While the Covid-19 Quarantine shakes up my routine a fair amount, I know it’s not as big of a change as some of you all are facing.
After all, I work from home on the regular. And many times, I do that with two kids under my roof. So you could say I know a thing or two about keeping a tight grip on my sanity despite my circumstances.
From what I can see, employers are fortunately being understanding and lenient. Even so, the sheer thought of being confined to our homes for two weeks makes most of us panic.
And yet, that is our current reality. (Or it should be, but that’s a topic for another day.)
So here are a few tips on how to stay sane during the Covid-19 quarantine.
Wake up before your kids
There’s nothing that keeps me more level-headed and at peace throughout the day than waking up an hour before my kids do.
I read my Bible, pray, write down five things I’m grateful for, sip my coffee and get in the right headspace for the day. I also do all of this before touching my phone and consuming any sort of social media or checking my email.
And when my kids wake up, I’m ready for them because I’ve started my day proactively rather than reactively.
If you take only one piece of advice from this entire blog post, please, FOR THE LOVE, let it be this. Nothing will help you more. I promise.
Shower and get dressed every day.
You may be thinking, “But this is the PERFECT excuse to wear my pajamas and no bra all day!” And I hear you. But stay in those pajamas for more than 24 hours, and you’ll be feeling less than stellar about your life.
I think we can all agree that putting on some clothes that make us feel put together, dabbing a bit of makeup on our faces and combing our hair can do wonders for our attitudes, right?
You don’t need to wear what you’d usually wear into the office or even put on jeans. But show yourself some respect, and put on a different pair of yoga pants than you wore to bed.
Take a walk.
This quarantine does not prevent you from stepping outside. You are more than welcome to soak in the sunshine from your yard or to take a walk around your neighborhood.
It may not seem like it now, but in a few days that change of scenery could do wonders for your mindset.
Luckily, here in Raleigh, it’s not cold. If it is where you are, bundle up and get out of the house. That fresh air and sun on your face just may give you the pep in your step you’ve been looking for.
Utilize at-home workouts
I rely heavily on the gym, and you can find me there four to five days a week. Clearly, it’s closed now, and even if it wasn’t, I would NOT be stepping foot in that germ fest.
Naturally it’s been my mission to find some at-home alternatives. Many fitness studios and apps are offering free access to their on demand programs or free trials.
A few I’ve found include Tone it Up, Pure Barre, CorePower Yoga and Peloton. Some of these are totally free access and others are free live workouts. Either way, they’re FREE, and it’s a way to move! And I don’t know about you, but a good workout can turn my day around fast!
Create structure
I’ll be honest. When I first saw people posting on social media about educational activities to do with your kids, I was rolling my eyes.
“Let’s not put more pressure on ourselves,” I thought to myself.
But then I lived one day with no structure and let the free for all happen, and I do NOT recommend it.
Let me be clear. We’re not doing a full day of homeschooling up in here. My boys are four and two, and I honestly don’t think it’s necessary. But adding in a bit of structure during the morning hours was a huge help for all of us.
It cut down immensely on the sibling fights and the amount of times I had to say “NO” or “Stop doing that”. And it also cut down a lot on how much of the news I was digesting through my phone. If you didn’t know, this can do wonders for your spirits these days.
Luckily, Beckett’s school emailed a list of suggested ideas which has been super helpful. But if you don’t have anything like that to go off of, here are some resources you can look into: Cosmic Kids Yoga, Sanity First Facebook Community, Saint Andrews Preschool Instagram Account, Great Schools and Art for Kids Hub.
Find a purpose in all of this.
Ultimately what keeps me sane and calm through all of this and even on a normal Wednesday where a Covid-19 quarantine doesn’t exist is remembering I do not control my life.
And when things like this happen, as unfortunate and trying as they may be, I remember that there’s Someone far wiser than me who orchestrates everything.
That doesn’t mean that I understand why certain things happen or why I’m put in certain circumstances, but it does motivate me to find purpose in them.
And as all of this unfolds with the Coronavirus, I can’t help but to think that maybe we need a slow down. Maybe we need to be confined to our homes with our families. Perhaps we need to reconnect and remember the goodness of a simple life without all of the distractions. Or maybe we simply need a reminder that we aren’t in control.
Whatever it is for you, I pray that you’ll find it through our current circumstances so that some good can come of this.
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