You’re at Home. The News Is Intense. Make Time for Self-Care.
As the coronavirus continues taking over the collective consciousness, personal and public health are of top concern and priority. If you’ve been following the news, chances are, you’re doing all you can to contribute to that greater good: You’re washing your hands (perhaps more than you ever thought possible), disinfecting shared surfaces, and practicing social distancing.
In the midst of it all, self-care may fall to the wayside. Here are tips for prioritizing your mind and body while spending a whole lot of time at home (perhaps more than you ever thought possible).
Unplug occasionally
Keeping up with breaking developments and by-the-minute updates not only feels like a full-time job but also challenges your ability to manage a potential stressor. Taking a break from the news allows you to recharge and relax, as much as you’re able. Dip into a book you had semi-committed to, page through a magazine, doodle in a sketchbook, or read to your kids. If possible, keep it all offline.
Find support
Acknowledging coronavirus-related unease—and allowing yourself to feel all the feelings that piggyback it—can go a long way in helping you cope over the short (and long) term. If turning inward for a bit sounds appealing, consider a meditation app: Wirecutter recommends Headspace and Calm. (The Breathing App is a free option.) As for professional help, online therapy services can be great resources for finding a licensed therapist to meet with via video appointments. Our favorite platform is Amwell.
Keep reaching out
Maintaining connections with family and friends and staying social is as important as ever. Assist your community by offering to help at-risk neighbors or donating to organizations such as food banks.
It’s easy to feel isolated, but keep in touch. FaceTime your friends, call your parents, start a group text. In general, check in with your people and those who might need you most. And make room for some fun with low-key virtual gatherings such as game nights, happy hours, or book clubs.
Make time to move
Exercise is a vital stress reliever for many people. But in the face of COVID-19, working out in group settings has become its own brand of stressor. Despite any changes you might be making to a workout routine (such as reducing, or even eliminating, regular gym visits), making time to move is still essential. If you find yourself working from home and struggling to make time for exercise, schedule it into your day. (Setting an alarm can help.) Consider pulling together a home-gym corner, with items such as a yoga mat and a foam roller that you might already have.
Streaming workouts at home can keep you moving and motivated. YouTube channels like Yoga with Adriene, Fitness Blender, and Popsugar Fitness offer hundreds of free on-demand workouts. Expert-endorsed paid apps like Sworkit ($10-plus per month, with a free trial), Peloton ($13 per month), and the audio-only ClassPass Go ($8 per month) feature strength training, cardio, stretching, and more. If time is a constraint, these six-minute workouts from The New York Times (Wirecutter’s parent company) are quick and efficient. Apps can also help keep social runners and cyclists connected in light of cancelled races and group workouts. Strava allows you to share your runs and rides with a network of friends and followers and even participate in virtual challenges. MapMyRun, a more streamlined app, is another option.
If you can, get outdoors. Venturing outside for a run, hike, or bike ride—either solo or with cohabitants who aren’t sick—is still on the table for most people. The fresh air can help boost your mood and reinforce a degree of normalcy in your day-to-day.
Mentioned above
- After testing 19 meditation apps, we think Headspace will best serve most people seeking a convenient way to practice mindfulness.The Best Meditation Apps
- After more than 100 hours of research, including appointments across nine platforms, we recommend starting your search for an online therapist with MDLive.The Online Therapy Services We’d Use
Further reading
Why We’ve Taken Down Our Outdated Coronavirus Mask Coverage
by Wirecutter Staff
Official guidance for wearing face masks during the coronavirus pandemic has changed. Here’s why we’ve removed outdated mask coverage from our site.
How to Handle Packages During the Coronavirus Pandemic
by Ganda Suthivarakom
Be cautious and careful. But there’s no need to go overboard with panic.
Which Common Household Cleaners Work Against the Coronavirus?
by Christina Colizza
Check this EPA-approved list of common household disinfectants that neutralize the coronavirus, before you buy any more cleaning supplies.
The Best Soap for the Coronavirus? Any Real Soap.
by Ria Misra
Bar or liquid? Antibacterial or not? Mass-produced or “natural”? To slow the spread of the coronavirus, any kind of soap will do—as long as you use it correctly.