How to Stay Sane During Social Distancing: Tips for Coping with Cabin Fever

Are you feeling uneasy or having difficulty concentrating? Are you un-motivated or unusually on edge? With the unfamiliar and unknown surrounding the temporary COVID-19 pandemic, you’re not alone. If you’re feeling cooped-up, it’s possible you may even have a case of cabin fever.

Because the Coronavirus is an illness we cannot see, it’s essential that we readily adapt to social distancing. In order to take on and tackle the tangible, by only concerning ourselves with what we can control, we can do our part to stay positive during the pandemic. Below are a few suggestions for combating the stir-crazy of social seclusion.

Health Tips, Wellbeing Workouts, and Self-care Suggestions

Sleep

• Be sure to get a good night sleep and wake up around the same time every day.
• When winding down in bed, do so screen-free.
• Don’t toss and turn. If you are having trouble sleeping, get up and do something you find calming.

Entertainment

• Write a story or start journaling.
• Try something you’ve seen on Pinterest. Even if it’s an epic fail, find the funny in it.
• Pay attention to your social media habits and limit your screen time.
• Be mindful of the messages you put out into the world. Use social media platforms for positivity.
• Memorize your favorite rap song, or perfect your beat boxing skills.
• Look at yourself in the mirror and attempt a self-portrait.
• There’s nothing wrong with watching your favorite movie or show, just try not to binge watch into oblivion.

Self-Help

• Set daily and weekly goals. Track your progress and find small ways to reward yourself. You deserve it!
• Write letters or thank you notes you’ve been meaning to get to.
• Create a vision board of future goals and dreams. If you can see it, you can achieve it.
• Skype or FaceTime with long distance friends. Make sure you maintain contact with those you care about.
• Clean out the clutter from your email inbox.
• Update your cell phone contact list.
• Develop a sensational skincare routine.
• Take a bubble bath. Use Epsom salts, drops of lavender, or bath bombs to unwind.

Health

• Soak up some sunlight, go outside, or sit by a window. The vitamin D from the sun helps to boost your mood.
• Maintain a healthy diet. Eat plenty of vegetables and stay hydrated.
• Avoid junk foods that are high in sugar, carbohydrates, and fats.
• Get up and get active! Exercising reduces cortisol levels and stimulates endorphins. Look online for yoga, resistance band, or dumbbell workout tutorials.
• Exercise your brain! Read a book or start a series you’ve been looking forward to. Mix it up with a crossword puzzle, card game, or board game night.
• Try meditation, mindfulness, or deep-breathing techniques.

Family Fun and Home Organization

• Try your hand at making shadow puppets.
• Dress up your pets and have a photo shoot. They’ll love it.
• Create an indoor obstacle course- just be careful!
• Workout your fine motor, problem-solving, and spatial skills with video games.
• Feng shui your living space.
• Watch home videos as a family.
• Organize your cluttered toolbox, tackle box, or junk or tupperware drawer.
• Play charades!
• Give your dog a bath.
• Light candles or tea lights or hang up old holiday lights for magical mood lighting.
• Play hide-and-seek or flashlight tag.
• Finally get to those crock pot or air fryer recipes you’ve been meaning to try.
• Plan an indoor picnic or hopscotch game.
• Bake some sweets as a family.
• Get artsy! Paint a family portrait.
• Get your coloring books out, it improves mood and boosts immunity.
• Take the time to teach your children a useful skill.
• Have an indoor scavenger hunt.
• Shake it up with shaving cream sculptures.
• Build with blocks or create a world for imaginative play.
• Bounce around with a game of balloon tennis.
• Write a play and record it.
• Interview important people in your life and save the audio.
• Try scrapbooking.
• Now’s the time for spring cleaning! Clean out the fridge, cabinets, or rearrange furniture.
• Look at pictures of puppies.
• Write a book with your family. Pick a character and each member writes a chapter about their adventures. Read the finished story aloud to each other.
• Make a list of the things your family is grateful for.
• Read the Harry Potter series with your kids and finish each book with its movie.
• Hone in on those home improvement projects you’ve been neglecting.
• Have a family friendly movie night!
• Research your family history and create a family tree.
• Make a fort fit for indoor camping.
• Put on a soap opera, mute the sound, and create the character’s dialog.
• Meal prep for a week.
• Throw a family dance party!
• Teach your dog new tricks.
• Have “reverse makeovers” with your kids- create unibrows with eyebrow pencils and apply makeup sloppily. The messier the better. Be sure to snap a picture.
• Talk to your plants and watch them grow. They have feelings too, you know.
• Throw away anything outdated (worn clothes, old makeup, old spices, etc.).