Self-Isolation Guide: It's Time for Self Love

COVID-19 is no stranger to anyone globally. Whether you’ve been reading daily articles, watching the news, listening to the radio or just following the trending hashtags on Twitter, everyone is now familiar with Coronavirus, one way or another.

As the country waits in anticipation for lockdown, more and more individuals are adopting self-isolation, an effective precautionary measure to protect those around you. Limiting your contact with people, including workplaces, social events, pubs and restaurants, will encourage more individuals to adopt this measure. Social distancing will ultimately help to protect you, your family and those who are vulnerable around you.

We’re not here to scare you. We simply want to use our platform to encourage individuals to make the most of self-isolation. These coming weeks will be hard for everyone, physically and mentally. Staying inside for 14 days may be a shock to some, but knowing that we’re all in this together, gives us a sense of togetherness. We want to encourage following government guidelines where you can: washing your hands, using hand sanitiser, social distancing, working from home etc…

We are all in this together (High School Musical reference: definitely intended), even with the walls of our homes dividing us. Videos of Italy uniting and singing on their balconies are trending – this is the kind of support the UK should be giving. With a potential 14-days to keep yourself busy, be open-minded to the possibilities this time gives you. Using our time in a realistic way will help us get through this, whilst getting something out of it.

We’ve compiled a ‘Self-Isolation Guide’, for you to refer to over the coming weeks. This is the ultimate time for self-love, doing things YOU want to do and we’ve made sure there’s a little something for everyone. Take care, look after each other and quit being selfish; the world needs as much love as it can get.

GET ACTIVE

Everything has been 100mph recently and now is the time to stop, take a minute and be in the moment. Meditation/Mindfulness/Yoga are all great skills to practice, as they give you the tools to live life in a more mindful way. Why would you want this, you ask? Well, slowing down gives us more time to notice the little things around us. It really is about the little things in life – plus, the gym should be the last place on your mind, so Yoga is a great alternative to build your strength at home. If you don’t think that this kind of exercise is for you, there are so many home-workouts available for you. Lots of organisations are holding live classes on Instagram, accessible for anyone, anywhere. Plus, sign up to FiiT with the code “COHORTED10” for a 14 day free trial & 10% off any membership!

LEARN A NEW SKILL

Your favourite excuse “I don’t have time” is no longer valid, because you literally have all the time in the world… This is your chance to learn a new skill, something that you’ve really wanted to do for a while. It doesn’t matter what, whether you want to knit, dance, cook, practice your makeup, learn a musical instrument, this is your time to do you. There are tons of online videos and tutorials, which can guide you through learning a new skill. You got this!

LEARN A LANGUAGE

Because when we can finally experience each culture again, it will be a happy day. Whether it’s French, Spanish, Italian or Korean, this is your time to learn a new language. There are hundreds of apps and online courses available at your fingertips and now is the time to dive right in. Once the dust has settled, you’ll soon be able to put your skills into practice on your next holiday.

READ SOMETHING

Escapism, something we could all do with a little. Reading something is the ultimate comfort, giving you the passage to escape into another world. Whether you dig up an old book you’ve been meaning to start, or you finally finish that holiday read, this is the perfect time to get reading! There are so many online blogs, magazines and articles that you can access without leaving the house.

WRITE SOMETHING

Whether it’s a diary or you’re just writing for the sake of it, writing gives people a similar escape mechanism to reading. It allows us to get lost in our words. Sharing your thoughts, feelings and experiences will help others to feel less alone. We all need as much support as we can get and sharing raw emotions often helps to bring people closer.

DO SOMETHING YOU ‘HAVEN’T HAD TIME TO DO’

This excuse is just so outdated now. THIS is the time to get shit done. Whether you’re trying to finish that one task you ‘haven’t had time to finish until now’ or if you’re attempting to even start something new, this is the perfect time for it. These next few weeks gives you time to do things for YOU. Put yourself first. Finish your CV and get out of your dead-end job. Send your final draft to that publisher. Whatever you end up starting, it’ll be worth it once finished.

DO SOME HOUSEWORK

It’s the perfect time to do a deep-house clean. If you’re in your family home, student accommodation or a shared house, ensuring that your space is tidy and clean will get you in the right mindset for the upcoming weeks. There’s nothing better for the mind than a big clean/de-clutter.

BINGE WATCH TV

It’s finally time to smash out Sex Education so you can keep up with everyone else’s conversations. No more FOMO. You don’t need us to tell you that there are THOUSANDS of films, tv series, documentaries that you can watch in the upcoming weeks. Netflix, Apple TV, Amazon, Now TV, ITV Hub, BBC iPlayer are jam-packed with some great watches! Once you’ve made your way through one series, it’s onto the next!

GET CREATIVE

Whether it’s for you and the kids, or if you’re just a big kid yourself – getting creative is a great way to do something rewarding with your time. There are so many different ways you can channel your inner creativity: colouring books, painting, taking photos, experimenting with makeup and hair, practice your nail art. There are so many easy ‘home DIY guides’ online if you’re looking to start a project. The world is your oyster!

PRACTICE SELF-LOVE

Ultimately, these next few weeks is time for YOU. This is the perfect chance to practice self-love, whilst you have more spare time. Whether this is any of the above, or just a pamper, bath, nails, face masks, anything YOU want to do, you can. Loving yourself will get you through this.

*This post was written for Cohorted Cult.