It’s pretty obvious that being in quarantine has thrown all of us into a very different state of mind and pulled us out of our day to day normal. The world is currently united in the fact that everyone is going through this moment and working to find some semblance of normalcy in their everyday life. Even though I was already working from home and had my son at home with me prior to this, the fact that our entire household is working from home and the lack of physical presence of my family has changed everything for me. But instead of focusing on things that I can’t control, I started trying to find develop a routine that gave me and my family a sense of normalcy during quarantine and I want to share our routine with you.
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TRY TO KEEP A SIMILAR DAY TO DAY SCHEDULE
Since we are all home and there’s no need to commute, some of us may be altering our work schedules throughout the day which means we may be getting up later or eating lunch or dinner at a different time. Instead of making any changes to that schedule, try your hardest to maintain it. Instead of sleeping up, wake up at the same time that you would if you were driving to work. Go through your morning routine and go downstairs and make yourself some coffee, take the dog for a walk, spruce up the house a little, and then log into work at the same time that you normally would. Eat lunch at the same time you would at work and then if you normally would get home and eat dinner at 6, eat around that time. Try not to take random breaks throughout the day to lounge around or clean up anything around the house – unless you normally took breaks or cleaned up your work area normal. By maintaining your regular work schedule will not only add normalcy to your schedule during quarantine, but it will also make it easier to return back to work once that happens.
GET DRESSED A FEW DAYS A WEEK
Though it’s hard and not the most appealing thing to do, try to get dressed at least a few days a week. I’m not saying that you have to get completely dressed in a work suit or your traditional workwear, but still, go through your daily normal routine and change out of your pajamas in the morning. By even just changing into some nice loungewear and out of the clothes you slept in can make a huge difference. I find that when I roll right out of bed and keep my pajamas on, I don’t get as much done during the days as when I change into a different outfit, put a little mascara on, and do my hair.
TAKE MOMENTS OF SELF-CARE
Self-care is super important and if you aren’t taking the time to make sure that you’re okay, this is going to be one rough ride for you – even more than it probably already is. For self-care, you don’t have to create a whole spa in your house, unless you want to…I mean, I have, but try to take moments that make you happy. If self-care for you is taking a break at the end of the day and checking out from all electronics and just closing your eyes and listening to some soothing sounds, then do that. Something even as small as taking an extended shower on the weekend and using a new aroma in the shower that is so pleasing to you is still self-care. I have been looking at tutorials to figure out to do my own beauty services such as wax my eyebrows and give myself a manicure because when I would go get those done I felt pampered, so why not pamper myself at home.
GET SOME OUTDOOR TIME (SAFELY!)
Sunshine and outdoors are not canceled. Many places have parks that are closed, which is understandable, but if you have a location around you that still has open hiking trails, if you live in a neighborhood where you can walk, or if you have a deck, patio or porch then go out and get some fresh air and social distance. We make sure to try to take a walk with our son and pup every day that it is nice outside because it gives us a feeling of normalcy during quarantine. We even went on a hiking trail with family and social distanced in our little family units. This gave us the ability to talk to one another, physically see each other, and still stay at a safe distance and follow protocols laid out in the state. So just make sure to read up on what is allowed in your area and take in the sunshine. We are planning to set up a little beach for our son on our deck and then as it gets warmer, we are going to decorate and furnish the deck area so that we can go out and enjoy.
FIND SOMETHING NEW TO LEARN
If you were in your workplace, you may be working on career development or moving towards a new goal. And even if you’re not, constant self and career development are always great and essential for finding normalcy during quarantine. Since you may have a little more extra time on your hands than you normally would, look into something that you can learn that will help you personally, career-wise, or both. By learning a new skill, you may allow yourself to return to work and offer something that you couldn’t before – potentially making you more valuable in your field. Plus, it’s a great thing to add to your resume. For me, I have enrolled myself in a Photoshop masterclass so that I can do more with my photos as my business expands and as we venture out on more travels (in the future). So, enroll in something and learn a new skill. And then even try to put it to use while you’re working from home, you may be able to help your business more than you actually think right now.
SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL RESTAURANTS
Many of us enjoyed eating out every once and a while, and the great thing is that many restaurants are offering touchless delivery and low contact pick-up/curbside options. So why not still order out every once and awhile. Supporting local restaurants will help you to maintain a sense of normalcy during quarantine but it will also help to make sure that these restaurants are still around after quarantine. For us, we have been ordering from our favorite restaurants because we would like to be able to visit them in person after this is over
