Stay thriving while staying home: A list of things you can do for yourself.

So, we’re currently on this situation: Even though the quarantine (as a safety measure during the COVID-19 pandemic) is starting to be more flexible in some regions worldwide, the truth is that we’ll have to stay at home for a little more time. Every country has its own conditions, and as this global “back-to-normal” process is progressive, it’s no surprise that we still have to do our daily routine without going out to the streets.

Now, what if you take advantage of this situation? There are some things you can do in your warm space to practice self-care, and to improve all the things that matter to you: your health, your knowledge, your spirit and your balance.

We even give you the tip: These days can help you to search and learn ways to make your business grow, or to create one if the idea has crossed your mind (hello entrepreneurs and girl-bosses out there!).

The world is still going at a slow pace, but you can impulse yourself to reach your personal goals (or as we like to say, putting yourself first). Our list will help you have it all covered! Read it below:

1. Do a homemade spa day: It’s your skincare routine, without the pressure of doing it all in 10 minutes. Put on your favorite lotions, moisturizers, cleansers and scrubs, do your own mani and pedi, apply hair mask and conditioner… What matters the most is that you enjoy it!

2. Get a move: Whether it’s by doing some workout, indoor sport, crossfit session or simply dancing with your favorite tunes. Your body can feel tighten up during the day, so setting yourself in motion releases you from stress and awakes you.

3. Time for mindful activities: If, on the other hand, you want to be calmer and move slower without being inactive, you can practice yoga, meditation, or simply take a sunbath with your windows open; the key to this is catching a breath and feeling at peace with the now and your surroundings. Many yoga routines are uploaded on YouTube, apps like Headspace provide ways to meditate, and Spotify gathers many podcasts for this too.

4. Eat without the guilt: Treat yourself to your favorite dessert, whether it’s chocolate, cake or cookies. You’ll take a break from the tension and you’ll feel a bit happier by doing so.

5. Cook new meals: Bake that pie you’ve wanted to try for a long time, or make new recipes that you’re curious to taste. It’s a good option to try food by themes or nationalities, too, as a day of Mexican or French flavors at home always turns out delicious.

6. Read! You’ve probably bought books along the years that you haven’t opened up, just because you couldn’t find the time to read them. Now, even though we have things to do at home, take a little pause on your day and immerse on a minimum of 15 to 30 minutes of reading (the limit is up to you).

7. Make your own film festival: Netflix and Amazon Prime come handy at this case, but YouTube offers some free movies as well. You can watch them by genre or country, and make a selection of the titles you think could be interesting to watch (e.g. French, Italian, Asian or British cinema…).

8. Learn! Maybe in the past you wanted to enroll in a course, or maybe you hadn’t thought about it, but there’s something you’re curious to practice and master. We believe this is the perfect time to learn something new, and there are many platforms that give online courses to support people during this quarantine, making it fun for them. A few examples are Coursera, Udemy, Skillshare and Domestika.

9. Think about your projects with zero pressure: This goes to all the entrepreneurs out there. We tend to carry our ventures almost automatically, but we can measure them, analyze them, and think or rethink about what we want to get from them. Is our purpose aligned with what we really want? Is our brand making us happy? What can we do to improve it, and for it to make us feel fulfilled? By finding ideas for our project to reinvent itself, we help ourselves and we also give the chance for it to help others.

10. Create something you’re passionate about: If you like to paint, draw, embroider, sew, knit, design or make stationery products (or play an instrument!), it’s a good moment to practice these things, only if they distract you and bring you calmness. That way, your mind will stay creative and bright through positive activities.

11. Bonus - Take time for your spirit: If you practice a religion, it can be a safe space and a good way to nurture our time at home; from a prayer and talking to God as a friend, to reading some Bible verses that can soothe your soul on this hectic period. However, this spiritual moment can be different for everyone, which is amazing as there are many options available.

You can try doing all the activities on this list – we invite you to do them! But in the end, it’s all about making the most of your time at home and doing things that encourage you, entertain you and inspire you. Let this be the time where you focus on yourself.