Looking back on the year-plus of pandemic lockdowns, one thing that being forced to stay indoors taught us is the value of incorporating daily self-care. As we deal with the strange limbo we’re currently in and look ahead to a post-pandemic world, here are some self-care moves to incorporate into your daily routine, if you haven’t already. Every day is a good day to start.
1. Prioritize your mental health.
Trying to balance your personal life with friends, family, a partner, a career, and so on can be a challenge regardless, but even more so during a pandemic. Mental health should be a priority for all of us, now more than ever, as there’s a chance we’re finding ourselves extra anxious, whether it’s due to the unknown future of this global challenge or because some of us are readjusting to our return to the hustle and bustle of an on-the-go routine. Having access to therapy gives us the time and purposeful motivation to self-reflect and take a breather from all those stressors. With telehealth, people have been able to unpack and explore while comfortably in their home in a t-shirt and sweats when talking to a therapist over the computer.
2. Stop doom-scrolling to unwind.
One thing I noticed, both with myself and seemingly everyone I knew, is that we became tethered to our phones more than ever during lockdown. We found ourselves heavily reliant on our phones to communicate with people we’d otherwise see in person and scroll endlessly for distractions from or updates on the ongoing pandemic. Doom-scrolling your never-ending feed of social media can leave you feeling tremendously anxious while believing it to be a relaxing way to unwind. While there’s never a bad time to distance yourself from your phone, now might be a really good time. You don’t need to see your friend posing at the top of a hiking trail. You yourself can go out and do that. Heck, you can even do it with them instead of liking those Instagram posts! Take a break from being inside that digital cocoon.
3. Stretch those limbs out.
With a year and a half into the pandemic, there’s a good chance you’ve gone through waves of digital fatigue, given prolonged sitting and a tendency to overlook daily exercises. Turn on a YouTube fitness video and roll out your yoga mat to follow those stretches or mediations. An at-home gym outfit I like is a tank top or a crew neck t-shirt paired with jogging pants. If you’re looking for a little more movement, go for a jog at the park or even around your surrounding neighborhood. Lace up your running shoes, slip into a v-neck t-shirt and gym shorts, and turn up your most exciting exercise playlist.
4. Spend time with loved ones.
Given lockdown(s), it may have been many, many months or even a year-plus since you last caught up with your social circle. All summer, they’ve wanted to see you and catch up on what’s new in your life in person — maybe an intimate get-together at someone’s house, a restaurant, or the beach. For guys, I recommend a garnet hooded long sleeve t-shirt with a charcoal crew neck t-shirt or a wedgewood crew neck t-shirt and jeans. For the ladies, you can style a simple white t-shirt paired with easy-breezy fitted, skinny, or boyfriend jeans. Sometimes, a choice of your favorite heels can rock with a plain, neutral tee.
5. Rediscover the art of Me Time.
The most important lesson I learned in therapy is finding happiness with yourself. Friends, family, and work are separate things from our own respective well-being and sometimes we forget our individuality outside of those settings. At the end of the day, you clock out of work and find that alone time to relax in the evening. A way to start with self-discovery is to try something new without judgement. We tend to judge ourselves when starting a new hobby or a passion project. When you’re taking that time to recollect your thoughts, swap those work clothes for some comfy joggers and a navy crew neck t-shirt or a heather grey crew neck t-shirt. A long sleeve henley might keep you more active, given its less casual nature (and how damn sharp and sophisticated you look in the mirror). Heck, if you uncover a spark for fashion, try curating your wardrobe and coming up with new outfits as a way to decompress.
The pandemic’s still up and down, so taking extra care of yourself will be key for a good while. To help you ease the process, take it one step at a time and find a self-care routine that works for you, all while having the comfort of clothes that have your back.
— Katherine Abando
