Making Normal of the Abnormal: How to Keep A Routine During Quarantine

By: Gabriella Pavlakis

The biggest weight on all of us right now, without a doubt, is the coronavirus. This global pandemic has affected our lives by forcing us to move locations and completely change our daily routines. While we can’t control the outcome of COVID-19, the one thing we can control is how we react. Here are my best tips on keeping a routine while you’re stuck in quarantine.

Normalize your sleeping schedule.

By setting an alarm in the morning, you keep yourself from falling into the habit of waking up late and not getting any of your work done on time.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t have Zoom meetings until 10 a.m., at the earliest, so I could easily sleep in until 9:59 a.m. and roll up in my pajamas. Is it tempting to do that? Absolutely. But if I wake up even just an hour before class starts, I can make myself a cup of coffee, brush my teeth, and throw on some real clothes before seeing my French class.

The same thing goes for when you fall asleep. At the start of quarantine, I was tempted to stay up past 1 a.m. watching movies or just sitting on my phone. I can’t stress how important it is to go to bed at a reasonable hour so you can wake up in the morning and start your day energized and refreshed!

Find a time slot specifically for exercise.

Whether you go on a run, do an online workout, or just stretch in your bed, taking time out of your day to move your body will help normalize this strange reality we’re all living in.

Personally, I’ve been walking my dogs before my lectures and then doing my workout of choice once my classes are done for the day. Splitting times up like this is so helpful to make sure you’re not overworking yourself and also being comfortable in having a set time to do things with your body.

Normalize your eating habits.

We’re all stuck at home 24/7, which means we’ll most likely be snacking way more than normal. While I do love a good snack, being bored at home without anywhere to go can be dangerous for our health and well-being.

Planning out your meals and snacks at the start of your day can really make a huge difference when it comes to your happiness in quarantine. And be realistic about it. You’re going to want something sweet later on in the day, so account for what you know your body wants. This is a crazy time, you deserve it!

Spend some time winding down every night.

Whether this is meditating, taking a long shower, or doing a face mask, spend some time where you can fully get into relaxation mode to help you fall asleep easier and more quickly.

I’ve been using a stick mask from Sephora (they’re super cute and on sale right now!) and it’s been a nice little gift from me to my skin for going through this tough time. Whatever relaxation means for you, I recommend doing it before you go to sleep!

At the end of the day, the most important thing right now is that we’re all staying safe and healthy, both physically and mentally. By keeping a daily routine, quarantine will feel less scary and a little more like normal life. Whatever your routine is, customize it for yourself and do whatever makes you the happiest!

Cover photo by Cathryn Lavery on Unsplash