Self Care During Lockdown

Show Yourself Love During Lockdown

February is the month usually associated with love, with Valentine's Day the perfect time to be romantic. This year however, we are focussing less on romantic love and more on being kind and showing yourself love. Self love is also a great way to equip yourself to help others, you cannot pour from an empty cup. By looking after ourselves, we will be in a better place to look after loved ones. 

A year of lockdowns and restrictions have made this an exceptionally challenging time and self-care is essential if we are to emerge from the pandemic with our mental and physical health intact. Read on to find out our favourite ways to show ourselves love during this tough time...

Plan a Games Night

If the never ending cycle of working from home, teaching youngsters and Netflix has become monotonous, why not mix it up with a family games night?

Whether you choose a board game, cards or even piecing together a large jigsaw, choosing something different will entertain the whole family and give you a much needed break. Turn off the television, prepare the snacks and get ready for some fun! 

Indulge Yourself With a Massage

Self massage is great for calming and soothing the entire nervous system and, the more often you do it, the greater the effect will be. You may notice a general sense of peace and tranquility, even amongst the challenges of lockdown. There are many self-massage techniques which you can easily find online that require nothing but your hands. For a deep tissue massage, you can use an old tennis ball or foam roller and roll out the kinks in your muscles. 

Love Your Body From Within

Nothing makes us feel better about ourselves than a healthy glow. Feeding yourself healthy foods and hydrating with water is a sure fire way to see improvements in our skin, energy and overall wellbeing.

Start by creating a meal plan that is packed with healthy foods and set reminders to drink small glasses of water throughout the day to ensure you stay well hydrated.  You'll see a remarkable difference in a short time. 

A healthy, balanced diet is vital to keep you well, both physically and mentally. 

Declutter For Peace of Mind

Have you ever heard the phrase "tidy desk, tidy mind"? It can be easy to let things slide in the home when you hit the lockdown wall of fatigue and with the whole family in the house is can often feel like you're climbing a mountain trying to stay organised.

To show yourself some self care you should create a space that nurtures your wellbeing. Removing clutter, dirt and unwanted items from your environment will help to create a sense of calm. If you do have family members at home create a task like with appropriate chores for each person, perhaps even make it a competition as to who can finish first!

Plan a "Date Night" With Your Loved Ones

The lockdown has left many people feeling isolated, with loneliness being one of the most reported issues that we are facing. 

If you aren't able to spend Valentines Day with a loved one, or live alone, why not book in a Zoom call with friends? You could cook together, watch a film or simply have a good old heart to heart. Human connection, especially honest conversation with friends, is uplifting to the soul.

If you are struggling with loneliness, there are tips from the NHS here.

Enjoy a Spa Day at Home

If you are dreaming of a blissful spa experience, whether alone or as part of a couple, why not create your own spa day at home? Turn off your phone, put on some soothing music and dim the lights. Light a candle or use some essential oils with relaxing scents, treat yourself to a face mask and a deep conditioning hair treatment whilst enjoying a luxurious bath. Make sure you have a cosy dressing gown to relax in afterwards.

Create a Journal

It can be easy during these tough times to ignore how we are feeling until we become overwhelmed. We are trying so hard to stay on top of everything during an "unprecedented" time, and there's no handy guide to how to deal with it. 

Take time to tune in to how you are feeling during the lockdown, meditate and try to listen to your feelings. It may help you to create a journal to note down your feelings, writing your feelings down can help to take the weight out of them. 

It is important to be kind to yourself, lockdown is a difficult time for us all. For more advice on how to take good care of yourself, visit the NHS's One You website here. 

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