Tips for Normal After Quarantine

Did you know May is Mental Health Awareness Month? If you’ve been to this blog or my social media pages before – I hope your answer is yes. I think May this year is harder on all of us, whether we deal with mental illness or not. Being stuck inside and away from our loved ones, disruption of our normal lives while wondering what’s happening and how we will ever go back to normal after quarantine, all takes a toll. So, in the spirit of it all, I thought it would be helpful to talk about mental health (you know, the awareness part) while sharing some tips as we try to go back to our normal lives.

I recently shared this image from Ellen Hope (@mynames_ellen) on my Instagram and Facebook because the quote was so powerful to me.

  It seems to me that when we hear “mental health”, we tend to think of it as illness or something that only applies when it needs improvement. But, as this quotes explains, we all have mental health. I greatly believe in my wellness journey because it directly affects my mental health. Which is exactly why its so important to me!

Let’s be real, 2020 has been a mess. My coworkers keep talking about the “new normal” but in a few weeks or so, we will go to another new normal that still won’t be the same as before quarantine. Who knows if we will ever really get back to that. For a lot of people, this is overwhelming. As with anything, it will be different for everyone, but I want to share some tips to help you navigate normal after quarantine.

Tips for Normal After Quarantine

Routine: Creating a personal routine is a way to make choas feel more calm. I’ve tried to keep the basics of my morning routine while working from home. It does look a little different though. I can’t rely on the coffee at work, so I have to make my own. And it doesn’t take nearly as long to fix my top knot, throw on sweats and walk into my glam room/office as it does to get ready and drive to the office. But, I feel more put together and ready to be productive when I actually start my morning. When my schedule changes again, I’ll re-adjust my routine.

Take a Mental Break:  When I talk about self care, I worry there are eye rolls coming because it has become so cliche. But, I’m going to keep talking about it because it truly makes a difference. Instead of the uber trendy pampering, let’s think of it as a mental break. Although, I have to admit pampering is my favorite way to take a mental break. 🙂 But, again with the awareness, people may not realize that these small things really are good for you mind, too. Recently, I started putting 3-4 drops of essential oil on my shower floor. Combined with steam the oil creates a very relaxing experience. I enjoy eucalyptus or tea tree to clear my sinuses or Stress Away (from Young Living) for extra relaxation.

[Read more self care ideas here]

Stay Active: When the weather is nice, I like to walk outside. Some days I play workout videos on my TV.  I’m lucky my gym has been recording their normal classes on facebook. There are many apps and YouTube videos available, too.  When I start to feel antsy, I take a walk away from my work for a few minutes and stretch, do jumping jacks or squats.  It helps refocus my mind and get some of that anxious energy out. I may not be able to get outside when I’m not home as much, but I plan to take advantage of all of the free resources I can to workout at home.

Be Creative: I’m a creative person, so feeling limited in what I can do and where I can go keeps me from feeling motivated. I have to remind myself that being at home actually gives me more time to refresh my living space or create blog related content. Try channeling negativity into something creative! I’ll have to be sure to set time to be creative when I start working in the office again,

Stay Informed (but not overloaded): The unknown can cause anxiety for a lot of people. Personally, I like to know what’s going on and what changes will affect me. But, I don’t want to read or listen too much because after awhile, its over stimulation. It’s okay to avoid things that trigger you or to remove yourself from conversations or situations that make you uncomfortable!

Keeping up the things I’ve incorporated during quaratine will help make my transition to a new normal smoother. These aren’t ground breaking ideas but sometimes having a reminder to be intentional is really helpful!

I hope and pray that you and your family are healthy and that you safely navigate your normal after quarantine.

Until next time, thank you so much for reading!