Is Quarantine & Lockdown Making You Crazy?
- NicoleDeRosa
- Feb 20, 2021
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 25
Lately, every day can feel a bit monotonous like living in a real-life Groundhog Day especially if you’re in a colder climate + stuck indoors. I try to remind myself that the sun will shine again soon + the snow will eventually start to melt.
In the meantime, I’ve put together some tips that have been helping me stay sane during these unpredictable times. I hope you find them useful! I’d also love to hear what you’ve been doing to keep your sanity intact.
Alright, let’s get into it! Check out these tips + let me know what you think…
Rearrange!
Being in the same space every day can feel exhausting. One way to shake things up is by rearranging your living areas to create a fresh perspective. Honestly, it’s become a trend, everyone I know is doing it + so are all my favorite Instagram accounts! It’s a fun, creative way to refresh your environment without buying anything new. You get to rediscover items you already own or swap things between rooms. The possibilities are endless! Have fun experimenting, nothing has to be permanent.
Declutter!
I’m sure many of you have seen The Home Edit or Tidying Up with Marie Kondo on Netflix, maybe you even own their books! If not, I highly recommend checking them out for some serious organizing inspiration.
A cluttered space often leads to a cluttered mind. If you tend to hold onto things or get overwhelmed by mess, start small, just tackle one area a day. Maybe one drawer today, another tomorrow, or, if you’re like me, go all in and do all the drawers at once! Gradually, move on to closets, your kids’ playroom, the kitchen pantry, or even the fridge.
Organizing can also be a chance to give back. Gather items you no longer need + donate them to local organizations or shelters. Check which groups in your area could use them most, your efforts could make a real difference.
Take some time to go through your important documents and get rid of anything you don’t actually need. A helpful next step is to create a binder exclusively for essential papers. Once everything is organized, consider investing in a fireproof document bag to keep these papers safe.
Another project I’ve been tackling, little by little, is organizing + uploading all our family photos. I wanted to make sure that, in the worst-case scenario, like if something happened to our home, every memory is safely stored online. I keep our photos on a private family website I set up through Snapfish + I’ve also uploaded most of them to a private Facebook album. And just in case something ever happens to those, my OCD kicked in, I’ve created multiple backup copies for extra security.
It was actually fun organizing the photos chronologically + I even gifted some extra copies to family members. Now, everything is easy to find whenever we want to make a card, switch out a frame, or just sit down + relive those wonderful memories together!
Give Yourself Some Credit!
It’s completely normal to feel like you’re just existing right now, but give yourself some credit. Seriously. Just making it through each day is an achievement in itself!
When quarantine first started, there were days I couldn’t even get out of bed. Some of it was insomnia, some was overwhelming anxiety + some days, I fell into a deep depression that made me feel frozen. Be gentle with yourself + don’t hesitate to reach out for help if things start feeling worse. I’ll be sharing more about mental health in upcoming posts, so stay tuned, but for now, please hear me when I say: give yourself credit. You’re doing the best you can in these circumstances.
Try to find little silver linings where you can. If you’re with family, plan a movie night, cook a recipe together, or take turns making meals. Carve out some “me time” with a relaxing bubble bath or a hot shower. Pick up that book you’ve been putting off, listen to a funny or uplifting podcast (I’ll be sharing my favorites soon!), or just write. Pour your thoughts out, it’s incredibly therapeutic + once you start, you might not want to stop!
Routine!
Ask yourself, does your current routine really work for you? If not, try creating one that gets you outside + includes activities you enjoy. My dad is a great example, he works out daily with his favorite YouTube workouts like Bowflex with Tom Holland + Bodyfit by Amy. He’s even written a post about his 50-pound weight loss journey, which we’ll share with you once it's posted on his Substack. I know it’ll inspire you!
YouTube is also full of tutorials to learn something new, from hobbies to meditation. Video meditations can help relax your mind, whether short or long + even sound baths are worth exploring. Give them a try and see how they make you feel!
My Favorite YouTube WORKOUT Videos
Meditation
One of the last tips I want to share with you, is the one below + I think is the most important + achievable.
Daily Well Being Check In...
I have a list of 5 things that I consider an important part of daily self care. I will do a daily well being check-in to see where I am at in the day + enjoy those 5 things. They include:
72 ounces of water
30 minute walk
15 minute workout
10 minute meditation
10 minute journaling
Please let me know if this post helped you
+ let me know some of your tips on staying sane during these times.
Drop me a few lines in the comments below.... I look forward to hearing from you!
One last thing, here is a video called "Andra Tutto Bene" which is Italian for, "Everything Will Be Fine" which I thought of when I saw the photo above of the two little girls holding signs out of their window.
What an Amazing Lockdown Blog - It gave me so much hope that things will get better soon