The COVID-19 pandemic, like many pandemics before, will pass in time. In the meantime, we have some challenging weeks ahead. How well we cope with this is all about our mindset. You may find yourself in a situation where you are required to self-isolate. As a student this presents particular challenges but also many opportunities. This is our guide to managing self-isolation and making the most of it.

Start your day right 

Even if you’re not planning to go anywhere, get up at your normal time and follow your usual morning routine. Maintaining this will help you set the tone for the rest of the day, get your mind and body ready to “go”, create stability, giving you control over your daily schedule and enable you to set time for each of your priorities for the day.

Balance work and play

If you typically study or work between certain hours of the day, maintain that habit. You might need to push yourself to get some work done, especially if you feel a bit down or have lots of distractions at your fingertips. Set yourself tasks to complete and once done you can enjoy dedicated time for your leisure activities such as playing an instrument, playing video games and spending time with your family or friends over digital means of communication. You will get a great sense of achievement as well as having something to look forward to and the motivation to complete what needs to be done.

Maintain a sleeping routine

It might seem odd when you’re not going anywhere to set an alarm. However, it is important that you keep a good sleep schedule. A good sleep routine also includes creating a sleep environment that’s comfortable for you, exercising during the day and engaging in low-key relaxing activities before bed. A good sleep routine maintains your internal clock, helps improve your immune system and supports strong brain function, all of which are important for your physical and mental wellbeing when you need it most.

Keep it fresh

Spending a lot of time in one room means it become stale. Science teaches us that fresh air is critical to a strong immune system and natural daylight is key to being positive. Resist the temptation to create a ‘cosy’ atmosphere all day long. Open the curtains or blinds and keep your windows open for several hours each day. Even on cold days it is important to let the air circulate and freshen up the stale air in your room. Where an extra jumper and if possible, spend time near to the window to get the full benefit of the sun’s rays.

Stay active

People’s level of physical activity depends on their lifestyle. The average step count for an adult is in the range of 3000 to 7000 steps per day. When you are self isolating, you’re no longer walking to class, running to see friends, or going up and down steps. Start a light workout routine that you can safely complete in the space you are in. Alternatively, you can dance to your favourite music. Aim for at least 30-minutes of exercise everyday. You can break that into 5-minute or 10-minute workout intervals throughout the day. Increasing and maintaining fitness is great for your concentration levels, it also improves sleep and releases endorphins (the chemical that makes you feel happy).

Maintain your relationships…digitally

If you are unable to meet with friends and family in person, utilise digital apps to spend time together instead. It is important to check on your friends and family at this time as they might need your help and support. They could also be worried about you and need reassurance that you are well. Maintaining social connections provides a sense of belonging sense of wellbeing and helps relieve stress which are some of the best ways to maintain our overall.

Get things done

Staying in because you have no other choice may be frustrating, but you can turn this into a positive experience. This is the time to catch up on projects that you’ve been too busy to start / complete or have just been putting off. This is also a good time to clean and tidy your space and sort through anything you no longer need that you can donate to charity. Increasing productivity gives you a sense of purpose and keeps your mind distracted from worries you may have.

Try something new

This is a good time to experiment with activities you can do on your own and find new hobbies. Try writing, scrapbooking, painting, cooking, yoga, enrolling in an online course or exploring new online games. Engaging in a new activity could relieve stress, build self-confidence, increase your knowledge and help create a good work-life balance.

Get involved with your residence

If you are self-isolating in a student residence community, many other students are probably doing the same. Contact the management team and see if they are offering any activities that you can do. You might end up learning a new skill or meeting a new person… digitally.