10 Very Practical Tips for Life in Self-Isolation
Over ten years ago, I started a blog called In Life and In Fashion. It was a lifestyle blog that I wrote in the mornings before heading off to my job as a buyer at Joe Fresh. I loved writing that blog so much that I’d write almost whole posts in my head on my subway commute to and from work. It brought me so much joy to express my ideas and organize them through writing. It was also a very welcome distraction from a difficult time in my personal life.
This post is written with some nostalgia for my old blog as it is the kind of piece I would have written back then. If you like it, maybe I will head in this direction again, so do let me know :)
I’ve found in every new challenging situation in life we start to search out little solutions to make things better. We do this organically, not always purposefully, but sometimes when we stop to reflect on what those solutions are we realize how adaptable we are. That maybe we’re not as much of a mess as we tell ourselves. Because we’re not just letting the situation control us, we’re finding ways to make things work for us. It might not make everything ok, but unknowingly, we’ve made things more liveable and maybe even more enjoyable.
So friends, today I thought I’d share ten things that I’m doing or relying on to make this self-isolation/quarantine/work-from-home situation better.
10 Very Practical Tips for Life in Self-Isolation:
1. Visiting our local coffee shop and park regularly. I might not be able to go sit at a local bar with a friend, or sit outside eating pasta and drinking wine on the patio of our favourite Italian spot down the street, but I can stop into my local coffee shop and pick up an Americano and a few other small grocery items they’ve started carrying. As we live right in the heart of the city and have a deck but not a backyard, we go to the park almost every day to run on the grass, watch the trees blossom, say hello to all the dogs and stuff our pockets full of dandelions, twigs and other random things my daughter Nova picks up as her “treasures”.
2. My 5-minute face has now become a 2-minute face. I used to be all about a 5-minute face before heading off to work in the morning. Well, that had been reduced to a 0 minute face on most days until I realized how much better I feel when I aim for at least a two-minute face. My two-minute face is basically four steps:
That’s all it takes to make me feel fresh and somewhat put together. I haven’t worn mascara in two months.
3. Online workouts. I may never go to a gym again. I’ve never been a huge class person. I like working out on my own, on my own schedule for as long as I feel like it. But online classes are a whole other thing. Nike Training Club, Sculpt Society and random other videos I’ve found on youtube have helped me keep my sanity through these last few months (and served to somewhat counteract all the baked goods we’ve been making and eating).
4. My sacred morning hour. What I miss the absolute most is time to myself. If I don’t actively carve out the time, I will go from being woken up by Nova, to a morning of play and attempting to teach her a few things, to work, straight to dinner prep and back to work again before passing out. So, I set my alarm for 5:45am and pray that Nova doesn’t wake up until at least 6:30. In that 45 mins to an hour I read something inspiring, meditate, write in my journal. Lately I’ve been listening to guided meditations by Deepak Chopra or Gabby Bernstein
5. A water bottle. You’d think you’d drink more water naturally at home vs at the office but I’ve found I drink less. Going back to using a water bottle has ensured that I am plenty hydrated throughout the day. I love the SOMA glass water bottle, but sadly, mine is locked away in my office. I may just order another one.
6.Little daily rituals. There are a few little rituals throughout the day that bring me little moments of pleasure.
The first sip of coffee with a few drops of Rainbo 11:11 a mushroom tincture meant to strengthen your immunity
Burning Province Apothecary’s Cedarwood Incense in the morning
Keeping my favourite Sara Happ lip balm, Caudalie hand lotion and Woodlot Rose & Palo candle on my desk for little moments of pause through the day.
7. Affirmations. Have you used affirmations before? If you haven’t, it might feel a bit hoaky or silly but I’ve found them to be so powerful. Affirmations are really simple phrases that state how you want to feel or how you want to perceive a situation in a way that implies they are already true or on their way to becoming true. Some of my favourite affirmations are:
The magic of the unknown lies behind every corner
I have the power to design my life choice by choice
My possibilities are endless (do you know that this phrase is embroidered onto the inside of the cuff on the All You Are Robe?)
I move through life with strength and grace
I love these so much that I had card designs with these affirmations on them - they come with every All You Are purchase.
8. All You Are loungewear. Which brings me to our loungewear collection. We designed this collection similarly to how I designed the robe - I wanted pieces that checked these boxes - comfy, stylish, flattering, functional. Every piece in our collection, from the Faith Jogger to the Possibilities Tank to the Intuition Dress were designed to fit seamlessly into your life whether actually lounging, working from home or even running out to do errands. You choose how you want to use them.
9. The timer on my phone. I have very few mothering tricks. I am in awe of Mom’s that are super organized with activities and schedules and hacks that take being a mom to the next level. BUT I have one trick that is killer and can be used in any situation. The timer on my phone. Nova, let’s turn off the TV and learn some letters. Whining and protesting starts. OK, I’m putting on the timer for 3 minutes and when it goes off, we turn it off. I am telling you, this works. It helps with helping you find a middle ground with your kid so that they feel they have some control but you still get what you want. It has come to the point now where when we’re at an impasse, Nova will say, “Mama put the timer on”. GOLD.
10. Half-Baked Harvest. For the first few weeks having a little more time to cook was a novelty and pretty enjoyable. Then reality set in and it became more of a chore. Thank goodness for Half Baked Harvest - I pretty much rely on this recipe blog to help me decide what to make for dinner. Whether we are craving something or just need ideas based on what’s in the fridge, this site has become my go-to meal planning companion.
If you take a minute to reflect I bet you’ll find that you’ve also found creative, interesting ways of making life a little easier during this time. I can’t wait to hear them!
“When something goes wrong in your life, just yell ‘Plot Twist!’ and move on.” - Anonymous
With love,
Kena xo
Kena Paranjape, Founder, All You Are