We’ve pretty much all dealt with the dynamics of lockdown by now, and with a few under our belt we could even be considered pros. But the end of 2021 brought with it the unexpected Christmas gift of 7 day isolation periods for people testing positive with COVID-19, as well as their household contacts. 

The difference between lockdown and isolation is that with the former you typically have warning so you can prep, and even in the thick of it you can leave home to exercise or run to the shops for essentials. But with the latter you really are locked up tight, isolated to the point of zero contact so as not to spread the virus to anyone else in the home, or outside of it. 

With this in mind we’ve come up with 3 self care tips to support you through spending 7 days at home in isolation.

Relaxation Exercises

Finding a sense of peace and calm in our busy day-to-day lives is important. Finding it in isolation is absolutely essential. In fact maybe the upside of being ‘benched’ in this way is the opportunity to really rest and reset.

Sitting quietly with ourselves and taking stock of where we’re at, where we want to be, and how we're planning to get ourselves there. So, what better exercise is there to accompany this stream of meditative thoughts, than conscious relaxation. 

Certain techniques can help to relax the mind and body, plus they’re great for managing stress and anxiety. Breathing exercises, muscle relaxation, meditation, and gentle yoga and Tai Chi moves all work really well  in small spaces and all have tutorials freely available on YouTube making them super easy to do in isolation.

Mindfulness Activities

Mention mindfulness to the right friend and she’ll rummage through her notes and find you her top tips to include in your daily efforts. One is probably going to be a guided meditation (if it’sYoga Nidra save it for bedtime and enjoy the deepest, most restful sleep of your life).

Another is sure to be the art of journaling “great for achieving goals, tracking intentions, progress and growth, gaining self-confidence, improving writing and communication skills, reducing stress and anxiety, strengthening memory and finding inspiration.” 

The most important tip you could get here though is the nudge to arrange a telehealth therapy appointment, even if it’s simply to check in, offload, reassess and tick the box that you’ve proactively nurtured your mental health at this time. With telehealth services extended throughout the pandemic 7 days of isolation could be the perfect time to make an appointment and get some useful tips on self care from a professional.

Healthy Eating

Based on the fact that we feel better when we eat better this has to be on the iso self care list. It means resisting the urge to chow down on sweet treats and junk food as a reward for making it through each day, and instead consciously choosing healthy options.

There's no need to compromise on taste here either - check out our home cooked food delivery service FoodSt, where our founder Lorraine is passionate about connecting communities through food.

She started FoodSt 6 years ago to connect people through the goodness of home cooking. At FoodSt home cooks are empowered to share their authentic, home cooked meals with others whilst making delicious food available to busy households.

Every meal is handmade from scratch using authentic family recipes and fresh, quality ingredients - and this month we’ve carefully curated ‘Iso Explorer Bundle’ meal packs.

Get meals like curry from Sri Lanka, handmade gnocchi from Italy, and vegan bowls from Mexico delivered to your door so if you or someone you know is isolating you can eat like a tourist and enjoy a welcome hit of escapism at the simple touch of a button…