A lot has changed in the past month and it is so important that we all do our part to keep everyone safe. One of the most effective and crucial ways our health professionals mention to flatten the curve of the pandemic is by social distancing. Social distancing involves staying home, avoiding public places unless you are going grocery shopping/necessary movements, and keeping at least 6 feet away from people who aren’t in your household. Are you sick of social distancing yet? Me too.
I definitely started going crazy after being inside for the past 3-4 weeks (omg, what day is it). The first two weeks in, I’ve been super gung-ho ya know, and then the third week, I was crying to CNN news reports. Yup.
First things first, don’t shame
Before you read on, I feel like it’s really important to share that everyone digests these emotions differently. There’s no right or wrong way to feel. I was feeling so strongly about revisiting an old post of mine on positivity and shifting your mindset. I ended up rewriting most of it and came up with this very important thought I want to share with you:
Don’t feel like you’re not doing enough or making the most of this time.
It’s NOT our choice and there shouldn’t be additional pressure to do the most you can.
ON THE FLIPSIDE,
Don’t feel bad for making the most of this time and working harder than you’ve ever been.
Everyone is different, and that’s completely, 100% okay.
Social distancing is hard, we’re Social Beings
It’s hard. There ain’t no sugar coating. I see many memes on the comparisons between extroverts and introverts and it’s a good source of giggles.
Regardless of which category you fall under, people need each other. I like to think of the good side of bad situations. Again, I get it. It’s not easy. I’m probably one of the more fortunate ones to be staying at home, still have some work under my belt, etc etc and it feels almost wrong to be writing this because some people are drowning.
But it’s not, and if someone can feel a tad better after this, then it’s worth it.
I shared before about a workshop I went through at work about how being optimistic IS a choice.
So how can you surround yourself and TRY to choose positivity when you don’t feel like it?
Look back in history during other major worldwide events that affect people’s livelihoods. Some occurred during a time where social distancing REALLY means you will not see or be able to connect for an extended period of time.
We’re in a situation where we CAN still connect with each other without physically being next to one another. If you don’t feel positive, being around or hearing someone you are close to be positive can help alleviate your emotions. OR you just want to be heard!
Did you know that sharing your emotions helps to feel better? Ice cream helps too but you know..
Where do we go from here?
We do the best we can.
For some, it’s creating a new passion project like starting a blog, or making that media kit you’ve been thinking of.
For others, it could be taking a shower today.
Whatever it is and however long you take is dependent on you. Do what you need to do.
I personally find cleaning pretty therapeutic to me. Don’t know about you but it’s multitasking on my end- stress relief and the house is clean. Also, because I’m not out and about, the pollen can’t get to me.
Remember Marie Kondo? Yea she would know how to remove items that don’t spark joy.
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Over those tips on ‘things to do during quarantine’ posts?
This was initially another ‘Things to do during..’ post. Sorry friends.
Writing is a form of expression, and a lot of the time, writers pen down their experience.
I could share some tips on what you can do to occupy your time but I believe that you already know, and my goal with this is to let you know that…I know too. Haha, I wish I bought a puzzle but I did buy a bathtub table from Amazon so I can have more baths.
My advice is that no matter what you choose to do during this time of self isolation, it’s to give yourself a break. Self care is IMPORTANT. You can’t take care of other things without firstly taking care of yourself.
Head to Mi Casa Spa! Paint your nails, unless you’ve got gel nails on. And if that’s the case, I’m sorry.
I luckily didn’t get my nails done prior to this.
PS: If you need some quick steps to create your own spa day, here is my go-to list for Spa A La Samantha:
Step 1: Get ready for a relaxing soak
If you have a bathtub, get prepped to take a relaxing bath. Soaking in warm, bubbly water makes me feel like such a queen. If you have bath bombs, rose petal or essential oils, add them into your bath! Aromatherapy is a great way to make it feel like a real spa. Then light a candle and turn down the lights. Get that spa smell and vibes going to start off your DIY spa day.
Step 2: Get cozy! Just like you’d do at the spa
Now that you’re all warm and relaxed, don’t just get back into your regular clothes or pjs. Instead, get cozy! Grab your fuzzy slippers and bathrobe and put them on. If you have a fuzzy headband and scrunchie, feel free to get comfortable and put your hair in a bun and fully into relax mode. I love the bathrobes and slippers they provide at the spa but since I can’t be there in person, I can still bring that experience to me.
Step 3: DIY Facial
I’ll admit, I have soooo many face masks!
You can find a variety of affordable ones in the drugstore or if you want to fancy it up, you can get the more pricey ones from Shiseido, or Neostrata. Stay in your comfy spa clothes, snuggle into the couch and grab a face mask and just sit back and let the goodness soak into your skin.
If you don’t have any face masks, there are lots of easy, DIY face masks recipes that you can find online using just a few ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.
Leave your mask on for about 10-15 minutes and depending on your mask, either rinse or pat in the excess and your skin will feel amazing.
Step 4: Get your nails done
Social distancing has been the perfect time to pull out all my nail polishes that I rarely use. I’m not the best at painting my nails but this is a great time to take it super slow! Get your favourite colours, put on some soothing spa music (you can find these on YouTube) and start painting. Don’t forget to give yourself a little hand massage with body lotion after!
PS: Great time to try out some skincare routines as the weather changes. I share some tips for skincare during the dry weather, plus my Korean Skincare Routine. My skin has been an in between of being incredibly dry and clear at the same time. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?!
Plus, here are some fun templates that you can share + tag your friends in on IG! Hope you love them and tag me in them so I can see!
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- Social Distancing Bingo
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- Podcast Checklist
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- Netflix Checklist
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- Feel Good Checklist
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- Crime + Drama Checklist
Oh, and has anyone else started reading a bunch more too? I’ve had piles of books laying around and finally finished reading the Handmaid’s Tale. It’s so dark, like darker than now. Don’t start it.
Is it okay to stop and de-stress?
Yes.
Taking time to yourself to de-stress and relax is so important during this time! Remember, we are going through a huge collective experience that will affect our lives for quite some time. Don’t be so hard on yourself and listen to your body when it tells you it needs a break.
These are 3 easy things I do to stop, de-stress and reset:
STOP and Meditate
Meditating is an idea that is thrown around a lot but it is a really great way to pause during your day and connect with your body. There are apps like Calm, Simple Habit and Headspace to help guide you through meditation.
Meditation is a time to stop your thoughts and just become present. Even just 5 or 10 minutes to breathe and reset helps to frame the rest of my day and bring a sense of calm when I’m feeling stressed. You can also do affirmation meditation to remind myself I am strong and can get through this.
Time to D A N C E
Everyone connects to music. Music can affect your mood and is so personal to each person. When I’m feeling down or I need to de-stress, I blast my favourite songs and I literally have a solo dance/singalong party.
It’s a great way to connect to your body and just get silly and fun during a time where it can be hard to feel that way. So create your quarantine playlist!
I also saw an idea to help mark the end of your workday through blasting an exit song to help you differentiate work from downtime. We all need a theme song to our life, come on.
Get some fresh air!
Sunshine and nature does wonders for your mental health and just because we need to be socially distant doesn’t mean we can’t go outside for a walk. Take some time to get some fresh air each day even if it’s for 10-15 minutes.
On this topic, it’s also important to :
Stay active to boost your mood
Last year, I made more of an effort to hit the gym or just do more activities that kept me physically active like dancing and jogging. Doing a quick work out or staying active actually has a big effect on your mental health and releases those happy hormones like endorphins.
Trust me, working out was not my jam in the beginning. I felt like I didn’t have enough time to workout. Guess what, you don’t have to hit the gym every day to feel healthy and accomplished.
During quarantine, I love taking my workouts outside on a nice day. If you have a backyard, it’s the perfect place to lift a few weights, do some body exercises or even yoga. All you have to do is bring your mat outside!
I’ve been actually doing at home workouts on the daily and these don’t need a lot of equipment. My favs are on YouTube. I do this 30 min HIIT and this Abs workout.
Here are a couple of my favourite quotes during this time that I hope will help lift your spirits, feel free to tap to save!
TikTok, Zoom and Netflix are the Culprits of Covid-19
Kay, it’s a joke, chill.
But really, it’s so funny when you think about it.
Before social distancing, I would NEVER bother with TikTok, I thought it was so dumb.
Now look what has happened.
For those of you who have been following me for a while, you’d know I film videos and do camera work! That’s my creative outlet! On TikTok (SamanthaSito) though, my weirdness level has gone from 0 to 100 real fast.
One of my 2020 goals is to dance more. It’s a great way to stay active and get moving! Hilariously enough, the universe decided that I’d fulfill that goal via an app. Kay. Cool.
Same with Zoom, did anyone ever hear about it, or really care before this?
The level of online media consumption (media in general) is at a sky high. Netflix even released a new feature called Netflix Party! Netflix party is something new that you can use to watch movies with your friends, and chat at the same time. It pauses the show during chats so everyone is watching at the same pace.
My suggestions?
The Circle, Terrace House, Ready Player One! Find my Netflix bingo below and do tag me if you complete this on IG stories!
Doesn’t it feel like we’re all on an episode of The Circle? I follow Joey and Shubam on TikTok and it’s just the best, most wholesome content.
How We Can Help Right NOW!
What can we do? For each other, for the world during this pandemic?
This is something I find that I see quite a bit on the news from large businesses. It’s refreshing to see the shift in TV commercials to what these huge corporations are doing towards helping the aid for our healthcare workers.
But what can we do, as a community for each other?
We don’t have a billion bucks but here are some ideas:
Support your local businesses
They need our help.
Support the local businesses as much as you can. If you can buy groceries from them, do so. If you’re able to order takeout from them, do so. I’ve recently bought a gift card to a new restaurant that was supposed to open and hopefully can visit in the near future.
Do what you can as a consumer to, well, consume.
Are you a professional? Offer your services
Do you have a business that provides services?
Are you an accountant, videographer, or marketer?
Do you specialize in an area of work that could potentially help someone in need? A local business in need?
If you have a skillset that can be shared, and the capacity to take on work (potentially at a much lower rate or for free), maybe think about that for sec?
Talk to your strong family + friends
One of my favourite posts is one of my latest on the five love languages.
A person can be strong, yet vulnerable. Especially in such trying times.
Reach out, spend some virtual time and connect with your family and your friends. Mental health is not usually something you can spot easily but it’s so very important. Social interaction can help so much with our mental health.
Check in on your people, don’t forget.
Help someone buy groceries
I’m sure you’ve seen this on social media and the news. Many of our more vulnerable population need help for every day tasks like groceries.
If you live in an apartment complex, I encourage you to support the older community in this way. Or even single parent homes who need that extra hand.
Stay Home
Just that. Stay home so we can get out again soon. Stay home for our healthcare heroes who are the warriors and soldiers in this war.
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Lots of love to you- my readers, my friends!
We’re all in this together. I’ve obviously been listening to way too much high school musical lately.
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Take care,
xoxo Sam
