After a few months of being stuck at home due to the spread of the coronavirus, everyone is starting to feel the effects—from increased levels of anxiety to just a desire to socialize with other humans. Don’t worry! You’re not alone. The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on many people’s mental health because, as humans, we crave socialization and activities that keep our brains engaged.
If you’re looking for ways to boost your mood (and your wardrobe), try finding reasons to get dressed up and throw on your favorite gold chains to give your outfit a little extra personality. You should also learn some tactics for dealing with your thoughts and feelings during this unusual time and to find joy in the strangeness.
Get Dressed for the Day
If you’re anything like us (and everyone else in the world right now), you’ve probably been wearing nothing but a variety of different pajamas. We get it. When you’re staying at home all day long, you want to be comfortable. But, sticking to just pajamas all day long can take a toll on your levels of motivation and productivity. And, if you’re working from home right now, it’s important to figure out ways to stay focused.
We’ve all heard the phrase “Dress for success.” Well, that’s because putting on an outfit that makes us feel confident and ready to take on the day will boost your ability to focus and sharpen your skills.
You don’t have to go all-out and put on a full suit every day, but getting dressed in an outfit that makes you feel good will help boost your mood and motivation throughout the day. You should try adding your favorite accessories like gold chains as well. If you want to stay comfy, there are plenty of ways to make leisurewear fashionable. Just avoid rolling out of bed in your PJs and rolling back into it at night with the same outfit on.
Pick Up a New Hobby
When our bodies and minds feel stagnant, our mental health starts to be impacted because, as humans, many of us crave stimulation—something that can be difficult to get when locked inside the house. Quarantine is the perfect time to find a new hobby and stick to it. Think about it: You have a ton of extra time on your hands right now, and you probably have a few projects or hobbies that you’ve been interested in but never got around to. Well, get around to it now!
Learning something new will form new neural connections, which improves overall brain function. Many experts recommend that people make an effort to continue learning new skills as they get older because it can help keep their minds sharp and reduce chances of developing diseases like dementia. During quarantine, finding a new hobby will keep your mind occupied and give you a sense of accomplishment. How about watercolor painting?
Stay in Touch with Friends
One of the aspects of normal non-lockdown life that everyone seems to miss the most is being able to see our friends and family, which is why we all need to make a concerted effort to stay in touch with the people who are important to you. People across the world have been taking advantage of video chatting services like Zoom and Google Hangouts Meet to host virtual happy hours with their crew. You can also start sending watercolor postcards you’ve painted to your home-bound friends and acquaintances!
Not only is talking to your friends a good way to boost your mood, but it’s also a good reason to get dressed up and strut your stuff. You can admit it: As much as you love wearing sweatpants all day, you kinda miss getting dressed to go out, don’t you? Well, you don’t have to go out to get dressed up. Plan a time with your friends for a virtual hangout and encourage everybody to rock their gold chains and go all-out on their hair and makeup to make the event a little more special. Some people are even picking themes for their virtual happy hours and dressing accordingly.
Have an At-Home Date Night
If you live with your significant other, being locked down together can be the perfect opportunity to spend more time with each other, but it can also put a bit of a strain on any relationship. You’re not used to being together 24/7 without any kind of alone time or other socialization—two aspects that are essential for a healthy relationship. Try to make time for each of you to have your own space, but you can make your everyday living more exciting as well.
Plan a date night and cook a chef-inspired meal. Then, set the table with some romantic candle lighting, fresh flowers, and whatever else you want to make it special—like water-colored place cards and menus you’ve made yourself! Both of you should get dressed up as if you were headed to a real restaurant and spend some quality time in each other’s company.
Take Time to Journal
We are living through history right now. In the last few months, so much has happened in this world that people will be learning about for decades to come. Because we’re experiencing it first-hand, writing about what’s happening is a great way to document an unusual time and help you work through some of your feelings. For many people, being cooped up can lead to feelings of anxiety or depression, but journaling is one of the best ways to help you think through those feelings and express yourself.
This is also a good way to provide alone time for yourself if you live with a friend or significant other. Spend a few moments each day jotting down your thoughts, and you’ll find yourself feeling a bit lighter. Add a few water-colored sketches to the margins, and you’ll have created a real keepsake!
Limit Your Time Watching the News
We want to briefly mention one more way to keep your morale up during a pandemic outbreak. Limit. News. Watching. We can’t stress that enough. Yes, it’s important to stay on top of what’s happening in the world and get the right information, but it’s easy to become completely consumed by the news or your Twitter feed, and that can take a huge toll on our mental health.
Try to set specific times to catch up on news—like early in the morning or sometime after lunch. Then, let yourself escape and find something else to focus on—work, your new hobby—like water-coloring or a home improvement project.
Look Good, Feel Great
Quarantine has everyone feeling a little bent out of shape. Keep yourself motivated, entertained, and feeling good by implementing small changes into your day like getting dressed in the morning. You should also make reasons to get dressed at home like having a virtual happy hour with your friends during which you can show off your new gold chains or quarantine hair style.
While your outward appearance can boost your internal feelings, making time for activities like date nights and new hobbies over 24/7 news coverage will definitely have you feeling more upbeat and motivated.
