The quarantine can be really taxing on those of us who thrive on routine and alone time. I have been struggling a lot to stay motivated because my bed is my workspace and I really don’t have anything keeping me in a religious schedule. It just makes sense to me to have daily rituals to keep myself sane and somewhat busy. I like to have regularity and a sense of normalcy,  especially in such an anxiety-inducing time. Here is how I try to stay normal!

I wake up ~around~ the same time every day. Obviously, weekends or days that my body is telling me I need to rest, I listen to that. But, most days I wake up around 8 a.m. This way it isn’t a shock to my system and miserable when I am allowed to go back to work and carry on with outside day-to-day life. It also allows me to make the most out of daylight, which is really beneficial when being locked in all day.

I stretch every morning. It’s not a lot, just a quick 10-minute full-body stretch after doing my morning face routine to get my blood flowing and feel refreshed. It really helps, even when quarentine wasn’t in place, to just move for at least 30 minutes a day. Go for a walk, dance to some music, lift weights to a podcast, do some squats while you wait for the shower to heat up. Movement is never a bad idea.

I have a solid morning and night time facial routine. I like to take the time to make sure my body and face products are being applied with intention. I do lymphatic drainage massages, shave my legs, use white strips, peels, and the same routine every night even when I am drunk. This makes me feel good so I make sure to do it!

I like to plan my day out in my planner. Even if I don’t have anything really “important” to do, I write it down. Laundry, cleaning, rent, anything to check it off and feel a little accomplished helps.

I practice mindfulness and manifestation every day. I know not everyone believes in this and that’s ok! But for me, it helps my anxiety and makes me feel more grateful, confident, and at ease. Manifestation is the act of thinking positive things into existence and really using positivity to focus on your goals and what you want to achieve. Mindfulness helps me remain grateful, understand everyone is experiencing this situation differently and ask how I can help them as well as myself. I am constantly asking myself what I can do differently o increase the quality of my life.

Everyone has their own routine and I hope you are finding a way to stay positive and productive over quarantine. I hope you are staying healthy and happy. You can do this!