#quarantinemanual

[mariamz11]

Quarantine – a manual for keeping your sanity

To be honest, what we’re going through is nothing compared to what our ancestors went through periods of war and famine. Yes, we do have all the necessities of food, hot water, electricity, television, even internet with endless entertainment at our fingertips.

However, it should be recognised that staying in quarantine at home is tough psychologically and denying there is an issue will probably leave you feeling even more depressed. Most of us at more than one point will probably feel hopeless and down and perhaps even like nothing depends on us.

As a result, I’ve decided to write this article for everyone affected but truth be told also for myself – I’ll keep re-reading it to serve as a reminder to keep myself going. I truly hope it helps you to manage your time better and feel better too.

Maintain regular sleep patterns

Just because you can sleep all you want doesn’t mean you should. Disrupting you regular sleep patterns will make it more difficult to return to normality once the quarantine period is over.

Stick to your normal routine as much as possible and don’t oversleep which can be tempting with too much time of your hands, as this will only cause grogginess throughout the day.

  Watch your food intake

Perhaps you’ve stocked up more than usual- that’s fine as long as you didn't go overboard and were selfish and left nothing for the rest, I cannot judge you there as myself I want to limit the amount of times go out shopping to minimise contact and risk of contagion and plan a week or two ahead.

However, too much stock at home are no excuse for overeating. Equally, you're likely feeling overwhelemed from time to time and can retort to eat comforting junk food. Not only will you gain weight especially with less exercise from sitting at home, but eating badly reflects negatively on your emotional and mental states. You are what you eat after all.

Plan your meals and shopping accordingly and ensure your meals are varied and rich in nutrients and vitamins. Don’t forget the fruits and veggies which will help to keep your immune system in check.

Pursue your hobbies/passions

If you’ve been delaying due to lack of time, now is the time when you must drop all the excuses.

Personally, I’ve been putting painting off for sometime now. Well I’ve ensured to set the time aside and moreover I’ve started working on a new project related to teaching, which is very exciting to say the least.

Doing things that are pleasant and equally challenging will lift your spirits and will make that much more tolerable if not somewhat pleasant to pass the quarantine time. So think about what you’ve dreamt of doing and do it now; if you haven’t got the materials, spend your time planning now and once the quarantine is over you can go out and purchase what you need and start a lot faster than without the prior planning.

Set a schedule

Having a lot of time on our hands doesn’t mean we cannot waste it; browsing the internet, watching the news etc can take up unlimited amounts of time and in the end you’ll feel like you’ve wasted the quarantine time “opportunity”.

Lack of normal structure can will likely make it harder not easier to organise your time effectively. Try and set some sort of a routine for yourself and if possible for your family, such as shower, exercise, work if you’re working from home, studying, research etc.

 Don’t forget to exercise

We take walking for granted – I personally don’t as I have a fitness watch to monitor my daily steps, but those who don’t , might simply not realise how much less moving around they’re doing so this needs to be compensated.

So do whatever you can, even without the gym equipment there are tons of floor work exercises, yoga and dancing. Even if following videos isn’t for you, just put the music on and move around in your own style as after all noone is watching you. Not only your body will thank you but so will your mind, as exercise will certainly boost your spirits.

Change your thinking

This is a personal battle for me as well that instead of being positive of what I’m blessed with, I find myself constantly complaining of not being able to go out. Well, complaining only puts you down and drains your energy and if you are to make productive use of the time, you need to stay positive. As hard as it may sound, try and see quarantine as an opportunity rather than punishment. Think of what you can do rather than of what you cannot.

Limit the news watching

As tempting as it is to try and keep abreast of all the news especially as you are inside not knowing what’s happening on the outside, limit this to a maximum of once a day. Continuous news watching sets panic, has highly contagious negativity and is energy draining, taking your time and life force away from doing something useful or pleasant.

To be honest, there are a lot of fake news, distorted news and also the news is designed to keep you scared to begin with.

Set boundaries with your family

I know they say you should be grateful for the opportunity to spend with your family and loved ones and appreciate every moment, but realistically speaking too much time together can drive everyone crazy and quarrels can ensue.

The sooner you realise this and act, the better it will be for everyone involved.Try and set boundaries, times not to be disturbed etc; respect each others need for privacy and space - something taken for granted outside of quarantine time.

Also, ensure to compromise and avoid conflict as staying together 24/7 in a conflictive situation will create a toxic environment for all, making an already emotionally difficult situation even worse. Support each other, not bring each other down.  

Look after yourself

Not going out is no excuse letting yourself go. Needless to say that you must maintain good hygiene, kempt hair and also try and look nice for yourself if not for your family, as wearing pyjamas all day will just leave you feeling sleepy, lazy and you’re unlikely to get anything productive done.

Wash your clothes regularly and put clothes on that are comfortable and make you feel good at the same time. Putting on make-up might be a tad excessive but using products that make hydrate your skin, hair and make you smell nice to yourself and others ( not too much perfiume!) shouldn't be abandoned.

The same goes without saying for maintaining a clean and orderly house.

Manage your emotions

As mentioned above, setting boundaries with those you share your home with, eating well, regular sleep patterns, positive way of thinking and doing regular exercise should help you manage when the going gets tough.

However, at times, you may be simply too overwhelmed and feel like no matter how much you try you simply cannot force yourself to do anything. Perhaps, this is when meditation and breathing exercises might help. Just type "anti-stress meditation" or "breathing relaxation techniques" into Youtube and select the video that appeals the most to you.

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Finally, remember that quarantine isn’t forever but only for a period of time, so stay strong and positive and make the most of it. Feel free to leave a comment with a  tip of your own or a comment.