Emily Thang | ’20-’21 Secretary Moving into July, it’s already been a whopping 4 months since March 13th, the last in-person day of school before Google Classroom and Zoom calls took over, before the world shut down, and before social distancing was necessary and masks became an everyday essential. With everything that is going on around us and the uncertainty that the pandemic brings, adjusting to this “new normal” can often be stressful and even anxiety-inducing at times—this is exactly why self-care is crucial to maintaining a healthy mindset and keeping your mental health in check. However, self-care is not strictly limited to face masks and spa sessions; it can be as simple as monitoring your thoughts, or even concentrating on your breathing. Here are 5 ways to self-care during quarantine: 1.
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Do things that you enjoy. Take time for yourself to engage in stress-lessening activities that YOU find joy and comfort in. Whether it’s creating art, listening to music, watching a movie, or talking to your friends (and everything in between), do whatever makes you happy. Relax, have fun, and engage in your favorite hobbies because you deserve it! Breathe. Literally, just breathe. Whenever you find yourself in distress, concentrate on your breaths and engage in deep breathing. Inhale for 4 seconds, hold the breath for 7 seconds, then exhale slowly for 8 seconds. Repeat the process until you feel better, as this will help calm you down and slow down your heartbeat. You can also find alternative breathing exercises online, in which you can sync your breaths to a moving visual! Move. Staring at a screen or sitting in a chair all day can take a toll on your well-being, so make sure that you take breaks every once in a while. Take your eyes off any bright screens and look at objects that are at least 20 feet away from you in order to rest your eyes. Get up, stretch, and walk around the house. If you want to go the extra mile, walk/run around your neighborhood or the local park (pun intended)! Sleep. Despite the urge to continue watching your favorite TV show or keep scrolling on your phone, you should still strive to get 8-10 hours of sleep per night (even though it’s summertime). If you want, take short naps when needed, or even meditate for a few minutes to ease your mind. Being well-rested will fuel your body to get through the day! Eat well. Along with sleep, nutrition is absolutely vital to being physically and mentally healthy. Make sure you drink lots of water each day and eat your fruits and veggies because what you eat significantly impacts your health, especially in the long run. Take care of your gut, and your gut will take care of you!
Remember that we are currently living in a global pandemic and movement, so it’s okay to feel anxious, overwhelmed, angry, or scared at times. Your feelings are completely valid, and you are allowed to feel however you feel. Be kind to yourselves, practice self-care, and stay safe, Whitney Key Club! <3
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