7 Things I Do to Stay Mentally Healthy During Self-Quarantine

By Jake King, Program & Outreach Coordinator

It is absolutely no secret that our lives have been changed by the current pandemic we’re living in. Although all of us have been impacted differently, there is one thing we all share – we’ve had to be a little more creative than usual to keep ourselves entertained. I consider myself a pretty on-the-go person. My weekly routine usually looks like me waking up early to attend exercises classes at Dragonfly Hot Yoga, heading to work, finding great Italian restaurants to achieve my carb fix, attending $5 movies at Marcus Point Cinemas and then satisfying my demanding sweet tooth with something sweet from Clasen’s European Bakery. I’ve been thrown a curveball in the way I do things but all of this unexpectedness has been an opportunity to learn to be flexible and lean into things I sometimes wish I had more time for. Here are 7 things I do to keep life going while it seems to have stopped. 

Baking

I’ve had to be honest with myself and admit that I will most likely never have the baking skills of Paula Dean and Martha Stewart. However, that doesn’t mean I can’t use this time to pick up learning a new recipe or two. I usually don’t bake anything apart from out-of-the-box brownies. I’ve been trying to expand my horizons and try other baked goods even if they are still as simple. Now I can add baker of brownies AND cupcakes to my resume. 

Reading 

I’m not a regular reader. I really, really, really struggle with sitting still for too long and focusing. With this new pace of life, I’ve been trying to use this time to practice being still and getting lost in a book. When I can get my mind slowed down, it’s quite nice. Right now, I’m learning to get lost in Andre Dubus’ Selected Stories. I’m developing a list of books to read through. Any recommendations? Feel free to let me know. 

Cleaning and Organizing 

I generally run a tight ship when it comes to how I maintain my living area. I try to have my bed made every day and my laundry nicely folded and put away. With less activities in the community filling my schedule, I wanted to take things one step further and use this time to do some real spring cleaning. It’s a nice feeling to get rid of stuff that you never use and never wear. Marie Kondo would be proud. 

Running 

I began running in college and it grew to be one of my favorite hobbies and sports. For me, it’s been a great way to be integrated with my environment while also being active. Lately, I have found myself needing to break away from the plain sidewalks around my apartment complex and revisit some more scenic areas.  Luckily, Madison has some great options for running paths and I’ve been using my time to explore those. I’ve been a frequent visitor of the trails and paths surrounding Picnic Point. 

Adopting a Snake 

So, this one is a little more unusual than the other ones. I’ve known that I wanted a pet for some time now, but at some point I think we all have to be honest about the compromises in our lifestyle we’re willing to make before we commit to an animal. Truth be told, I’m not ready for my dream Great Dane. As much as I enjoy and want a large dog, I have a similar interest in reptiles -- specifically, snakes. During this time of quarantine, I met a very well-informed Python enthusiast who shared some of his wisdom about snakes and how to properly care for them. He allowed me to adopt one. Now, I own Monty, a green tree python/jagpondro mix! He breaks a lot of the misconceptions and stigmas of snakes. It is a very enjoyable experience to handle him and watch how curious he is. 

Connecting with Others

Not being able to fill my day up with a load of activities outside my home has really made me reconsider what my priorities are. I hate to sound repetitive and trite but in this time of uncertainty, I think it’s important we focus on one another and what it looks like to be supportive while being recommended to distance ourselves. Although we may not be able to travel and gather in groups as we’d like, this has been an opportunity to be creative. My college friends and I have started doing regular Zoom meetings with a theme. I think next week’s theme is wine and pasta!

MY NEW NORMAL

I’m not sure when things will return back to “normal” and I’m not sure what that will look like after this pandemic. However, what I do know is that a slower pace of life isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Something that has been good for my own mental health is re-evaluating what I want my days and weeks to look like when things have changed. Although eating out, seeing movies, and exercise classes are not inherently bad, overloading on them can be. I’ve learned that I often commit to too much because of my FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). That’s something I want to scrap in the future. I want to keep what matters most and offer myself space and time.