With the rise of COVID-19, many of us have made adjustments to our daily lives. While it may seem inconvenient, it’s for the greater good. This isolation can be used as a time to learn more about yourself and show yourself some well-deserved love. 

In a society that makes us feel selfish if we are attentive to the needs of our bodies and souls, it’s easy to become stressed and burnt out. Now, more than ever, it’s important to make time for self-care while practicing social distancing. 

Most of us have been watching television and mindlessly scrolling through our social media feeds, but here are five ways to keep busy in this time of isolation. 

5. Pamper yourself

It’s only right to turn on some ‘quarantunes’ and take care of yourself during this time. Taking time to give yourself a facial can be rewarding and your skin will thank you for it later. Beyond that, there’s meditation, which is good for increasing creativity, according to the Mayo Clinic. Eating healthy is important too as it’s a major part of self-care. It may be tempting to only munch on junk food, but try to incorporate healthy snacks as well. 

4. Exercise

Exercise helps combat health conditions and diseases like asthma and diabetes, improves your mood, boosts your energy and helps you sleep better. Additionally, physical activity can reduce short-term feelings of anxiety while regular exercise reduces your risk for depression and anxiety, according to the CDC. 

3. Video calls

While you may not be able to physically see your friends and family, video calls are a great way to stay in touch. Visiting loved ones electronically rather than in person will decrease your chances of exposure to the coronavirus. Video calls are better than texting or audio calls because there are nonverbal cues like body language or eye contact that tend to get lost in these other forms of communication. 

2. Watch movies 

Rave is a free multimedia app that allows you to participate in popular mobile activities in sync while simultaneously socializing with friends in real time. The app allows you to watch videos, movies or shows from different platforms like Netflix, Reddit, Tubi or YouTube. In addition, you can have a karaoke session and create mashups and mixes as if you are a DJ.

1. Learn something new

This one is paramount because it is so easy to fall into boredom, but learning something new curbs this feeling and offers additional incentives. For example, learning a new language has many benefits such as improving memory and sharpening the mind, according to the Eton Institute. Even if the subject isn’t new and you find yourself falling into an abyss of information about a topic you love, that works too. But for the sake of everything that’s holy, stay home.