My Two Best Tips For Thriving In Home Quarantine

Confession: it's kind of embarrassing how little my routine has changed this past week.

What HAS changed is how many of you are also suddenly at home full-time, figuring out how to lead happy, productive lives apart from other people. I'm seeing a lot of boredom, social media overload, and an overall sense of floundering in these foreign, solitary waters.

I've been a professional home-stayer for over a decade now, and while I do have to watch out for my agoraphobia to flare up, for the most part I've been an incredibly content, entertained, and dare-I-say productive social distancer. (You know, before it was cool. :p)

So as a self-proclaimed expert, let me offer two easy pieces of advice for you newbies. Both of these have to do with how you start your day, whether that's bright-and-early or overcast-and-midafternoon like me.

1) Get completely dressed before leaving your bedroom.

Pick out an outfit, do your hair, wear fun jewelry, and especially wear shoes if you can. (Shoes make a huge difference for me; bare feet signal my brain that it's Couch Time.) Most of the outfits you see me post on Instagram never leave the house; I wear them just for me. Picking out fun colors or a geeky t-shirt helps me start my day on a fun and creative note, and also makes me feel like I'm ready to get to work.

This quarantine is the perfect time to experiment with your wardrobe, btw. Try a different Disneybound every day, or dress your way through the rainbow. Wear hats or scarves! Paint butterflies on your face. Have fun. Then take a selfie for posterity, or post it online to encourage others.

Whatever you choose, resist the urge to wear your PJs all day, every day. That's fun for a weekend, but I promise you an all-day PJ habit will drag you down fast, and turn your days into a depressing drudgery. Also if your PJs are really that much more comfy than your day-to-day clothes, BUY NEW CLOTHES. And learn to embrace stretchy fabrics!


2) Make a daily "To Do" list

This changed my life, gang. Accept no substitutes!

Every morning I sit down with breakfast and jot down what I want to do that day. But here's the secret: The list isn't just work stuff! The list is everything and anything I'd like to do that day - even things I want to think about. On my list today I have things like Call Bianca (a good friend), Make Brownies, Brainstorm New Wall Finishes (for a future project), and Do Your Nails.

Adding fun things to your list is essential, so each morning brainstorm what you *want* to do, in addition to things you *should* do. What memories do you want to make? What activities make you feel better when you're stressed?

Don't overload your list, though. If you add too much your brain could do that thing mine does where it looks up at the mountain, switches to white noise, and then leads you to the couch to binge How It's Made for 4 hours. So stick to 15 items or less at first, then add on from there.

If you have a set routine every day, print it out and either laminate it or put it in a plastic sleeve or picture frame, so you can use a dry-erase marker on it. My laminated list is a smeary mess, but here's how it looks right now, halfway through my day:

 

I had to give up my dreams of becoming a calligrapher.

The printed left side is the stuff I HAVE to do, while the write-ins on the right are more optional. Some of my write-ins don't get done by the end of the day, but that's fine; I leave them there for tomorrow.  If something hangs around for more than a few days, then I'll ask myself if it REALLY needs to be done - and more often than not I'll erase it.

I'm a big fan of crossing things out,  but you could also add pretty check boxes, like these:

via Design Eat Repeat

via What Mommy Does

Google "To-Do List"  and you'll find lots more printable options. Then type in your own list (leaving room for more!), print it out, and find either a frame or plastic sleeve for it!

Are you the spontaneous type who abhors lists? Try this anyway. These are strange new times, and you may need something drastically different to help you adjust to the new normal. Remember, THIS IS ALL VERY WEIRD. It's OK to feel like it is. The good news is we're all in this together, and we're going to find lots of exciting new ways to connect while still keeping each other safe. Promise.

And now, your adorable moment of ::SPLOT::

::splot::

I love you guys! Tell me in the comments your best tip(s) for staying in, or something that's helped you find purpose/joy while you're self-isolating.

******

If you're one of the few who haven't had your income cut off right now, then please consider donating. Not to me - John and I will be OK - but to your out-of-work loved ones! You can use Paypal to send anyone with an e-mail address money. You could also send a friend an anonymous grocery store gift card, or leave an extra roll of TP on your neighbor's doorstep. Oh yeah, and buy more stuff from your artist friends! Many people are more frightened by their loss of income than the virus, so let's do our part to pull each other through this rough patch. 

Remember, sunnier days are coming. Let's get there together.