My Quarantine Routine - Things To Do Whilst Isolating At Home

If you're reading this blog post then I'm sure you'll agree with me - quarantine can be boring. Don't get me wrong the first week or so was great - finally having the time to relax, being able to lie in without consequence etc. But then it started to get old and repetitive: I felt like I'd watched all the good Netflix shows, my Youtube subscription box had nothing exciting in it, and I was incredibly bored of being stuck inside. As someone who likes to be busy and always doing something, I decided to come up with this loose structure for my days, which has massively helped me to think of a variety of ways to spend quarantine and be constantly entertained. So if you're like me and want some structure in your day, or you're simply looking for some things to do whilst stuck inside, then keep reading this post.

My morning routine 
I've found that quarantine is much more manageable if I have an established morning routine and wake up around the same time every day, rather than messing up my sleep schedule and waking up in the middle of the day. Having said that, since I'm not in a rush to leave the house for university or work I'll let myself chill out and scroll on my phone for a bit, simply because I can and it feels good not having to jump straight out of bed. Once I do decide to get up, I make sure that I eat a proper breakfast, get dressed (although usually into comfy gym wear) and make the bed, and instantly my mindset is transformed into feeling productive and ready to kickstart the day. I may also give myself a moment of peace before the busy day starts, often sitting down with a cup of tea and reading a few pages of my book.

Getting some fresh air outside
As we're still allowed to have one form of outside exercise per day, I've really been trying to make the most of this whenever possible. Although I live in the middle of a city, there are actually a few parks nearby that are lovely to walk or jog around, especially since the weather has been gorgeous lately. I'll admit that going for a run isn't really my thing, but getting some fresh air and walking whilst listening to music or a podcast always puts me in a better mood, and it feels nice to leave the house, even if it's just for a little while.

Do some form of exercise
It's very easy to let all kinds of fitness slide when you're stuck in the house all day, especially when you're confined to a fairly small space and not walking around as much. My personal favourite way to combat this is doing an at-home workout on Youtube, as there are tons of different ones that are easy to follow and you can tailor it to your specific fitness goals. They're also quite short, which is great if exercise isn't your thing as a 10-minute video can seem a lot more manageable and easy to get through. I also really enjoy doing yoga and find that it's the perfect balance of fitness and mental restoration, so if you want something that is lower impact but will leave your body and mind feeling better then this may be great for you. If all else fails and you're really opposed to the idea of exercising, try and be a bit more active in your daily routine, whether that's by running up and down the stairs a couple of times or having a dance whilst you're washing the dishes.

Studying and engaging the brain
I'm a university student and all of my classes have been moved online, and since I have deadlines throughout May I've been using a portion of each day to get some of this work done. Whether that's by planning essays, attending online lectures and seminars or completing my required reading, there's been tons to do and it has been nice to have a sense of normality in my studies. However, I've tried to be less harsh on myself and recognise that we're living in quite a stressful and unprecedented time. Whereas I'd probably be doing long days of studying if I was in university or the library, I've been more relaxed with my university work and only do what I can manage. Some days I've been super productive yet others I haven't even been able to pick up a book, but that's okay.

However, if you're no longer a student, it doesn't mean that you can't do something for your brain. Now is the perfect time to learn something new or develop an old skill, whether it's something that'll help in your career or an external passion that you've been wanting to follow. A great way of doing this is through Skillshare - I signed up for their free two-month trial and there are absolutely tons of online classes and workshops, so if you're looking to learn more about graphic design, social media management, interior design or even cocktail making amongst many others, there will be a course for you to try.

Do something productive
You know all of those boring household tasks that you always put off due to being too busy? Well now is the perfect time to tackle them! Whether you have some home DIY projects to start or simply want to reorganise a room in your house, it's a great way to spend your time productively in quarantine. As well my usual tasks and keeping on top of housework, I've been doing things like reorganising my wardrobe, decluttering my drawers, washing my makeup brushes and even making myself a new CV. It's also a good time to be digitally productive and do things like clear out your camera roll, sort through your spam emails and organise the files on your laptop - the list is endless but you'll definitely feel the benefit of it!

Following my heart and doing my hobbies
Although a lot of people are saying that you should be using the quarantine period productively with endless projects and new business ventures, it's completely okay if you don't want to do this or don't have the mental energy for it. Instead, one of the best ways to treat yourself is to revisit your hobbies (or find some new ones) that may have been pushed aside in your busy daily life. My biggest hobby is blogging and so I've been spending a lot of time planning posts and photographs ready to create some amazing content for you guys, so perhaps starting your own blog is something you could do during the quarantine? Another great idea is to get creative, whether that's through art, journaling, crafting, learning how to knit, crochet - the list goes on! I've decided to learn how to sew during this quarantine, and so I've been ordering fabric online and watching lots of Youtube videos ready to hopefully start making some cute little skirts!

I've also been using this time to do a lot more reading, which is a huge passion of mine but something that I don't have a lot of time for outside of university. It feels great to finally pick up some of my own books to read (rather than the classics that my degree entails) and I've been powering through my TBR list! If you're still stuck for ideas then here are some more: start a scrapbook, listen to or create a podcast, start gaming, learn a new recipe, work on a sport (that's possible to do from your house or garden), write a book, learn a new instrument - I could honestly keep going!

Keeping mental health in check
It's important to not forget about your mental wellbeing during this difficult and uncertain time, and so I've been doing a few things to keep my mind in check. I've started meditating a few times a week, which is something that I've done over the past few years but never regularly, but a great place to start is the Calm app that'll provide soothing guided meditations that are easy to engage with. I've also been remembering to take my medication and drink a lot of water throughout the day, as little things like this make a huge difference. It can also be quite an isolating time so it's good to keep in contact with friends and family - whether that is through messaging them, talking on the phone or through Facetime, it's nice to hear a familiar voice and check in. Why not even write them a letter, I'm sure it'd be appreciated!

Relax and wind down of the evening
Although it's easy to be swept into the mindset of being busy and productive during quarantine, you should also allow yourself some time to relax and wind down. My favourite way to do this is to have a cosy film evening or start watching a new Netflix series accompanied with some chocolates, or binging through my Youtube subscriptions. It's also the perfect time to allow yourself to mindlessly scroll through social media, and there's no guilt attached since you've been productive throughout the day.

My nighttime routine
Much like my morning routine, I find it really useful to have an established evening routine and I try to get to sleep at a reasonable hour (although this isn't set in stone, so if I want to stay up late one night and have a lie-in the next morning, nothing is stopping me). I kickstart my evening routine by having a relaxing shower and indulging in my skin and body care - normally I'd skip on body moisturisers and face masks if I was in a rush but now is the ideal time to use them. I also take the time to pray and give gratitude, which is really important to do in such a tough time. When winding down to sleep I tend to either watch something or read, and every night without fail I will fall asleep whilst listening to a podcast, but do whatever works best for you.

I hope you enjoyed hearing what I'm doing during this quarantine period, and if you have any other recommendations I'd love to hear them, so be sure to let me know down in the comments!