Whether you are spending two-weeks in quarantine due to the coronavirus pandemic, or you just find yourself at a stage in life where you are often alone and isolated from others, self-care is absolutely essential when you’re on your own.
Spending an extended period of time in isolation would be hard for anyone, but it can be particularly difficult for people who have suffered from trauma or abuse.
Are you interested in learning how to practice self-care in isolation?
Let’s take a look at some ideas that can help to keep you healthy during this time, and some that even offer the opportunity to heal and grow.
Self Care in Isolation: Remember to Take Care of the Basics
When you are struggling with self-care while in isolation, it’s important to start with the basics. Make sure that you are getting enough sleep, showering regularly, eating regular meals, and drinking plenty of water.
Create a Routine and Stick to It
When in isolation, it can be easy to completely fall out of your daily routine. Resist the urge, though, to let your life become a series of chaotic and formless moments. Instead, make an effort to wake up and go to sleep at the same time every day and otherwise make a routine for yourself that includes the work to do, your meals, exercise, or whatever other activities you’d like to do each day.
Set Goals You Can Achieve
You don’t have to go overboard when making goals for yourself. Setting simple goals and achieving them, particularly if you have been struggling, can be a great way to help give you purpose and a confidence boost.
Stay Connected
Just because you are in isolation does not mean that you can’t stay connected. In our technological age, we have a lot of different means for talking to those that we love. Make phone calls, text, talk on FaceTime, or whatever makes sense to keep in touch with your friends and family.
Do Your Best to Stay Active
Getting exercise is one of the best ways to help relieve stress and anxiety. Even if you are isolating within your home, there are plenty of wonderful exercises that you can do.
You could try online yoga classes or create a home workout routine that works for you. You could even simply put on your favorite music and dance for 15-30 minutes every day. It is truly incredible how much even small amounts of activity can help to improve your emotional well-being.
Keep Your Diet Healthy
When you are on your own, it is easy to slip into unhealthy eating habits. Your diet is such an essential aspect of your overall health, though, that you want to make an effort to keep your diet regular and healthy.
Creating a meal plan for yourself and doing weekly meal prep can be a great way to ensure that you don’t slip out of your diet plan. Having food planned out and premade will help you save money and eat healthier.
Practice Breathing Techniques and Mindfulness
There are so many wonderful mindfulness activities and breathing techniques that you can find online or in books. Whether you struggle to get a good night sleep, are overwhelmed with anxiety, or are suffering from PTSD or another, trauma-related condition, mindfulness activities and breathing techniques can help to calm your mind.
Learn a New Skill
If you are stuck at home, this is the perfect opportunity to learn something that you’ve always wanted to learn. Whether this is how to play the guitar, how to speak a new language, or how to ferment veggies, using your time in this way can radically change how you feel about being in isolation.
Remember That Resting Is Good, Too
At the same time, it’s good to start to feel stressed about not using your time well enough during isolation. Don’t fall into this trap.
If you need to rest, then your body needs to rest. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this. Give yourself permission to fully relax to help your body restore itself and offer you the opportunity to heal and grow.
De-Clutter Your Room
It is truly amazing how good it can feel to tidy up your room. Your physical environment has a major impact on your mental environment. Invest in yourself and your space by decluttering around and making it your favorite room in the whole world.
Find a Balance Between Rest and Work
So it’s easier said than done, try to keep your work life and your domestic life as separate as possible. You can do this by using different spaces for working and for relaxing.
Turn Off the News
Tuning out from the news is honestly absolutely essential in this day and age. If you find that the news is making you anxious, stressed, or fearful, or that you have an obsessive relationship with it, it’s probably time to come up with a plan to ensure you aren’t overexposing yourself.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask For Help
2020 has been a very difficult year for just about everyone. This time can be particularly difficult if you suffer from PTSD, experienced trauma, or are a victim of abuse. It’s important to know that help is out there and that you should never feel ashamed about seeking the help that you need.
Is it time that you thought intensive trauma therapy or PTSD treatment? At Intensive Therapy Retreats, we utilize EMDR therapy for anxiety and other conditions as well Internal Family Systems Therapy in an intensive retreat to help you do the emotional work you need in order to heal and grow.
Do You Need a Powerful Intervention to Help Change Your Life?
Practicing self-care in isolation can help you live the life that you want to live. However, if you have experienced trauma or abuse in the past, you might be searching for some outside help. Receiving PTSD treatment or attending a trauma retreat could allow you to work through the painful and uncomfortable emotions you have so that you can grow and blossom.
Intensive Therapy Retreats is located in the beautiful Pioneer Valley in Western Massachusetts. The perfect setting for emotional and spiritual healing, your private retreat space can be found in the historic Quaker building in downtown Northampton, Massachusetts.
Would intensive trauma therapy offer you the time and space you need to do necessary and difficult emotional work? If so, schedule a call today for a free initial consultation.