Quarantine Life: What I’ve Been Doing at Home

It’s been a month since we started staying home (the city of LA issued a shelter in place order March 17th but we began limiting our exposure out of the house the week before) and we’re slowly but surely settling into a new routine and what’s become our new normal. I really try to avoid saying I’m bored because I’m truly not! I miss seeing my friends and being able to leave the house. But I’m trying to make the most of and be grateful for what I have. It’s definitely a weird time, and speaking with friends and family I know we’re all struggling in our own ways to adapt.

Some days I feel super productive and motivated. Other days I can’t muster up the energy to do much at all. I think that’s normal and okay – and I’ve been more okay than ever with doing nothing, which is really hard for me! I do still work for my full-time job remotely, so that keeps me busy most of the day. And I feel like the days go by quickly, despite being home all day. So I wanted to share what I’ve been doing outside of work that has kept me busy. (I don’t like puzzles, so I haven’t attempted one!)

What I’ve been doing at home:

+ Sleeping

Over the last year, I was getting 6 hours of sleep every night on average. Now that I don’t have an hour-long commute (that’s one way!), I’ve really made a point to prioritize sleep. I told myself I didn’t need that much sleep and I was totally fine getting by with less than what’s considered ideal. But guess what? My body naturally needs about 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night. I find that my energy levels and skin are so much better when I’m well-rested. And I feel so much more clear-headed and positive.

+ Cooking and baking

We’re all home chefs now! One thing I look forward to in the upcoming months is more dinner parties. I love going to new restaurants, but I truthfully foresee many more intimate dinner parties hosted in the comforts of our own homes in the future. I don’t remember the last time I cooked every single one of my meals at home (we haven’t ordered takeout this entire time!). My Kitchenaid is also finally getting put to use as I try to bake something new every week.

+ Writing

I’m making a concerted effort to blog and journal more. This is the first time in a couple of years I’ve really dedicated time to writing and it’s honestly incredibly therapeutic and calming. An added bonus is my renewed love for blogging!

+ Reading

I feel like I finally have time to dig into my never-ending list of books to read. I love to escape for an hour or so with a good book. It’s also a great way to end the day and usually helps me sleep better at night. Since we’ve been home I’ve read Know My Name, The Ride of a Lifetime, Normal People, We Came Here to Forget, Dear Girls (by Ali Wong), and Wild Game. Who wants to start a virtual book club?

+ Yoga

Nothing makes me feel more at peace than practicing yoga. I didn’t realize how much I missed practicing yoga regularly until I signed up for Alo Moves. I try to wind down with a yin class at the end of the day. But I love their longer vinyasa classes as well! I’ve honestly been blown away by the quality of the classes on the platform and would wholeheartedly recommend the free 14-day trial to anyone.

+ Working Out

I wrote a post about how to stay fit at home and have made trying new online workout classes into a bit of a hobby. There are so many classes I want to try, so this has definitely kept me busy (and is hopefully offsetting all of the wine we’ve been consuming). I’ll be sure to share updates as I go.

+ Facetime & Zoom Dates

I’ve connected more with out of state friends and family in the past month than I had previously over several years. Laughter is what gets me through every day, and it’s been refreshing to find these moments of joy with loved ones, albeit virtually. This is a great time to reconnect with friends and let people know that you care. I try to check in with my friends every week, so we can support each other and be there to listen through the ups and downs we’re experiencing at the moment.

+ Self Care

Working from home has meant no excuses for neglecting my skincare. My skin is definitely seeing the benefits of not wearing makeup, having a consistent routine, regular masks, and increased water intake.

I know this time is weird and tough in so many ways, the future is so uncertain and no one knows when we’ll be able to resume our “normal” lives again (or if that’s even possible!), but I try to stay positive and remind myself that the only thing we can control right now is our actions. And that it’s okay to not be okay. I allow myself to feel sad, but I try to have more days where I do feel okay. I feel grateful for having a home that allows me to practice social distancing, having all of the supplies I need, and having my fiancé and dog to keep me company.

How have you been spending your time at home?