I know it is so much easier said than done, but self care during social distancing will help you in so many ways.
Some of the simple self care items below are well-known and understood. Others can be a fun and new project to do for yourself and your family.
Common Knowledge Self Care
Do frequent hand washing with soap and water. Soap is known to breakdown the COVID-19 germs! When not available use hand sanitizer.
Wipe down all common household surfaces such as the kitchen counters, light switches, dining table, door knobs, refrigerator handles, bathroom counters, faucet handles, and other surfaces.
All incoming groceries should be disinfected or washed before bringing them inside.
Keep snacks as healthy and nutritious as you can. It’s definitely OK to splurge every now and then too – chocolate never hurt anyone!
Self Care Projects for the Entire Family
Anxiety may be high so it is important to provide a calm space for your children. Talk to the kids about their feelings. Brene Brown has each person at the dinner table describe how they feel in one word. It is important to give your feelings a name – I feel that when I do, I gain more control over how I feel.
Schedule out snacks and exercise breaks. Maintain routines as much as possible. Self care includes structure!
Daily, positive affirmations are so encouraging! Say something as simple as, “Great job on your virtual classes today!” or “Have a great day at school (tongue in cheek of course because “school” is in their rooms, on their computers).
There’s no time like the present for Family Game Night (or Day)! I love myself a competitive game of Battleship or a card game like Garbage.
Bake cookies. Or banana bread. Or dinner like Shepherd’s Pie.
Put that puzzle together that has been sitting on the dining room table forever (me).
Start knocking out that “Honey Do” list.
Pick a book and start a family book club.
Stream exercise workouts or yoga.
Set boundaries. Give yourself permission for some quiet time/space during the course of the day.
Encourage family chores that are age-appropriate for everyone in the family. Offer praise for completed chores and talk about how everyone is working together.
Set realistic expectations for yourself. I like to create a to-do list the night before or first thing in the morning to set myself up for the day. I try to make sure I don’t over book myself either!
Be kind. Be kind to everyone around you, and most importantly be kind to yourself.
Karissa says
I couldn’t agree more – especially as a mama, getting me alone or self care time has been so crucial to staying sane and feeling normal during this time! Great post!
Dana says
Thank you
Keegan says
Yes! Self care is important all the time but especially now! Thanks for sharing
Dana says
Your welcome.
Tom says
During this crisis, we’re having a big opportunity to take care of ourselves.
Your tips for spending time with family like baking cookies really helped me to spark some ideas! Amazing read, thank you!
Stay safe 🙂
Britt K says
You have a number of great options, but the one that really stuck out to me was to set realistic expectations. There are so many different posts on social media right now telling us what we should be accomplishing, how productive we should be, etc. However, the truth is going to depend on your situation. If you’re struggling mentally, you can’t be expected to spend your whole day learning a new language or completing some self-improvement course. If you’re suddenly homeschool 3 children, it’s asking an awful lot to expect you to also completely spring clean and organize your house. While these posts have a great purpose and may provide many with motivation and inspriation, we also need to be realistic or we’ll find ourselves disappointed that we aren’t ‘doing enough’.
John Gatesby says
Hi Dana,
You are so correct about sanitizing ourselves and our homes and also upgrade our skills and some serious self care. I have embarked on a serious fitness routine with Yoga in the mornings and weight training in the evenings and eating light and healthy. Tough but persisting with it and wake up every morning feeling great.
I wish you are safe and making most of this lock down.
John Gatesby says
Need more such articles spreading positivity and inspiration. Since most of us are seeing each other so much and for so long after a long time. We run into each other more than often, this sometimes could lead to irritation or even conflicts. So your idea of self care and being kind to each other makes complete sense.
Dana says
I agree John!