We’re all doing our part to slow the spread of coronavirus by practicing social distancing. Whether for you that means not going shopping, avoiding dine-in restaurants, or not hosting your monthly dinner party, making sure to practice social distancing is one of the best ways we can all help protect ourselves and the community. But the stress and uncertainty caused by the pandemic can take toll on our emotional well-being. There are still ways to practice self-care while stuck at home that can help relieve some of the anxiety and stress we’re all feeling. Below, the team at UNC Fertility has nine ways you can still practice self-care while keeping yourself and your community safe.

  1. Work Up a Sweat

Exercise offers a great way to relieve some of the stress and anxiety you may be feeling, while also helping you maintain a healthy weight! The gyms may be closed, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy working out at home or outdoors. Whether that means going for a run, creating your own yoga flows or strength circuits, or following along to some free workout videos, you can still get a great workout from your living room. Need some workout inspiration? Many fitness apps and workout plans are offering free trails due to coronavirus.

  1. Go Through Your Reading List

It can be difficult to find the time to slow down and read a good book when your days are busy, but now you have some time to finally get through that reading list. Don’t have anything good to read at the moment? The local library has hundreds of eBooks you can borrow for free to read on your kindle or laptop!

  1. Turn Your Bathroom Into A Spa

You might not be able to get to the spa right now, but you can recreate that experience at home. Take a long soak in the tub, give yourself a mani-pedi, light some soothing candles, and turn on some relaxing music. Take the time to pamper yourself a little!

  1. Work On Your Hobby

Have some extra time on your hands? Try putting it towards working on your hobby! Whether it’s drawing, painting, knitting, or baking, the extra time at home means you can complete the projects you’ve been putting off.

  1. Have A Lie In

Taking care of yourself means making sure you get enough quality sleep, but that is often hard to do. But if you’re working from home, you can take advantage of not needing to sit in traffic to sleep in a little more. You’ll feel better and it can have a positive impact on your immune system,

  1. Work On Your Culinary Skills

Channel your inner Julia Child and get cooking! You may not be able to go out for a nice dinner, but you can make a healthier, equally delicious meal at home. Look up some delicious recipes (you can even find recipe dupes for some of your restaurant favorites) and get cooking in the kitchen. Missing some ingredients? Use this opportunity to get a little creative with some swaps – you may be pleasantly surprised with the result.

  1. Organize The Garage (or the closet, spare room, etc.)

A clean and organized home can do amazing things for your mental health, so take the spare time you have now to finally start organizing the room in your house that you keep putting off. It’s a great way to use up some of that extra free time and nothing beats a sense of accomplishment.

  1. Start Journaling

Journaling is a great way to sort through your feelings of stress and anxiety, especially during times like these. Take some time each day to write down how you’re feeling and what is going on in your life – putting it down on paper can help lift some of the weight off your shoulders.

  1. Take In a Little Culture

You may not be able to visit a museum in Italy right now, but you can tour one virtually from the comfort of your home. This article form Southern Living has a list of 12 amazing museums from around the world that have free virtual tours you can take using your laptop or tablet.

We know that this is a stressful time, but remember: the team at UNC Fertility is here for you every step of the way! If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please contact us at 919-908-0000 today. For all the latest COVID-19 information from UNC Fertility, please visit us here.