It’s been over a month of staying at home for most of us. We’ve already established new routines, creating a sense of normalcy amidst the chaos. Just before settling in however, try to think how you can improve your new normal. Do you want to use this time to recenter yourself or spend more “me” time? Here are 6 habits to develop during quarantine, the end result of which is becoming a better version of you.
Table of Contents
Better hygiene
If you haven’t been stepping up your hygiene game or properly washing your hands at the very least, please do. This isn’t just to avoid COVID-19. It’s for your overall health. Hand washing can prevent the spread of disease. Disinfecting your phone daily along with other good cleaning practices can also avoid the transfer of germs and viruses from surface to surface. If you’ve made this into a habit, you’ll be at less risk of contracting disease from germs even after this pandemic blows over.
Want to ensure you’re not missing anything? Here are 5 hygiene hacks to help you keep disease-causing baddies at bay.
A habit of self-care
Now that we’ve got a little bit of extra time on your hands, spend it on you. Find a time in the day to mute the noise of deadlines, chores, and other worldly matters. Focus on you and what relaxes you. Here are some examples:
- drink tea in your garden or balcony while listening to the birds around you
- curl up on your couch with a good book to take you somewhere new
- turn on some feel-good music, meditate, and let the thoughts pass through
- take a warm shower, wear your most comfy PJs, and don a face mask before going to bed
- Read more ways to relax your body here.
Whatever it is you do, make sure it’s what refreshes you and let’s you take a break from the day’s hard work. Doing this regularly de-stresses you and allows you to feel and function better in general.
Set aside time for introspection
Introspection is the examination of one’s own conscious thoughts and feelings. For me, it is about looking inward and understanding yourself better. It is sort of tied in with self-care, except this time, we actually communicate with our deepest selves to ask meaningful questions. Here are some tips on introspection:
- Start with a quiet environment away from distractions.
- Write down your thoughts in a journal or type it on your phone. This allows you to look back on your day or examine your actions and feelings towards something.
- Remember to avoid judging yourself. Simply ask why you acted a certain way you did in the past and what you can do to improve.
- There’s a right way to do this.
Here are some benefits of introspection, one of which is increased self-confidence. If you’re feeling restless or dissatisfied with where you’re currently at, here’s an article that could put things into better perspective with the help of introspection.
Improve your fitness and health
Now that we don’t have many reasons to get off our butts, we are in danger of turning into the lazy future humans in Wall-E. Don’t let that happen. Instead, get moving regularly to stay fit. There are hundreds of free videos online, no equipment needed. So if you have a stable internet connection and no preexisting conditions, you have no excuse. Read some tips for beginners here.
Of course, exercising without eating healthy negates the benefits. Treat yourself better by ensuring you eat clean with a balanced diet. I won’t stop you from the occasional (note: occasional, not daily) bag of chips or cookies but ensure you eat fruits and veggies more than this.
Increase your knowledge
With the pandemic forcing people to stay in their homes, many are now offering free classes and workshops online. If you’ve always wanted to learn something new or improve your current skills, search for courses or classes to take. You could dedicate 30 minutes to an hour of this per day. Continuous learning helps us stay on top of our game, feel better about ourselves, or even land us pay raises or more fulfilling jobs. Don’t skip this and make it a habit during quarantine.
Quality time with loved ones
You might be lucky enough to spend the lockdown with your family or close friends. Take the opportunity to bond with them, whether through conversations over meals or board games. Even if you’re not physically with them, you can do this thanks to technology. Call your parents, grandparents, and friends and reconnect. It’s wonderful to hear their voices, laugh with them, and remember special moments. Doing this regularly can deepen and strengthen your relationships, which is incentive enough for you to continue even after the pandemic is over.
Even with all the bad news, tension, and anxiety around us, we have to try to see past that and do what we can with the situation. Developing these 6 habits allows us to turn quarantine into something that can make us better people so when it is finally over, we can resume our lives healthier, smarter, and happier. Stay safe and be well!
Related:
6 Mind Vacations You Can Take Right Now
2021: 8 Lasting Lessons From 2020
Jamie A
Lovely tips! ? I read an article once that discussed the importance of quality time since the βhappiestβ people are those that have the highest quality relationships. Thanks for posting!
Kathleen
Thank you for your kind words and for sharing that tidbit as well! π Somehow it is not surprising! π
Katherine
Love this article. The thing I really have to work on is to give myself time to take care of me. Self care is so important and so easily forgotten.
Kathleen
Thank you! π Yes, don’t forget to give yourself some TLC! π
Jenn
Thank you for these tips! Iβve been trying to drink more tea in place of pop during the day.
Kathleen
That’s wonderful! Yes, I’ve recently discovered the delights of delicious tea because of DavidsTea…some sweeter tea blends may definitely curb your sugar cravings. It worked for me! π
philip
great tips and I already following most of these right now.
Kathleen
Thank you! π That’s great!
Lyssa day
These are all great habits to start developing. Especially with all the free time most of us now have. Thanks for sharing!
Kathleen
Thank you! π I’m glad you liked it.
islandoftreomynd
Great read! I’ve developed a self-care routine during quarantine and it’s helped so much!
Kathleen
Thank you! That’s good to know! Self-care is really important for our well-being…but unfortunately some people don’t make time for it.
Britt | Shed Happens (@ShedHappenscmty)
Here in our house, this has been a great time to just step back and enjoy the company of my husband and our pets. While he’s still working outside the house (and I’m working from home), we’ve been spending our evenings and weekends together. I am usually one of those people that is CONSTANTLY running – I’ve always got something going on and never slow down. With everything cancelled, I’ve had nothing better to do than to kick back and relax at home. At first I hated it, but I have really started to appreciate the time!
Kathleen
Yaay! That’s great! I know what you mean…sometimes taking a rest makes us feel guilty, but it really contributes to our overall well-being. I’m glad you got to spend more quality time with your family! π
ayomipooo
I love this Kathleen. Iβve used this quarantine time to focus on self care and Iβve definitely learnt some more things to add to my list of activities as this lockdown continues. Thank you for the post
Kathleen
Yaay! I’m so happy you liked it. It’s great that you’ve focused on self care. π Let’s use this time to reconnect with ourselves and our loved ones. π
Summer Ludwig
These are wonderful ideas. I especially need to remember to spend some time on self-care. Iβve cleaned and organized and spent a ton of time on my house and other people, I really need to step back and focus on myself for a bit. Thanks for the reminder!
Kathleen
Thank you! Yes, don’t forget to take care of yourself. π You’ll be refreshed and have more energy for the stuff you want to do when you get a little me time too.
Lenore | The Nitty Gritty Travel OT
These are all great habits to develop. Improving our fitness and health, as well as introspection were my favorites. Will definitely keep this post in mind for other ideas.
Kathleen
Thank you so much! I’m glad you found it helpful. π
GF Veg
What great ideas for habits to develop during quarantine! There definitely can be some silver linings during this time, right? I know that my family and I are spending a lot more time together than before, and that is something I treasure.
Kathleen
Yes, I definitely agree! That’s wonderful. Maybe you can start forming a routine or weekly thing that you can continue even after this is all over. π
The Homebody Tourist
These are great ideas to make the best of a bad time. Thank you for sharing!
Kathleen
I’m glad you liked them! π