I have now officially been in isolation for 17 days! Since I last popped on here New Zealand has closed their borders, the number of Covid-19 cases began to rise and then as of 9 days ago, the rest of the country joined me in self-isolation. This is such a crazy time and it's funny how quickly I've created a new normal, a routine that involves staying inside my strict 'bubble' and trying not to go insane! So, now that we're all in the same boat, I thought I'd share some of my top self-isolation tips! As it's been over two weeks for me now, I've started to figure out the ins and outs of what quarantine means for me!
Once the alert level was raised to 4 here in New Zealand, the second half of my family was finally able to return home. This at least renewed some sense of normality back into my routine, but it's still pretty odd. Like everyone else, I have no idea when I'll see my friends again and I'm also separated from Ben indefinitely, which has probably been the hardest part of this whole experience. I thought I'd be reuniting with him after a two week trip to Los Angeles, then it became four weeks, with my self-isolation and now...I have no idea how long it will be.
Like many people right now, especially those with existing mental health issues (hellO), this whole situation is so overwhelming. It's hard not to get caught up in all the negativity surrounding us and enter that doom and gloom headspace we all know so well. Having a (relatively) strict routine has definitely helped me stay a little saner during all this madness.
I wake up at around 10:00am, have some breakfast (usually toast or fruit salad) and then I settle in for some solid Animal Crossing time. Thank god for the release of Animal Crossing, this game has been keeping me entertained for hours and it's also a nice escape into a world where you're biggest problems are having enough bells to build a bridge and recruiting your favourite fluffy-faced villagers! I allow myself Animal Crossing time until the 1:00pm press conference, where we get the latest stats for Covid (always slightly depressing) and then it's work time! Usually, this is a great time to have a shower too.
As a creative person, it's super important for me to be making things every day and keeping those creative *juices* flowing. Currently, I'm working on a secret design project for something REALLy exciting, making sales through my Depop store and taking timer cam photos of my outfits to post on Instagram. What a life. Having small projects like always getting dressed and taking a fun picture of my outfit keeps me feeling (slightly) normal.
It's also been vital for me to get outside at least once a day. Obviously, this is made slightly more difficult now, with restrictions on how far we can even venture outside of our neighbourhood. But, even just going for a stroll around the block makes such a difference. Plus, there are so many dog walkers out at the moment, which means many cute DOGS.
Being confined to the company of only those in your isolation 'bubble' can be difficult. But as we've been told so many times it's about physical distancing, not social distancing. Every day I make it my mission to reach out to as many people as possible, whether that's a grandparent or family member or a friend that's also dying of boredom in their own isolation bubble. Video chatting with Ben several times a day and playing Animal Crossing with Fran and Matt reminds me that there are still people out there. We're all in the same boat so we might as well make use of all this free time!
The world right now is a crazy place and as we're trapped inside for the foreseeable future, it's important to focus on the positives. Make this time as productive as possible, but also allow yourself to do things you enjoy, relax, spend time with your *bubble* family. We will (hopefully) never experience anything like this again in our lifetimes, so I plan to make the most of it! I also want to say THANK you to all of those amazing people who are still supporting my store during this time. I've had an insane amount of sales over the last week, with every customer understanding that I might not be able to ship their orders for at least another three weeks. I'm not sure if the drive to shop online is from boredom or that rush that comes from purchasing something new, but I'm not complaining! For now, stay safe, wash your hands and enjoy your isolation!
Bella 🌼
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