Hello ladies! It’s been a while since I’ve written. But now seems like the apt time to get back to regular posts. The entire globe is under self quarantine and we are back to basics; back home to our families, without any distractions of going to events, concerts, movies, shopping malls, pubs, bars or restaurants.

We are now facing something that we could never imagine in our wildest dreams. But, take this as a time to self introspect, self care and self evolve.

Here are a few tips to help you get through these uncertain times, while continuing to remain positive and hopeful of the times to come.

1. Self Care: Care for your Hands, Face, Body and Hair

Face Care: Thoroughly cleanse your face with mild foaming face wash and pat dry. Use hydrating ph balanced toner, moisturise your face and neck with a nourishing face cream and finish with sun screen, even though you are at home. You may want to use a face scrub + hydrating face mask routine once in week.

Body Care: Cleanse your body with a hydrating body wash and moisturise with body lotion. Once a week, use a granulated body scrub to scrub out dead skin and use massage oil to replenish your skin with nutrients.

Hair care: Use this time at home by caring for your locks. Oil your hair with onion seed oil for hair growth or neem oil to treat dandruff or good ol’ coconut oil to nourish your hair. Mask your hair for the oil to nourish your mane from scalp to ends for about an hour. Wash with cool water and use a conditioner to smoothen the rough ends. Let your hair air dry. Once dry, apply nourishing serum to protect your hair. Avoid using heat/ tools on your luscious locks.

Hand care: As recommended by the WHO, wash your hands thoroughly with soap, use alcohol based hand rubs and cleanse your hands from time to time, even if they appear visibly clean.

2. Read a Book

You’ve spent precious time worrying about what to wear, where to go and what to post on social media all these years. But, now when there’s nothing to do but spend time at home, how about reading?

Read a book on life lessons, self care books, books with stories of kindness and strength, books that keep you sane and cheer you up during these difficult times.

Watch out for my next post with a few book recommendations.

3. Learn a Skill

Remember that thing you’ve always wanted to do – how to sketch or paint, how to play a musical instrument or learn a new language – well, then what are you waiting for? Do it, now!

Sketch/ Paint: Painting and Sketching help relieve stress and help you create. If that’s not your thing, how about colouring? Sketch books that have beautiful illustrations, are waiting to be brought to life with the colours of your imagination. Or you could even download colouring apps on your smart phone, a little less satisfying than the real thing but fun nonetheless!

Music: Listen to your favourite songs over and over gain, make playlists, listen to the radio, or even better – learn how to play a musical instrument. Think of the guitar or the keyboard or the drums lying in your attic, it’s time to wipe off the dust and give it a shot. There are innumerable how-to videos on youtube that will guide you through the process.

Learn a new language: Bonjour! Ça Va? Be it French, Spanish, Arabic or Japanese, the world is your oyster. With self-learn language books, online language courses and learning apps such as DuoLingo and Babbel, you can finally get to speaking that exotic language that you’ve wanted to learn for a while now.

4. Exercise at Home

This is the time when you can’t use your fancy gym memberships and Zumba/pilates/ yoga classes are inaccessible. But, does that mean, your body suffers? NO.

Now is when we learn to workout at home. All you need is breathable workout clothes, a pair of good shoes, a yoga mat and basic dumbbells.

There are a ton of tutorials and how-to videos on youtube or Facebook or Instagram. Make sure you follow the steps properly from professionals/ gym instructors that post on these websites. Also, make sure to not miss the stretching, warmup and cool down exercises so that there are no injuries.

5. Keep Digitally Connected with friends and family across the globe

Although this is the time to practice social detox, it is also a time to show you care for your loved ones. Limit your time spent on scrolling through endless feeds on social media.

Instead use that time, to make a phone call or Skype/ face time with parents, siblings, friends and family across the globe who are facing similar quarantine restrictions. What a great time to work on bonds that matter the most!

These were a few tips to start with. How did you like them, what are you ladies doing during self-quarantine? Would love to read your tips/ suggestions. Stay safe my lovelies 🙂