by Justine Lee A. Idquival
Entangle yourselves within the comfort of your own sheets as you let your protective gears down in your natural niche as you doze off on your own.
Come to think of it, keeping our doors locked and our faces half-covered all the time raises a bar of protection for the human race as we speak. Being enclosed within the four walls of our home left us with no choice but to set aside our usual agendas to keep ourselves restrained, fully protecting our extra vulnerable neighbors and ourselves, too. So, take a breather, reader: recline on that couch, pull your feet up, and make yourself comfortable as we escort you towards all-day useful self-care activities in the comfort of your own home.
A Casual Productivity
Upon seeking shelter within our leeway, we begin to recognize the details hanging from our shelves, clothes, and trinkets peeking out from our dresser drawers, and dust sprawled on the carpet rug. These details, as we know them, reflect who we are and what we do in this present day scenario. Use this period to liberate yourself as you inhale authenticity and acceptance while exhaling the toxicity of the outside and virtual worlds; decreasing your stress levels unaccompanied with. Indulge in simple yet, doable hobbies such as finding time to meditate, decluttering your room, drawing portraits, curating playlists, or even engaging in positive dialogue with yourself. Achieving a brand new sense of peace and quiet in the comfortable seclusion of your bedroom is a headstart to proper care for one’s self.
Indulge in Healthy Routines
A well-balanced outlook in life followed by the absence of sickness indicates a healthy lifestyle. In curating an effective exercise and/or skincare routine, you can start doing simple muscle exercises throughout the day and hydrating before bedtime as you commit to a healthy sleeping routine at night. Aside from the physical aspect, it’s efficient to master the art of dealing with your emotions during this time of confinement. Learn the many ways to express and emphasize them in the current situation to keep your mental health in check. In doing so, these routines will help you improve your general mental and physical health, leading you to create a healthy perspective of your overall appearance that will positively affect you and others.
Declutter, Dispose, and Delight
It is without a doubt that mess everywhere has started to appear in several forms; from crumpled papers and tangled chains of jewelry to excess memories and intrusive thoughts that roam freely in our brainwaves. This is where we turn to the act of “decluttering” and rid ourselves of unnecessary things to achieve contentment and order. You could do this by focusing on your physical clutter first: food wrappers, mementos, clothes, accessories, unwanted room decor from past seasons, taking off unimportant weight, and leaving more room to breathe. Afterward, carrying on with realigning your emotions by inviting forgiveness and kindness unto your inner being, while letting go of the unnecessary.
If you happen to dispose of so much that it leaves you feeling unhinged, then it’s about time to rethink your actions and thoughts. Creating a clean space for you to work and focus on can actually do wonders for your productivity levels, as you have less clutter to think about and more ideas to improve your work ethics that can give you a sense of fulfillment.
Plug Into Your Creative Outlet
Ever since Miss Rona’s reign had begun, unconventional individuals have been finding inspiration to venture into different innovative paths by creating their clever outflows. Whether through fashion-lines, crafts, or simple pre-loved online deals, these creative juices burst from the limited corners of their humble abode, which enables creative outlets to overflow a surge of elation and positivity and unlimited ways to keep moving forward. This act not only hones your innovative mindset to the fullest but it also presents you a wide range of opportunities to help yourself and others to keep going in life considering the many halted possibilities brought about by certain circumstances. It’s a perfect time to release what’s going on in that hazy head of yours in the real world, after all.
Offline Is Better
In the modern age, social media has long created a home for us to stay in. With mixed voices of the masses and the casual readers bombarding the news feed, it becomes too hard to bear, thus the reminder to step away from your gadgets coming into play. The practice of social media detoxing can be very beneficial to your mental health as it prevents you from creating unnecessary comparisons that somehow creates a division between your real and virtual self, forming various issues and identity crises behind the screen. In breaking off ties with the internet, use this vacant time to set boundaries and focus on yourself first before others. Disconnecting to have this period of self-reflection slowly assists you in becoming self-aware. After all, you deserve to hit snooze from all the same notifications you’ve been getting.
Checking Is Caring
Due to the necessary restrictions raising a barrier between our physical connections, everyone we know and love resorts to coping mechanisms all while their overall well-being is being tested. As everyone becomes equally struggling with their own personal issues, a simple "Kumusta ka na?" can pull them back to the light of reality, regardless of the distance. Our reality today has shifted to a “new normal”, including changes in the way we check up on each other. Today, we are given enough time to rebuild our relationships and strengthen them as time passes. It’s nice to balance the healthy connection between your current housemates, your virtual peers, and of course, your own self, too.
Quarantine season has always been tough for all of us, it’s one thing we didn’t see coming. We’ve seen suspensions range from a week to a month-long to having no definite date of resumption of normal agendas. But while we bask in the glory of our own dim lights and controlled atmosphere, let’s gently remind ourselves that everything will be alright in time. The self-care guide is a glimpse of the A to Z of everything we are allowed to do to maintain our productivity levels high and our overall well-being intact and capable.
Remember to strive for that sense of hope amidst the quiet chaos, and don’t hold back when things suddenly get too heavy. In the end, let loose and take a break. Because there’s still a long journey ahead of you.
SOURCES:
Collins, S. (n.d.). Exercise During Coronavirus: Tips for Staying Active - HelpGuide.org. https://www.Helpguide.Org. Retrieved October 31, 2020, from https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-living/exercise-during-coronavirus.htm#:~:text=Unless%20your%20area%20is%20under
THE IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA DETOX. (2020, May 8). Ignite Teen Treatment. https://igniteteentreatment.com/the-importance-of-social-media-detox/#:~:text=A%20social%20media%20detox%2C%20no
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