8 Ways to Protect Your Mental Health During Quarantine

When the nation began quarantining, it may have felt like a bit of a relief. You didn’t have to be around stressful co-workers or deal with a commute anymore. Maybe you started saving money on gas and lunch. After a while, though, quarantine can get to your head.

Staying home alone isn’t easy. Here are eight ways to protect your mental health during quarantine so you stay strong, happy and healthy while you wait out the pandemic.

1. Keep a Routine

Before the pandemic, you had a routine you stuck with every day. You might have woken up at the same time, always had dinner by 5:30 or saw your friends twice a week outside of work. Now that you’re home, time feels irrelevant because you have nowhere to go.

It’s essential to keep a routine during quarantine. Give your day some structure, like teleworking for eight hours with an hour break for lunch. The days will feel less monotonous and more like normal life.

2. Make a to-Do List

Boredom occurs when you don’t have anything to do. When you feel like you’ve watched every TV show and movie available to stream online, make a to-do list. Even if it only includes things like doing the dishes or vacuuming, you can still feel accomplished by checking them off throughout the day.

3. Try to Exercise

Whether you live in a rural area or a city, you can always try new indoor workouts to get moving and push away your frustration or sadness. A few sit-ups or jumping jacks could improve your day and your mood.

4. Call a Loved One

You can’t visit your loved ones, but that doesn’t mean you can’t call them. Start a video chat or phone call to catch up and get more social during the quarantine.

5. Skip the Junk Food

It’s tempting to eat all the potato chips and ice cream pints you can find, but skip the junk food. You’ll feel better if you learn to eat healthy by adjusting your diet.

6. Rest When You’re Tired

People are grieving the loss of loved ones, along with milestone moments like graduations and weddings. Grief includes prolonged periods of exhaustion, especially when you’re in the depression phase, so rest when you feel tired. Your body and mind need the time to process and heal.

7. Find New Positivity

Look for new sources of positivity to make your days brighter, like funny videos or inspiring stories. It’s important to remind yourself that there’s still goodness in the world, even when you feel overcome with negativity.

8. Disconnect From the News

It’s important to know what’s going on in the world, but you should occasionally disconnect from the news. Turn off the TV and put your phone away. When you don’t get constant notifications of bad news, you’ll find yourself struggling with less mental health issues like depression and anxiety.

Form New Habits

Trying these tips once or twice won’t help your mental health in the long run. Use them to form new habits so quarantine doesn’t take such a toll on your well-being. Eating healthier, resting and talking with a friend are just a few ways to start making this new normal a little easier.

About Kacey Bradley

Kacey Bradley is the lifestyle and travel blogger for The Drifter Collective, an eclectic lifestyle blog that expresses various forms of style through the influence of culture and the world around us. Kacey graduated with a degree in Communications while working for a lifestyle magazine. She has been able to fully embrace herself with the knowledge of nature, the power of exploring other locations and cultures, all while portraying her love for the world around her through her visually pleasing, culturally embracing and inspiring posts. Along with writing for her blog, she frequently writes for sites like US Travel News, Thought Catalog, Style Me Pretty, Tripping.com and more!

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