Quarantine Wellbeing | Part II
We’re back at it with tips on maintaining your wellness during this (bizarre and uncertain) season. To recap, our first four tips were:
1. Ask yourself what is one thing you could do today to make life better or easier?
2. Turn an unused/underutilized space into a WFH area.
3. Make your bedroom a true retreat.
4. If you can, get outside for a fresh perspective.
Go read them here: Quarantine Wellbeing | Part I
We hope they’ve been helpful to you and your mental and physical wellness during this pandemic. Here are a few more we’re working on.
5. Set up a schedule for your routines at home to bring a sense of normalcy.
If you’ve joined the ranks of the WFH nation, chances are your routines have shifted significantly. It can be difficult to feel a sense of purpose and drive when every day feels like the last and there are few things to break up the monotony of being at home.
Introducing a schedule can help with your mental resilience and drive. Getting up at the same time each day, showering, and eating a healthy breakfast are all great practices to start your day off sharp.
Planning out the hours you want to work, take lunch, and then be done for the day can help you feel a sense of drive to get your work done, and rest once you’ve reached your goal. Want a mid afternoon tea break? Plan it, and work towards it, then actually walk away from your work to stretch your legs and refresh your mind. See it as your trip to the water cooler.
Shutting down your computer and putting your work physically away can also help you separate from the office and be present at home. Start a bedtime routine around the same time each day and get a good 8 hours of sleep to wake up refreshed.
6. Eat well.
So you may be limited in your dining options now. Chances are, you can still get takeout or pickup from a few favorite restaurants, but the pickings are slim, and you’re probably bored with them by now. Be sure to keep ordering from your favorite local restaurants as you can to keep them thriving through the pandemic, but also consider how you make your meals at home healthy and exciting. Our very own Melanie is a fantastic cook, so we’re taking some notes from her kitchen. If you’re shopping locally, you can find many of these things at Scout of Marion.
1. The one thing I keep stocked in my pantry, and always have on hand are San Marzano tomatoes! They are tomatoes grown in the San Marzano region of Italy, and are incredibly sweet and delicious. I use them in everything.
2. We aren’t hosting holiday parties right now, but Camp Cocktails make it easy to create a fabulous craft cocktail at home!
3. I couldn’t forget bar tools for mixing the best cocktail, and imagine how awesome this would look on your bar!
4. Excellent quality baking sheets are essential for roasting vegetables, baking cookies, or even throwing together an easy sheet pan dinner. These are the best!
5. Pasta is in my blood, and this book has so many great “go to recipes” passed down through the years! The recipes are easy and so good.
6. If you haven’t tried this incredible cheese available at Scout, it’s a game changer! The edible flowers around the edge are beautiful on a platter, and the flavor of the cheese is incredible.
7. For a simple but amazing dessert, an easy vanilla ice cream with either hot fudge or salted caramel on top is perfect! These are the best ever from American Spoon, also available at Scout!
8. I couldn’t make homemade pasta or bake without my trusty KitchenAid mixer! It makes preparation so easy, and the attachments are simple to use.
Image Credit: Melanie Olson Design Group
7. Pick up a new hobby or get involved in an online community for your favorite pastime.
If you have more free time than you’re used to (does not apply to those with kids 😊), its absolutely time to invest in a new pastime! Let’s be honest—if you don’t do it now, will you ever?
You may have time now to pick up knitting, gardening, baking, woodworking, or whatever piques your interest. Or maybe its mixology, pottery, photography, or web design. If you just want to dip your toe in, trying reading up on the hobby first—learn about it and what tools/investment are needed. Check your local library to see if books on the topic are available. See if you can find anyone selling the necessary tools on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist. If you’re ready to jump in, Amazon is your friend!
Maybe you already have a hobby but you’re just missing out on the social side of it. So many online communities have flourished in this season, and it seems there’s one for everything! Try looking for a Facebook group or subreddit on your particular interest. While normal social interaction is limited, these having been helping deepen our interests and community with others. It’s also rewarding to contribute and support others through these communities.
8. Limit your time on social media and use traditional communication instead.
This may be an ironic suggestion being that you are finding it on a blog, likely directed here by social media, but say it we will! You may find yourself spending extended time browsing the lives of your friends on social media, but this is a well-researched cause of anxiety, dissatisfaction, and depression.
Instead of “catching up” with your friends this way, try a traditional form of communication instead, like writing letters, talking on the phone, or going on a walk together. Direct conversation can lead to more meaningful connection, authentic conversation, and a healthier friendship.
9. Treat yourself to a little slice of luxury.
Our restrained lives are for our good, we know, but sometimes a little spice can break up the monotony. Indulge in little luxuries at home. Grab a new candle or a fresh bouquet of flowers. Mix up a favorite cocktail or maybe a new recipe you’ve been wanting to try. Add a plant somewhere you spend a lot of time. Get a specialty coffee or tea and a new mug. Spruce up your sofa with a new pillow.
Image Credit: Melanie Olson Design Group
Here are some of our favorite little luxuries:
1. Brass Earrings 2. Brass Wall Hanging 3. Ceramic Planter Set 4. Stem Vase 5. Sphere Pillow 6. Glass Carafe 7. Hanging Planter
1. Stoneware Tea Mug 2. Handmade Ceramic Bowl 3. Felt Slippers 4. Leather Baskets 5. Driftwood Candle 6. Bone Inlay Tray 7. Sphere Pillow
8. Ceramic Mug
Hopefully you’ve found these suggestions helpful. We have been using a few to help normalize life and we can say that moving forward with new plans and a fresh perspective has helped immensely. What has helped you?