How To Create A Healthy And Productive Routine In Isolation

How to create a healthy and productive routine when you’re in quarantine? Nobody would even ask this question until recently, but due to COVID-19 which is spreading so fast, we have to.  

Knowing how to create a healthy and productive routine when you’re in isolation can be your lifeline and it doesn’t matter if you’re practicing social distancing, self-isolating or you’re on lockdown. 

Probably you’re working from home which can be very unusual or you’re trying to be productive staying at home. 

Whatever it is, it’s most likely that now and in the near future we will have to spend much more time at home than anywhere else. Some people may even experience depression due to the lack of ability to get out. 

Personally to me, it’s never been hard or devastating to stay at home, I love it! However, knowing that I cannot step out to go to my favorite store or park can be challenging. 

That’s why now more than ever we need to create a routine for staying happy, productive, and healthy. 

During this time it’s essential to make sure that our body, mind, work, relationships, and home are taken care of.  

I divided my routine for staying healthy, happy, and productive into 5 categories that I follow. 

1. Take care of your body 

Move it! 

Quarantine is a great time to start working out at home. Gyms are closed and even if they were open I don’t think you would want to visit it at least for now.  

Whether you like yoga, palates, or CrossFit, thanks to YouTube there are tons of videos and exercise ideas that you can practice.  

I can recommend a 2 Weeks Shred Challenge by Chloe Ting that is completely free and you can do workouts at home. (I’m not promoting it, just a great free resource that everybody can use). 

Or you can do simple stretching while waiting for your coffee or something else. It’s still good as long as you move and stretch your body. 

You have these days in isolation, plus summer is coming, so why not benefit from the quarantine? 

Make your skin routine better 

Sometimes even when I’m staying at home I like putting makeup on, but I know for those who go to work every day putting makeup can be tiring and not very healthy for the skin. 

Now it’s a perfect time for not wearing makeup and nourishing your skin instead.  

Take breaks from the screen 

I know it can be hard especially now when it might seem that there’s nothing to do in the house. It can get boring and that’s why most of us are glued to our phones, tablets, and computers.  

Just make sure that you take breaks, and do something different like stretching, drinking a glass of water, or making a healthy snack. 

Cook delicious and affordable meals

Now that it’s hard to go out and grab some dinner, it’s an amazing chance for you to master your cooking skills.

You want your meals to be as affordable as possible to be able to save more for your emergency fund and save overall.

I think having a meal plan is great if you’re looking for budget-friendly recipes, don’t want to spend much time in grocery stores, or if you’re tired of thinking about what to cook tomorrow.

2. Take care of your mind 

Don’t let news ruin your day 

That’s what I do and I highly recommend that you do it too. Avoid reading bad news and checking updates every hour. It’s good to be informed but try to look for a reputable news source and check it 2-3 times a week.  

It’s very easy to become overwhelmed by letting the situation take control of your thoughts. That’s why find other things rather than checking stats and news every hour. 

Read books  

Whether you enjoy business, psychology, romance, or fiction books it’s the perfect time to read and enjoy them now.  

Another great thing to do is to complete a course on a topic you always wanted to learn about.  

Skillshare, Udemy, and Coursera are the platforms I use for finding and completing courses!  

Distance from social media 

If you feel overwhelmed by people constantly posting news about the topic, you can mute the accounts or take a break from social media. 

There are a lot of things to do instead of social media, you can check one of my top-rated posts 80+ Things To Do Instead Of Social Media In 2020.  

Just exclude outdoor activities and immerse yourself in things you can do indoors. 

Learn another language

It’s a great time to start learning another language or improving it. When else will you decide to “make time” for it? 

Be mindful of your time and take advantage of it.

Here are two posts you can also check out:

 9 Powerful Reasons To Start Learning Another Language ASAP 

14 Things That Helped Me Learn & Improve My Target Language

3. Take care of your relationships 

Connect 

Not being able to meet and catch up physically doesn’t mean you cannot do it. You still can! 

Check in with your family and friends by simply setting up Facetime dates for talking and enjoying a glass of wine together.  

Transparency 

Self-isolation affects everyone in different ways. So if you don’t live alone, now it’s more important than ever to ask how your partner or friend feels about it, share, and be transparent.  

Make sure there are no misunderstandings between you. 

4. Take care of your work  

 To be productive with your work in quarantine can be hard and overwhelming. That’s why try to stick to the plan!

Create your working space 

If you’re working remotely now, try to personalize your working space by making it as comfortable and inspiring to work as possible.  

Make some part or room of your house your personal working area, where you can concentrate and be organized. 

It sounds nice being able to work from home, but it can also be very challenging as there are so many distractions out there. The kitchen and bed are the biggest distractions for me. Besides my kid, of course.   

Switch off 

Now, working from home it can be pretty challenging to separate your leisure and work time. That’s why trying to stick to your working schedule is important! 

Work as you would normally do and let yourself step away from your computer once your working day ends.  

Keep in touch with your colleagues 

If you’re struggling with working from home, you can contact your colleagues (that’s great if you have a group chat). Maybe you’re not the only person who it is challenging for. 

This would be a great way to cheer and support one another while sharing tips on how to actually get the work done.  

Related article: 12 Best Online Jobs That Allow You To Travel Full-Time

5. Take care of your home 

Keep your house clean 

Now it’s vital to keep your house clean. That’s what I personally do every day: clean the dust everywhere with Clorox wipes, mop the floor, clean windows, and clean all the counters.  

Make your bed 

Change the bedsheets and always make your bed. This is something that makes me feel clean and good overall. For some reason, it helps me be more productive throughout the day! 

Declutter your closet 

Finally, there are no excuses to not declutter your closet. You’re staying at home, which you have to take care of as well!  

Here are some questions that can help with the process of organizing your closet:

• Does it fit?
• Is it annoying or uncomfortable to wear?
• Is it in good condition?
• Have you worn it in the last year?
• Does it make you feel good?
• Does it go with other things in your wardrobe?

Decluttering and organizing my closet is on my list for tomorrow. 

I hope you’re staying safe, healthy, and productive in quarantine!

Now it’s your turn: Are you currently in isolation? If so, how is it going for you? Do you have any tips to share? 

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