few.
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3/ Put on relaxing music or podcasts
Get comfortable with pillows and cushions to set the tone. Listen to a podcast or that playlist you’ve been meaning to listen to, but you never had the time. There are also free relaxation apps such as Calm, Headspace, Stop, Breathe and Think. These apps are good for meditation and mindfulness breathing.
4/ Create a home spa
Take one day over the weekend to pamper yourself. Yes, we are still using water sparingly, but fill your bathtub, play some sweet melodies, light some scented candles and create a home spa for yourself. Use those body butter, coconut oil balms and scented oils for aromatherapy.
READ MORE: 8 Products To Spoil Yourself With On Your Next Self-Care Day
5/ Stay hydrated
Create your own infused water or tea. Mix fruits such as lemons, berries or oranges to your water. Drink herbal, Buchu and rooibos tea that contain anti-oxidants and help boost immunity.
6/ Give your hair a wash
For deputy Editor, Wanita Nicol, washing and blow-drying her hair makes her feel good. “I’m not big on make-up and dressing up (in general, nevermind during lockdown), but I don’t like feeling crusty,” she says.
7/ Get moving
Exercise, yoga, dynamic stretches and a bit of movement every day are better than no movement at all. Ensure the blood inside your body is circulating well. A few rounds of Sun Salutations is the perfect warm-up for any exercise.
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8/ Moisturise
Women’s Health Managing Editor Amy Hopkins says, “Make use of that hand cream! With all the hand-santising we are doing, it’s important to give those hands some love to.”
9/ Mani and Pedi at home
Paint your nails! It can be quite meditative to spend 10 minutes trimming and painting your nails.
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10/ Keep your favourite room in the house tidy
Declutter and keep your space tidy. Get rid of the old clothes in your cupboard and create a new feeling by letting go of what you no longer need. Deputy Editor Wanita Nicol says keeping her space tidy and clean makes her feel more at peace and less anxious.
11/ Get artsy
If you love arts and crafts then paint, sketch, create a vision board, write poetry, start that blog, use your body for dancing, play that guitar you haven’t played in a while, journal, take photographs and get creative.
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12/ Exercise boundaries
Protect your mind by exercising boundaries for yourself and for others. Everyone is at home and while there’s a great need for us to keep in touch by video calling and phone calls, be intentional about the calls you choose to respond to. If your aunt is a COVID 19 encyclopedia and she knows every single update (true or false), you may find your anxiety heightened, if you choose to answer her call.
What are some of the self-care tips that you’ve been using during this time?
