Y’all, you know I had to talk about this whole quarantine/social isolation thing. Here in Colorado, we have a statewide shelter in place order. I carry a letter in my car that gives me permission to go to work. I know y’all are wondering, so let me just clear this up – the dispensaries are still open 😂 Totally weird, but I’m actually kindof glad. Some people use marijuana as a medical therapy and I’m glad they can still access that in this time of quarantine/lockdown. ANYWAY, I digress.
Whether or not you’re government mandated to stay home, you should be doing it! COVID-19 (aka Coronavirus) is scary as fuck and you don’t want to get it yourself or give it to someone you love. That being said, quarantine is boring (even for those of us who are still working every day), so I compiled a list of my favorite ways to pass the time. Of note – I don’t have a TV and I don’t like TV that much, so this list is for those of you who have already binge watched everything on Netflix and need a break from the screen time (;
Note: I’m trying out this whole affiliate link thing. If you wanna try the things I love and recommend, you can use my link and I’ll get a teeny commission. You don’t pay anything extra, just supporting ya girl (;
Read that book that’s been sitting on your shelf.
I love to read, but I don’t always make the time to do it. Anyone else? When I was in school I completely quit reading for fun because I had so much reading for school. Now that that’s over, I’m trying to get back into reading books because I want to, rather than reading to learn about global economics and operations management (gross). This quarantine is a perfect time to cozy up with a cup of coffee or a glass of wine and dive into a good book. My FAVORITE book in the whole world is The Perks of Being a Wallflower. It’s a quick read and Charlie will steal your heart. Read the book before you watch the movie if you have’t seen it yet (; You can get it for like $7. Why the heck not?
Get moving!
I am so damn tired of people being like, “I’m gonna gain 400lbs during this quarantine.” The fuck? No. Stop it. Do not use this as an excuse to eat because there’s “nothing else to do.” That’s bullshit. Don’t get me wrong, I love food, but you can spare an hour or less in your day to get a workout in. There are plenty of free workouts you can find online – just get on Pinterest or Youtube and search home workout. If your Facebook feed looks anything like mine, there are a bunch of people offering free livestream/zoom classes to help you get moving. If these aren’t popping up, go follow a few fitness instructors on SM. I also use Beachbody On Demand to stream workouts from a personal trainer from my living room. There are a TON of programs to choose from so you’re bound to find something you love. BOD has lots of options that require no equipment and workouts that are as short as 10 minutes. You can also get a full year for only $99, or shorter subscriptions for less. Plus, the trainers aren’t bad to look at either (; If you wanna try some of their free workouts or want know how to sign up for a free trial of all of their programs, click here and shoot me a message so I can send you the link!
Color!
Okay, I know this seems silly, but don’t knock it till you try it. There’s something relaxing about kicking back with a coloring book and just mindlessly scribbling away. I keep one at work so I can color during conference calls or when I just need a minute to de-stress. It’s actually really lovely. One of the girls at work got me this “You’re Totally Badass” coloring book for my birthday and I’m literally obsessed. You can get one for yourself here!
Send some love to healthcare workers
While the rest of the world is on lockdown, nurses, CNAs doctors, respiratory therapists, housekeepers, food service workers, and many others are still going to work every day. I can’t really explain how emotionally taxing this is. We love what we do and want to take care of our patients, but we also know that by doing so we’re putting ourselves and our families at risk and that sucks. The things we see and deal with are scary. Some days we want to walk out, but we don’t. You may not realize it, but small gestures of appreciation really do mean a lot. If you’re looking for something to pass the time (especially if you have kiddos that need a project), make some pretty artwork or write thank you notes. Look up the address of your local hospital and mail them. Address them to the hospital and include c/o “healthcare heroes” or something cute like that. Things like that brighten our day and help us to know that our work doesn’t go unnoticed.
Play Games
Do you still have a deck of cards or old board games sitting around? Pull them out and get playing! Not too long ago A and I decided to have a game night because we felt like staying in and being lazy. We went out and bought Phase 10, Chutes and Ladders, and Guess Who? and OMG WE HAD SO MUCH FUN! Those silly games from when you were younger are lighthearted and nostalgic. They’re a great way to take your mind off of all the crazy shit that’s happening and have fun with your kids, SO, or other quarantine partners.
Self Care!
This one should really be a daily occurrence while you’re in quarantine. It doesn’t seem like being home with nothing going on or working from home should be stressful, but it is. This isn’t our normal and we don’t have the same opportunity to connect with others that we did before. It’s hard. During this time, it’s so important to take time to relax and practice intentional self care. That can mean different things for everyone, so choose what’s right for you. I have a few go-to favorites. I LOVE taking baths. A good friend of mine got me hooked on Lush products several years ago and I’ve never looked back. Since the start of quarantine, I’ve managed to use my entire supply of bubble bars, bath bombs, and bath oils – I definitely need to get online and order more! I also love trying out new skincare products and doing masks/facials. I recently signed up for FabFitFun and I’m loving being able to try new things that I wouldn’t normally buy for myself. (I’m planning a post soon on why FFF is great for girls like me who don’t know how to be a real girl, so stay tuned. In the meantime, if you want to check it out and get $10 off your first box, click here. I’ll also send starter boxes until I run out of codes, so let me know if you want one! My other favorite self care activity is doing my nails! I love fun colors and designs – they just make me happy to look at all day! Color Street is my latest obsession because they’re easy to apply, they’re real nail polish, and the designs are SO cute! I don’t sell or make any $$ of these, I just love them!
Journal
I have to admit, I’m not an avid journaler. I WANT to be though! In a way, this blog is my form of journaling. I really want to get into the habit of sitting down for a few minutes every day and just reflecting on the day through journaling. I think it would be a nice way to process my thoughts in the safety of my own mind (shit gets weird in there). I love this post about the benefits of journaling <3 If you’re not already doing this, what better time to start than when you’re home all day every day? Stay tuned for a post on journal prompts coming soon (;
Do whatever the hell you’ve been saying you don’t have time to do until now.
Um, hi. You have all the time in the world now and I KNOW there’s some kind of project you’ve been wanting to work on. I’m not talking remodel your kitchen (although home improvement projects are great too). I’m talking about doing something for YOU. Like, I don’t know, starting a blog. Learning to play an instrument. Learning how to cook (LOL never happening for me). Training your dog to fall over when you make finger guns and say “bang!” Doing some kind of craft project. Making jewelry. Literally anything you want to do. This isolation shit makes everyone stressed out and emotional, so investing the time in something that makes you happy will help you to deal with some of that stress.
What are you doing to survive this period of isolation? I don’t spend my entire day at home, but the evenings and weekends are still very different than what I’m used to. Share your ideas in the comments!
