5 Things That Are Keeping Me Sane During Quarantine

I've been quarantined for 50+ days for now. Some days are admittedly easier than others. I've had to find ways to keep my sanity. It's been an experiment but I've finally found a few ways to feel somewhat "normal." These are five things I'm using to stay healthy, grounded, and sane during this quarantined time at home.

At Home Youtube Workouts

Yoga by Adriene / Via youtube.com

I've been an avid exerciser for my whole adult life. The gym has been a sacred space - a place I go to escape reality for an hour or two. Now, with all the gyms closed, I've had to figure out a way to still connect with my body and get out of my head without the gym. Youtube has been clutch. A couple of channels I've been loving recently - Yoga with Adriene for grounding, accessible, find-what-feels-good flows. And POPSUGAR Fitness for cardio-based workouts that you can do in your living room. My favorite - anything with Nicole Steen. Bonus - these are all free if you're on a budget.

Lo-Fi Hip Hop and ASMR Videos

ASMR Weekly / Via youtube.com

I've been working remotely for a few years now. But working remotely in the pre-pandemic world and working from a forced quarantine are two very different things. Now, I have to work much harder to continue to keep boundaries between work and life now that I'm doing all of it from the same physical space. I've had to find a way to be productive from home - especially now that my partner is home all the time too. One thing that's helped me zone in at home is background noise. Two things that help me stay productive - lo-fi hip hop and ASMR ambience rooms. Spotify has some awesome lo-fi hip hop channels - as does Youtube. ASMR Weekly on Youtube is my favorite place to find animated scenes to put on in the background while I work. The Harry Potter Ambience playlist is my favorite (I am a self-proclaimed Harry Potter fangirl...) The scenes make me happy and the sounds in the background are soft and relaxing - almost like being in a library or coffee shop.

The Public Library

Libby / Via overdrive.com

The public library is a GREAT THING. If you're not a member of yours, I highly suggest you sign up ASAP. The process couldn't be simpler. And let's be honest, I have more time than ever to read. Of course, you can't go to your local library to get actual books, but most libraries have the option to check them out online via a phone or tablet. My library links up to the app Libby which allows me to peruse all available options (books and audiobooks) and check them out online. The app is incredibly easy to use. And when I find myself endlessly scrolling social media, I snap out of it and switch to Libby instead. I'm currently reading three books - The Farm, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, and The Alchemist.

Simple Meals

Ultimate Paleo Guide / Via ultimatepaleoguide.com

We've all got to eat. And for many of us, we're cooking from home more than ever before. I've honestly really enjoyed the extra time to experiment in the kitchen. But cooking big, extravagant meals isn't always realistic - even during quarantine. So coming back to simple, nutritious meals with minimal ingredients has been something really grounding for me. I've found it helpful to use a meal planning service or site you really like and start building a database of recipes for yourself that make eating well easy and delicious. Resort to these recipes when you need a quick and easy meal but you don't feel like cooking or you're down to your staple ingredients.

Scheduling FaceTime Dates

United Nations / Via unsplash.com

By nature, I'm a very independent person - even loner-ish, maybe. I don't mind spending time by myself and can tend to isolate myself if I don't make an effort to reach out to people. Now, that I can't have my normally-scheduled in-person hangouts with friends, I've had to make an effort to reach out to my friends for FaceTime dates. Because I tend to get lost in the day with whatever I have going on, I've started penciling these social times into my schedule. I have standing FaceTime dates with my sisters, parents, and friends just to check in and catch up. I put these in my calendar with reminder notifications so I don't forget. I try my hardest to never miss these - even when I may want to (because I have no "new" news to talk about or just feel "blah" about things and the state of the world). Right now, I think connection is more important than ever. And because I know I tend to isolate, I've been holding myself accountable to check in with the people I love. And I ALWAYS feel better after I do. If you're the same way, push yourself to reach out and connect. (PS - want to check in but can't find a time that works for both of you? I love the app Marco Polo for easy video chats without having to be on the same schedule.)