60 Feel-Good Ideas for When You’re Self-Isolating at Home

Hi friends, how are you all doing, really? Wherever you are in the world, I hope you’re staying home and that you and your loved ones are safe and well.

It’s hard to believe quite how much the world has turned upside down in just a couple of weeks, isn’t it? Things we took for granted just a month ago – making travel plans, hugging friends, going to crowded restaurants and theatres – now seem like such a distant concept in the wake of Covid-19. But there’s a lot of comfort to be found in knowing we’re all in this together, and that eventually this too shall pass.

I’m sure the only way through this with our mental health in tact is to consciously choose positivity, to live as well as we can at home, and to focus on the little things which make each day feel easier – despite this strange and uncertain time we’re currently living through. Whilst this is not an exhaustive list – and please do add anything that you’ve found helpful or which is working for you in the comments below – these are some of the things I’ve been practising, learning as I go, and reminding myself on a daily basis in order to make things feel better and to make this time at home as happy as possible.

FOR YOUR MOOD:

• Take it one day at a time // We’re all adjusting to this strange new ‘normal’, and theres’ no denying that some days will feel easier than others. If you’re a bit of a control freak like me, the hardest part is the uncertainty; the not knowing just how long we have until things can return to normal (but if we’re being realistic, it’s likely that will take months, not days or weeks). Of course some days will feel hard and others will feel easy – and that’s completely normal and ok – but the key to not getting overwhelmed is to just take it one day at a time and go easy on yourself if you’re not firing on all cylinders or being the most productive every day.
• Start every day with a gratitude list // It’s hard to not feel stressed and out of control right now. But the number one thing keeping me in a positive frame of mind is daily gratitude. Every single morning, I think of at least 5 things I’m grateful for that day – and then keep thinking of them when I feel the stress or anxiety start to rear its head. It makes such a difference to focus on all the things we are fortunate enough to have, instead of worrying about all the things we cannot do, have or control right now.
• Use your fanciest things // If there was ever a time to use all those things we normally save for a ‘special occasion’, that time is now. Use your most expensive perfume and moisturiser, actually use the face and hair masks you’ve been saving for a rainy day, set the table and serve dinner with your fanciest glasses and wedding china, use your truffle oil and the expensive tea you brought back from France, wear your best silk pyjamas and most expensive underwear, and light your best candles on the weekend. We might not be able to go anywhere, but we can make our everyday life at home feel like the 5* version of itself.
• Reframe your mindset // Without ignoring the obvious sadness that is unfolding around the world right now, consciously starting my day with gratitude and good thoughts has enabled me to reframe my mindset so that I can view this as an opportunity – for us all to go slow and enjoy some downtime without the need to rush off anywhere, to connect and deepen our relationships, to really appreciate what truly matters, and to let the earth breathe for a minute – rather than just a crisis. As hard as it may feel some days (and it’s completely normal and ok to not feel upbeat and 100% ok every day), only you get to choose where and how you spend your energy during this time; try to invest it in ways that make you feel better, not worse.
• Make some new rituals // This is a strange time and it’s honestly getting hard to tell what day it is – my husband jokes that it’s now just ‘Day‘ or ‘Weekend‘. But while your normal daily or weekly schedules may be out the window, it’s nice to make some new routines and little rituals that make the day feel nicer. Find some gentle ways to start the morning, signal the end of the workday (if you’re working at home), unwind each evening, and decompress when you need to. Some of the things we’ve been doing that feel good so far: taking it in turns making each other a cup of tea in the afternoon, doing my workout at 5:30 each day to signify the end of work before hopping straight into a bath or shower, and then making dinner, lighting a nice candle and spending the rest of the evening just relaxing.
• Get some fresh air // If the weather and the lockdown rules where you live allow for it, take a walk outside for an hour each day. Breathe in that fresh air, soak in some mood-boosting Vitamin D, and take a moment to appreciate any beautiful sights you pass; the sound of the birds chirping in the trees, bumblebees buzzing happily in the spring blossom, how clean the air smells with no traffic to fill the roads, or the way the light makes everything glow at golden hour.
• Smell nice things // Your sense of smell has a strong connection to your mood, so fill your day with scents that make you happy. Buy yourself some fresh flowers if you’re able, brew a pot of coffee or bake a loaf of banana bread in the morning, spritz your favourite perfume a few times a day, smell all the flowers you pass on your neighbourhood walk, light some palo santo or your favourite scented candles in the evening, scent your bedlinen with pillow mist and put on your best hand cream before you climb into bed.
• Fill your house with feel-good tunes // Put on a playlist that always makes you feel better and listen to some happy tunes all day. My husband and I have been taking it in turns in playing DJ while we work together at the dining table (with mini dance-parties in the kitchen whilst we make an afternoon cup of tea), and it makes such a difference to our energy.
• Give your pet some extra love // If there is a greater stress-eraser than snuggling a pet, I don’t know it. If you’re lucky enough to have a pet, give them all the time and love they want. You’ll both be happier for it!
• Pleasure yourself // Take that as literally as you like, but every single day, do at least one thing just for your own pleasure. Watch one of your favourite movies or an old TV show that makes you laugh out loud, cook your favourite thing for dinner or fix your favourite cocktail, or whatever it is that will give you an instant mood-boost.
• Do literally nothing // I know there’s a lot of pressure to feel like we’re being as productive as possible and achieving something with this downtime. But the thing is; this is not a normal time. It’s completely unprecedented, it’s upsetting, and we have lost a huge sense of control over our own lives. It’s great to keep busy (I know it helps me keep my mind of everything that otherwise feels overwhelming), but equally it is 100% ok to give yourself permission to just stop trying to be productive and do something else – or literally nothing – if that is what you need that day. It’s ok to do less right now.
• Breathe deeply // When you’re feeling anxious or overwhelmed, even just a few minutes of focussed breathing can do wonders. Stop whatever you’re doing (including any escalating anxious thoughts), close your eyes and slowly and deeply breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Do this for as long as you need, but I find it always helps me to ‘reset’ a little.
• Switch off // If everything feels too overwhelming, limit yourself to X minutes of news + social media a day, and then cut yourself off. When things started escalating, I couldn’t switch off the news and found my anxiety increasing the more I looked. While I normally advocate being informed and staying abreast of current affairs, at the moment it all feels a bit more than anyone can reasonably cope with. My husband and I are now limiting ourselves to checking the news and any important opinion articles over breakfast (rather than on my phone first thing when I wake up, as I was doing), quickly glancing at any breaking news alerts at lunchtime, and watching the first half of the BBC news each evening and then switching it off. Anything beyond that feels repetitive and unnecessarily upsetting right now.
• All yourself a ‘worry window’ // I get it; it’s nearly impossible to not worry about things right now. But the thing about worrying is that it doesn’t solve anything at all, and just leaves you feeling even worse. My trick is to allow myself a specific window to worry; for me that’s usually right after checking the news, which is when the worry kicks in. I allow myself exactly 10 minutes to spiral, panic or feel despondent. I talk to my husband or cry if I need to, and then I go and have a shower or do my workout and try to brush it off so those negative feelings don’t stick with me the whole day. I know it’s easier said than done, but sometimes just recognising that it’s ok to not always feel ok right now and allowing yourself time to feel those things helps to keep them from taking over.
• Limit contact with negative people // I’ve had to limit phone calls and messages with a couple of friends and family members who are just focusing on all the things going wrong or complaining about how this is inconveniencing their own lives (without grasping the enormity of the bigger picture), because their negativity sticks with me and makes me feel anxious long after the conversation ends. As harsh as this sounds, you don’t need that kind of negativity right now – there is more than enough of that in the news. Instead prioritise connecting with people who make you feel better rather than worse.

FOR YOUR HOME:

• Make your home your sanctuary // Given how long we’re spending at home, it’s important that your place feels like a welcoming sanctuary right now. Do whatever you need to make it as happy and inviting as possible; take some time to make sure it is clean and smells great, clear-out any junk or unloved things that are bringing down the energy, turn your bathroom into your own spa, make a cosy spot for reading or watching your favourite movies, and keep your bedroom as happy and peaceful as possible.
• Stick to your usual cleaning routine // While I don’t normally advocate doing household chores during the day when you’re working from home, right now I’m finding cleaning to be a welcome distraction when I Just. Cannot. Focus. Either stick to your usual cleaning routine, or make yourself a ‘chore chart’ of weekly tasks you need to get to, and pick one to do whenever you need a break or a distraction – and then your weekends are freed up for fun things + relaxation.
• Make your bed every morning // A nicely made bed with fresh sheets and fluffed pillows is one of my favourite small pleasures in life, so one of the very first things I do every morning is to make the bed. Even if everything else is in chaos, I’ve achieved one thing that morning and my bed is a welcoming sanctuary to climb into every night (I’m also less likely to mess up my room if the bed is pristine).
• Do a deep spring clean // It’s not the most exciting thing activity to look forward to, but there is nothing more satisfying than spending a whole day or weekend spring cleaning and organising your entire house – especially all those random spots you never ordinarily get to. I’m going to try to get this one out of the way this weekend, so that I get to enjoy a sparkling clean home for the maximum amount of time.
• Clear-out your wardrobe // If you’re anything like me, you’re probably not wearing 95% of the things hanging in your closet right now. Spend some time this weekend (or whenever you need a mental distraction) and take everything out in sections (all your dresses at once, then all your jackets, etc.) and try everything on. When it’s empty, give each drawer or section of your wardrobe or drawer a clean, set aside anything which needs cleaning or repairing, make a pile of those things which can be donated / recycled / sold, and only return the things which spark joy.
• Pack away your winter clothes // Since it’s officially spring and we’re stuck indoors and so have no need for coats, now is the time to pack away all your heavy cold-weather coats, clothes and accessories. Wash all your wintery clothing, scarves, berets and sweaters on a gentle cycle, set aside any coats which need dry-cleaning (have them collected if that’s a service available in your area, or put them in a bag to take to the dry cleaner once you’re able), and de-pill (this is my favourite gadget) and pack away all the rest.
• Re-arrange a room or surface // Getting bored of the sight of your own place? Sometimes just rearranging some furniture, moving around your art or decorative accents, or changing the styling of a coffee table or surface makes a room feel completely fresh and new. I’ve just packed away anything wintery, re-styled our coffee table, and
• Open your windows every day // Even if it’s too cold or rainy to leave them open for long, opening your windows every morning to let some fresh air inside will do wonders to how your home feels.
• Tend to a garden // Whether you’re lucky enough to have an actual outdoor space, or your ‘garden’ is just a few houseplants or potted herbs on your windowsill, the act of tending to plants is so stress-relieving (bonus points: as well as looking beautiful, your plants will also help to clean the air inside your home). Yesterday I felt completely distraught after reading the news at lunchtime that I completely admitted defeat when it came to achieving anything at my desk that day. I spent the rest of the afternoon tending to my balcony and re-potting some plants (with the one bag of potting mix I had on hand), and it felt so restorative to be doing something productive with my hands.
• Do one of those tasks you’ve been meaning to do // Since we’re suddenly all spending a lot more time at home, now is the time to do one or two of those niggling tasks we’ve been meaning to get to for ages. I am going to finally hang some of the art that has been leaning against the wall beside my desk for longer than I care to admit, and sand down and re-stain my balcony deck. It’s satisfying to tick something off your list and feel like you’ve accomplished something, even if your brain doesn’t have the bandwidth for mental productivity that day.
• Treat yourself to something comforting // My number one priority at home right now is comfort. If you’re able to do so, treat yourself to a small luxury that will increase your cosy factor right now; a new throw blanket or pillow for your sofa, a set of silk pillowcases (these are my favourite) or new bedding, a beautiful candle to light at the start of every evening, a dutch oven to help you cook delicious things, or a gorgeous set of pyjamas for some upgraded lounging (I just bought myself a new set of my favourite pyjamas, to go with this pair I bought myself for my birthday last year and love so much).

FOR YOUR BODY:

• Make yourself feel nice // Even though you’re not leaving the house, sticking to a daily grooming ritual will make you feel better. Shower when you wake up every morning, shave your legs and once a week exfoliate from head to toe, take some time to do your skincare routine and put on your favourite products, do your hair and put on a little makeup if it makes you feel better – or otherwise take it as an opportunity to let your skin breathe and to give your hair have a break from heat-styling for a while.
• Eat well // I know that in most places doing the grocery shopping feels a bit like some kind of survivalist game show, so it’s a lot harder to get some of the things we normally take for granted. But food is an important act of self-care so if you are able, so stock up on lots of lovely fresh produce and make yourself something delicious and nutritious every day. Try to go easy on the foods that make you feel worse afterwards (that’s sugar and dairy for me), but if an extra piece of chocolate or a giant bowl of popcorn while watching a movie is what your body really wants right now, then do whatever feels good.
• Stretch often // Have a 10 minute stretch session every morning, lunchtime or evening. You’re likely going to be sitting a lot more than normal, so it’s important for your body to stretch it out.
• Try to move your body every day // Even if we can’t leave our apartments, there are so many free workouts online that make it easy to work up a sweat at home. Since I obviously can’t get to my regular classes right now, I’m doing F45 workouts online once or twice a day (my local studio are streaming virtual live classes with their trainers a few times a day), but I’ll also be trying some of Psycle London’s free daily Instagram Live workouts and signing up for Pure Barre’s at-home classes (get a free 60 day trial with code ‘extendedtrial’). The days when I least feel like it actually turn out to be the days when I most need it, because those post-exercise endorphins are the cure for anxiety.
• Set yourself a physical goal or challenge // Have you always wanted to be able to do the splits? Hold a plank for 2 minutes? Be able to do full pushups? Feel more mobile and less tight in your muscles? Do a yoga move you’ve always wanted to master? Whatever it is, work on it for even just a few minutes a day and enjoy seeing yourself improve each day. Weirdly I can only do the splits on my right side, so I’m working on increasing and evening up my flexibility so I’m less prone to injury and tightness.
• Wear something really comfortable, or really fabulous // I’ll admit I’ve been spending most days in my activewear (the only way I can make myself work out at home is to put my workout clothes on as soon as I shower each morning, as then I ‘might as well use them’), but I am not mad about how comfortable they are and have realised that non-stretchy waistbands are generally overrated. But then yesterday I put on one of my favourite Valentino dresses that I hardly ever wear, a headband and giant statement earrings just because I could. I felt truly ridiculous, but also really great. Moral of the story: you’re not going outside, so just wear whatever makes you feel really good that day.
• Sleep well // Try to stick to roughly the same bedtime and get a full 8 hours sleep (or however much you prefer) every night. Everything feels a little easier when you’re well-rested.
• Take a bath (or shower) every night // If you’re having trouble unwinding before bed, put your phone away, light some candles and put on some calming music, pour in some of your favourite bath salts, bubbles or oil and just relax for half an hour. You’ll sleep like a baby!

FOR YOUR MIND:

• Actually read something in your ‘to read’ pile // I’m sure I’m not alone in having more books than I do time. Before I buy order anything new, I’m taking this as an opportunity to make more time to read some of the books I’ve been wanting to get through. I’ve been really enjoying switching off the TV after just one episode of whatever we’re watching after dinner (currently ‘Dawson’s Creek’), and instead climbing into bed really early to spend an hour escaping into a book before I go to sleep.
• … Or re-read your favourite books // When things feel stressful, sometimes it just feels so good to re-visit something you already know well. I’ve been re-reading Harry Potter when I don’t have the attention span for anything new, and it feels like the literary equivalent of a warm comforting hug.
• Learn (or improve) a language // Start learning that language you’ve always wanted to master, or improve your skills for one you already know, but have forgotten. I think my high school Chinese is probably beyond redemption at this point, but I’m going to be working on my conversational French via 15 minutes on DuoLingo – a free app which has 33 languages and many competency levels – every lunchtime so that I’m ready to jump on the next train to Paris once normalcy returns.
• Master a new dish // Since we can’t go out to eat, now feels like the perfect time to try some different recipes and add some different dishes to our regular repertoire. I’ve challenged my husband (who has baked exactly once in his life) to a bake-off this weekend, and I’ve been having fun being more inventive and resourceful with the more limited ingredients we have on hand or are able to find in the store to make sure nothing goes to waste.
• Cook something you wouldn’t normally make time for // What’s something you’ve always wanted to try making, but never normally do because it feels like too much effort? So far I’ve used some of the extra time to make a few jars of apricot + orange blossom jam (with some peaches and apricots I’d chopped up and frozen for a rainy day at the end of summer) and pizza dough from scratch (and froze it in 4 double-portions for us to enjoy later), and plan on baking some hot cross buns (’tis the season) and focaccia or bread (one of the hardest commodities to find in the supermarket right now) next. It’s a great stress-reliever, and it feels so satisfying to be able to fill our fridge or freezer with delicious homemade things right now.
• Pay a virtual visit to a museum // So many museums and cultural institutions around the world are offering virtual tours so that you can visit anytime you like, even though they’re shut. My friend and I have been having virtual ‘Museum Monday’ dates, and so far we’ve ‘visited’ my favourite Musee D’Orsay together, and we might go to the Guggenheim next.
• Watch every movie by your favourite actor or director // Now is probably not the time to tackle the complete works of Shakespeare (unless of course that feels like a welcome distraction to you), but why not use the extra downtime to deepen your knowledge of something you already know and love? Pick an actor or director you know you like and watch every movie or TV show they’ve ever done. Although some are impossible to find online, we’re midway through watching every movie Tom Hanks has ever starred in (my husband’s pick), alternated with every movie Nancy Meyers and Nora Ephron have ever written or directed (my pick).
• Listen to every song by your favourite artists // Similarly, why not expand your repertoire of artists you love, or songs by those you already know? While I usually just listen to my go-to playlists of songs I know and love, I’ve really been enjoying listening to the entire back catalogue of my favourite musicians on Spotify.
• Play a game // When was the last time you played a game just for fun? If you’re isolating with others in your home, pull out your favourite card or board games and introduce a weekly games night. If you’re lucky enough to have a garden, then play some lawn games outdoors in the garden. Otherwise, challenge yourself to a daily sudoku, crossword, puzzle or something else to keep your mind sharp.
• Practice mindfulness // One of the things I’m not always good at practicing in my everyday life, but which has really been helping me the last few weeks is mindfulness. Instead of constantly checking my phone whilst watching a movie, or eating my breakfast while doing my makeup and at the same time thinking about every single thing I have to do that day, I’m trying to really just be present, focus on one thing at a time, and be mindful and appreciative of whatever I’m doing in that moment. It helps to slow my racing thoughts and also to really enjoy the things that are filling my day.
• Improve a skill // If there’s something you’ve been wanting to try ‘one day’, put your extra downtime to good use and give it a go now. On my list to spend some time working on over the coming weeks: watercolour painting and ink drawing, needlepoint (if I can get my hands on some new embroidery thread and a few plain napkins or t-shirts to embellish), being more experimental with my photography, and maybe some creative writing.
• Meditate // I’ve tried meditating a few times over the years, but have never been able to stick to it (probably because I can’t shut my brain off, so I never feel like I’m doing it right), but I’m going to give it another go this month. If you’ve never tried it, or like me haven’t stuck with it, now is probably the perfect time to give it a go in case it brings a greater sense of peace and calms our racing thoughts.

TO STAY CONNECTED

• Actually phone your loved ones // I know this is a long-forgotten concept to many of us (me included), but if there was ever a time to pick up the phone and actually call or FaceTime someone (without worrying if we’re going to catch them at a good time), that time is now.
• Send a voice note or video instead of a text // Similarly, try sending a chatty voice message or cheering video to a friend for them to listen to / watch when they have a moment and need some cheering up. I’d never done it in my life but have been doing it with a few of my friends the last couple of weeks and it makes me smile every time I receive one!
• Do an online workout class with a friend // My friend Brenda and I have been scheduling in virtual workout dates for Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings. One of us will find a workout to stream, we share our screens via Skype or Zoom so that we’re looking at the exact same thing at the same time, and then cheer each other on (or mutually complain) when it gets hard.
• Have a virtual activity date // Pick an activity you and your friend both enjoy or want to try – maybe cooking a particular recipe together, trying your hand at watercolour or needlepoint, or even learning a new language – and spend an afternoon or evening doing it together via FaceTime.
• Send snail mail // I love old-fashioned mail, and there has never been a better time for it. Postal services are pretty much running as normal (albeit likely with delays for long-distance deliveries), so sending a hand-written card or care package is an easy and inexpensive way to brighten a loved ones’ day. My friend and I did a book exchange via post last week, and it made me smile so much to open a box filled with great new things to read along with some other little treats we knew the other would love.
• Read a bedtime story to some little ones // If you know someone with children, make a date to video chat so you can read them a story. If you have kids of your own, they can join in too, and you can take it in turns hosting weekly story time.

FOR OTHERS

• Stay home // It can be hard to feel so completely helpless in this situation, but honestly the number one thing we can all do for others right now is to STAY HOME! Unless it is essential for you to leave your house right now, just stay home and feel extra grateful that you are fortunate enough to be able to do so when so many others simply cannot.
• Check in on friends and relatives who are elderly or alone // This is a hard time for practically everyone, but I’m especially conscious of my elderly relatives and single friends who are really feeling the brunt of being completely isolated all of a sudden. Make sure you check in every few days to let them know how much you care and ask if there’s anything you can do that will make them feel better that day.
• Donate supplies or funds // If you have the means, please consider giving your support to one of the local or national not-for-profit or organisations or food banks in your community. These incredible charities are doing the work that needs to be done on the frontlines right now; supporting the elderly and vulnerable, helping those less fortunate than us, or working around the clock to help find a cure.
• Give blood // On top of everything else, unfortunately there is a huge shortage of blood right now. If you are able, please consider donating at your local blood donor centre.
• Foster an animal // Already over-stretched animal rescue charities are at breaking point with less volunteers, more abandoned animals, and fewer people adopting at the moment. If you are able, please consider contacting one of your local shelters to see if you can adopt or temporarily fostering an animal who is in desperate need of a warm, loving home. I can 100% confirm that having a sweet little pet to give unlimited love and cuddles is the best cure for stress or loneliness.
• Support your local restaurants and cafes // Local businesses are the lifeblood of our community, and many will be struggling to stay afloat right now. If you are able to whilst social distancing, keep supporting those which are still open or operating on a takeaway basis.
• Shop mindfully // I know shopping for anything other than the essentials is not the most pressing concern for most of us right now. But if you have the means to do so, shopping online is a useful way we can all help to keep the economy (which is taking a monumental hit) going, whilst also treating ourselves to something that may make us smile. As always, be mindful of what you’re buying (choosing fewer but better quality pieces that are kinder to the environment), try to only order things that spark joy to save unnecessary deliveries + returns, and try to shop from independent artists or small businesses (who will be extra grateful for the support) or brands who are committed to sustainability or doing good + giving back during the current crisis.
• Send fun ideas to friends with kids // I am saying a special prayer for anyone who suddenly has to learn how to home-school and keep their children entertained 24/7 right now! Every time I think of a fun activity or come across an idea for a learning opportunity kids can do at home, I send it to my friends who are suddenly isolated with their little ones along with a quick note to check how they’re all doing.
• Spread some extra joy and kindness // I know some days can feel a lot harder than others right now, but if you have some positivity leftover, be a source of joy and spread kindness to those around you. Tell a loved one how much they mean to you, show extra gratitude to your delivery drivers and supermarket staff (who like us, are all doing the best they can), tell someone you appreciated what they posted or created that day, and try not to complain about the situation we’re in (because we are all in it, and no amount of complaining will make it better).

Please let me know if you have any tips to share in the comments below so that we can all benefit from them. I hope you’re all staying safe and well at home! We’re all in this together. 

Love, Briony xx