Self-Care Tips while in Quarantine [Extended Edition]

Last week, we finally made it out of quarantine after 17+ days of sitting at home! As you may know, Kane caught COVID-19 after being exposed at daycare the week before Thanksgiving. He had to quarantine for 10 days. Since we never tested positive, though, we had to quarantine for additional time on top of his 10 days.  The CDC quarantine guidelines were actually changed during our quarantine, and we were eligible for early release.

While we were well-equipped to stay home for this quarantine period–Kane’s schooling is virtual, Chauncey and I can both work from home, and we live somewhere with abundant delivery resources–it was terrible from a mental perspective. Our family has taken lots of precautions when it comes to the virus, so it wasn’t like we were always out and about before our quarantine. But when you can’t even leave your house to go for a walk, and everyone is stuck inside together for that long, it starts to get to you. So I wanted to share some tips for self-care while in quarantine.

TIPS FOR SELF-CARE WHILE IN QUARANTINE

1. If you are quarantining with multiple people, find a hiding place where you can be alone for at least an hour a day. For me, this often looked like a long bubble bath.
2. Still get ready every day. I learned this trick during maternity leave. Getting ready every day, even when stuck at home, changes my entire outlook for the day.
3. Read a book or pick a new series to binge watch. Whatever you do, keep your mind active and focused on something other than marking days off the calendar.
4. Video chat with family and friends. I need that face-to-face connection. It helps to interact with someone outside your home, even on a screen. And on the flip-side, if you know someone in quarantine, give them on a call on video chat to brighten their day!
5. Still have structure to your day. The days go by more quickly when you have a plan. On the weekends, I would lose that structure/routine and I could tell the impact–I found it difficult to move off the couch.
6. Most importantly, ask for help when you need it! This was the hardest for me as I don’t like to ask my friends for help. So many reached out to offer assistance, but it still can be hard to make the ask. Do it anyways! We had friends drop-off things we needed that weren’t easy to get delivered, and they were all happy to help.

If you’ve been hit with an actual quarantine, I hope this list of self-care tips helps. Yes, it’s hard to quarantine, but take control of the situation as much as you can.