Taking time out for self-care during uncertain times after an unconventional year is critical to overall mental wellness. The global pandemic has impacted everyone, and most of us have struggled with isolation, social distancing, shutdowns, and more as the pandemic has gone on.
Some have taken these changes in stride and added to their homes or used the time to enrich their minds. Others have found new ways to live their lives and develop new opportunities and even careers. No matter how you’ve gotten through the past year, stepping back to focus on self-care is a great idea. If you’re tired, suffering from pandemic fatigue, or want an escape, read on to find out ways to create your own self-care space.
Therapeutic Home Renovations
Self care and the ability to focus on it can often start with a transformed space. If you’re a homeowner with the ability to make changes to your home, one way to do it is to look at your available space and see what changes you could make to give yourself a designated spot for winding down. You can do this in an apartment, too, in a more minimalist way. Start with thinking about what you naturally like to do to chill out.
If you love to read, a home library with a new bay window might do it. Maybe you live in Tennessee, and a quick Google search for something like Knoxville, TN replacement window company, would be enough to point you in the right direction of a reading nook. For others, who enjoy soaking in the tub, a bathroom renovation might be in order. A hot tub or garden tub could feel magical after a long day of remote work or helping the kids with online school.
If funds are tight or you aren’t sure exactly what would work best for you, start with a project that only involves a small amount of money or work. Even if it means pulling things out of an unused walk-in closet and setting up a yoga mat for meditation or clearing out a guest room to make room for a jigsaw table, going through your house and identifying new spaces you could use to unwind will do wonders for your mental health.
Mindfulness and Mental Wellness
For many, self-care involves professional help. Whether you have a mental illness or want some extra help, CBT therapists can teach you exercises that will help your anxiety about uncertain times in the outside world. In working with a therapist in online therapy sessions. You’ll even have tools to tune the world out when it’s time to relax and from the comfort of home. Therapy is an effective way of releasing stress and help with feeling less socially isolated. If you live alone and have been suffering from sadness or loneliness since the shutdowns and restrictions in the United States, this could be particularly effective.
If you’ve tried therapy in the past and aren’t sure it will work, consider that there are many types of therapy out there. You don’t have to use what didn’t work in the past, and trying something new could really help. When setting up the first appointment with a new therapist, be sure to be transparent about any bad experiences you’ve had. The therapy office will be able to work with you to find a better match.
If you have had therapy in the past and enjoyed it, you could ask your old therapist to see you again or go directly to them for a referral for another therapist who works in the same way they did. While psychotherapy is busy due to the pandemic, remote workers are doing a great job keeping up with mental health demands through new apps. Don’t hesitate to reach out. It could be the best thing you do for yourself all year. The best news is, you could even participate in therapy from your new escape spot at home.
Wellness Activities and Products
For many, self-care involves finding new activities that help keep stressors down. Maybe it’s that you’ve always wanted to learn to cook. If your self-care spot happens to be in your kitchen, you’re in luck. Why not combine your new space with new recipes? When Googling for things like how to dispose of used cooking oil, be sure to look up new healthy recipes. Healthy eating, hobbies, and keeping yourself busy are all great ways to take care of yourself.
Whether you decide to build that new kitchen, turn your bathroom into a tropical oasis, or carve out a reading nook in your home, you’ll want to consider ways to set the atmosphere. Lighting, noise control, and boundaries around how family members use space will all be key to protecting your new space.
Maybe you’re a night owl who enjoys time alone when the house is still. Sit your family members down and ask that they give you an hour a night after bedtime for alone time in your new reading nook. Bring with you relaxing music, that warm book light and a candle or two. Don’t forget those healthy snacks and water. Or maybe your new self-care spot means a bubble bath locked in the bathroom every day at noon. If this sounds good to you, don’t forget to bring the waterproof Bluetooth speakers, that playlist, and that sheet mask.
Self care spaces mean just that. When creating these spaces, they should be about you and no one else. Consider your favorite colors and the things that make you feel good. Use those therapy tools to help you advocate for your alone time, too. You deserve some time just for you.
In the end, no matter how you build or shape your self-care space, the key is that you’re making self-care a priority. In doing so, you’ll not only improve your overall mental wellness but physical health, too. Soon enough, the pandemic will be over, and you’ll still have a fantastic space and even some new healthy habits to retreat to. You’ll come out of it a happier, healthier you. Try it. Even your family will thank you.
