Are you struggling with lockdown? Here’s some self-care tips
By Scratch Staff | 28 May 2020 | Expert Advice, Feature
Janan Saher, director of Aviva Day Spa in Luton, reveals why it’s important to focus self-care at home during lockdown and serves up suggestions to promote such care…
Janan Saher
The world is a pretty surreal place these days because of the global panic around coronavirus (COVID-19). Are you’re feeling overwhelmed, anxious or stressed? Be reassured that this is a very normal response. However, it’s important to go easy on yourself and take some time out for self-care.
So, what is self care at home and why is it important?
Self-care involves taking actions to reach positive physical and mental health. It may also refer to activities that you can engage in to relax or enhance emotional wellbeing. You could practice meditation and mindfulness, journaling, or take time to pamper yourself.
There are many ways to help you cope during isolation, and self care at home is one of them.
Keep busy – Keep active. Enjoy a long walk or run. Play with the children or the dog in the garden, get the Wii fit out, or Joe Wicks (I know which I’d prefer), get your blood pumping and heart racing. Your body produces endorphins when you exercise which is a little bit like a happy pill. If you’re limited in terms of outside space, try the Seven app. Seven is a 7-minute workout app for iOS and Android. It provides seven-minute workouts that are based on scientific studies and are designed to provide the maximum benefit in the shortest amount of time. You can also link up with friends in the app to encourage each other (or, let’s be honest, compete!) – it’s a great way to stay connected.
Chat to your friend – Even if an in-person meet-up is not possible, try to stay in touch with your friends via text, Messenger, Zoom, WhatsApp, FaceTime, or (gasp!) a good ol’ fashioned phone call. Ask them how they’re feeling and share your own experiences. Chances are, they are feeling the same as you at the minute.
Pamper yourself – Spend some time on you! Perform a mini facial, enjoy a nice bubble bath and a face mask, get a foot spa out, work on your nails or apply some fake tan. Whatever it is, take the time to do the things you enjoyed before. You can find some amazing skincare tips by Aviva Day Spa on Instagram .
Meditation & mindfulness – When we’re stressed about something (such as coronavirus), our thoughts tend to speed up. Taking 10 minutes or so to practise meditation and mindfulness can help produce a sense of calm. You can find plenty of mindfulness info online and meditation music on Spotify and YouTube. Take time to listen to your favourite music, play some nostalgic tracks and relax.
Nourish your body – It is always important to ensure you are taking care of your health, eating well is a big part of it. Consider a balanced diet with good proteins (such as meats or legumes), fresh or canned fruit and vegetables (depending on what you have ), and drink plenty of water. Keep your body nourished to help it stay healthy! Why not take up cooking as a hobby?
Plan ahead – Whether it’s a holiday, a shopping trip, your wedding, business or home improvements. Sit down and write a plan. Start making decisions now on what you want to do in the future. It will help to lift your spirits and give you something to focus on and look forward to.
Worry diary – Are you a worrier? Do you battle with anxiety and depression? Spend 20-minutes everyday writing down your worries can really help to reduce anxiety. Try it a couple of hrs before bed. It may help to clear your mind of anything thats bothering you. Once you’ve written it down, throw it away. Remember tomorrow is a new day!
Work on your business – Refine your business. Are you a salon owner, mobile therapist or maybe you work from home? Now is the perfect time to refine your business strategies. How often in business do we ever get time to stop and look at the bigger picture. Work on your treatment menu, look at staffing and working hours; what weren’t you happy with before? Makes those changes now. It’s a great time to reflect on what is working and what isn’t. Where do you want your business to be? Are going in the direction you want your business to go? Now is the perfect time to make changes. Go back to work feeling renewed, refreshed and more focused than ever.
Quality time with family – how many times have we wished for more hours in the day. Well now we have them lol. Well, not literally, however we have been forced to slow down. Enjoy spending quality time with your loved ones now. Because it won’t be long before we are all back to going at 100mph, 24/7. Take those nice walks, enjoy relaxing in the sunshine, play boardgames, take it back to the olden days. Put all technology away for an hour and have some old school fun together.
Routine – Maintain a personal routine, including home hobbies, exercise, painting, DIY and sleep, that’s right have a nap. Sleep experts have found that daytime naps can improve many things: increase alertness, boost creativity, reduce stress, aid in weight loss, brighten your mood and boost memory. Maintaining a work/life balance is also important in ensuring you don’t feel overwhelmed.
Less news and social media – Limit your exposure to news updates and social media opinions. While it can be important to stay up-to-date, it can also be overwhelming and disempowering to see the scale of events. Remember that it is ok to tune out. You are doing enough. Take one day at a time and try to remain positive each day.
Declutter – If you’re suddenly spending a lot more time at home, it can help to have an environment that feels good to you. Instead of getting all Marie Kondo and trying to spring clean your whole house in a day, try decluttering for five or 10 minutes a day. Pick a shelf to start with, or pick up five things and find a home for them. You may be surprised how clearing clutter can make you feel.
Learn something new – Now is the perfect time to learn that new language you always wanted to learn on the Duolingo app. Or check out some free e-learning courses. The Open University offers hundreds of e-learning courses for free. If you’re looking to start a new career in beauty and nails or update your current skills, check out some of our training courses at www.avivaacademy.co.uk.
Lastly – Remember, this isn’t forever – remind yourself that this is temporary. It will soon be over and life will resume, maybe a little different than before but it will. So enjoy this free time now. Breathe and know we are all in this together.
If you are feeling overwhelmed, not coping and need further help and support you can find the contacts below to help you:
- Samaritans – Crisis Line Number: 116 123
- NHS – Helpline: 111
- Local support services