‘I’ve been told to self-isolate… Now what?’

Here's our advice on what to do while self-isolating, to ensure you stay well, both physically and mentally. If you’ve already binge watched your favourite series and exercising at the gym is out of the question, what are your options? Here’s several quick suggestions on what you can be doing during this time of self-isolation:

Exercising

There’s a multitude of free yoga classes and stay at home exercises you can dive into on YouTube, despite being in the confines of your bedroom or lounge. During these exceptional circumstances, you can carry out these daily exercises in the garden or with the windows open to ensure you are getting fresh air in the process.

Reading

Fiction, non-fiction – this is a perfect opportunity to give yourself a digital detox and fall back in love with reading again. With fake news about the virus rife on social media – it’s a great chance to get your head back in a book and get lost in another world.

Experimenting in the kitchen

With plenty of time on your hands – what better way to dig out an online recipe and experiment with ingredients in the kitchen that you wouldn’t usually play with? Check out all of our recipes to experiment with tonight, from a warming tomato soup, to the classic mac and cheese to an indulgent chocolate fudge cake, there's something for everyone.

Learning something new

With the number of free courses and apps out there dispensing valuable information free of charge, there’s no excuse not to learn something new. It could be something to enhance your career with a free course in marketing or management, or perhaps maybe a practical skill they you have never quite mastered. If you wanted to venture slightly out of your comfort zone – why not try and make a start on learning a new language? There are a wide range of free language apps out there – so if you’re used to just saying ‘hello’ and ‘thank you’ in other languages, now could be a great chance to expand that vocabulary.

Decluttering your living space

Been putting off that spring clean for some time now? Now could be the perfect time to spring clean your home. Clear out all the clothes that you no longer wear; polish and dust from top to toe and be ruthless and declutter. Be sure to save items that could be given to charities or those in need.

Decluttering your mind

This extended hiatus from reality is also a perfect opportunity to take up meditation. Meditation is a great way of boosting your wellbeing by tackling stress and fighting depression. However, if meditation is not your thing – we’ve got you covered in other ways in this article here: ‘Not into meditation? No worries!’ It’s a unique time in our history – so during this time of self-isolation where it’s highly likely boredom will creep in if you’re unprepared, give a couple of these suggestions a go to help you pass the time. Last updated: 04 November 2020 Sources https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/self-isolation-advice/ Reed Free Courses https://www.reed.co.uk/courses/free Open Learn Free Courses https://www.open.edu/openlearn/free-courses/full-catalogue