As we enter the mid-way point of another week of social distancing and self-isolation, Little Soap HQ wanted to reach out to you all with a gentle reminder: now more than ever, self care is a must for your to-do list. Being kind to yourself and practising small, daily acts of self-care is vital for our mental health and emotional well-being, and we think you’ll agree that current events mean that there can be no excuses. You do matter. It is important. You are important. Here are five fresh tips for self-care during isolation. Please do let us know in the comments what small things you’ve been doing for self-care too, plus look out on social for our upcoming self-care bundle giveaway- coming soon!
Stick to a routine
As much as you can, sticking to your usual routine will help to give structure to your day and will ensure you can incorporate self-care into your routine too. If you’re working from home, it might be tempting to do so in your pyjamas (and sure, this will be a welcome change to your working day at first!) but try to resist. If you get up and dressed you’re more likely to feel productive and able to achieve the work that you set out to do. Make sure you stick to your usual morning routine, and don’t skip any steps. Stick to your usual skincare routine, daily journalling, a quick morning yoga session or a brief chance to meditate- whatever it usually takes for you to awaken the body and mind ready for the day. Just because you’re not leaving the house the go to work, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t prepare yourself for the day ahead. Being up, dressed and ready to go can have a huge impact on your attitude for the rest of the day, and sticking to a routine will help you stay motivated and open to positive thoughts too.
Plan your day
Don’t leave your 2020 planner on a shelf gathering dust! If you don’t plan your day, then someone else will- ie, Facebook/ Twitter/ Instagram.
There’s a time and a place for mindless scrolling through social media, so if you need to plan a time where you can stay up to date online without it impacting on your productivity, then do it. Plan out the work you need to do, and the daily acts of self-care that you need to perform in order to get through the days. You many not be scheduling meetings or days out right now, but your planner is still essential for ensuring your mind stays focused and on track. Check out Indistractible by Nir Eyal for more on this.
Family conference calls
We have the most amazing technology at our finger tips right now, so schedule a conference call to keep in touch with loved ones. Settle down with apps such as Zoom and spend time indoors with the people who make you smile and feel loved, cherished and appreciated.
Bring the outdoors in
If you don’t have any houseplants, now is the time to order some in- or pick some up when you go out for essentials. Plants improve the air quality in your house and some can even help to improve mood and enhance emotional wellbeing. Interestingly, studies have also found that the colour green is linked to feelings of safety, and that plants dotted around rooms can increase productivity and creativity too.
Maintain good nutrition
Eating well for emotional and physical health has never been more important. If you’re eating food that is highly processed, full of sugar and salt and additives that your body won’t react well to, its likely that you’ll soon start to feel pretty rubbish. We know that its not easy; comfort food is a tempting prospect for many right now, and we’re definitely not saying you should avoid all foods that make bring you comfort. But maintain a balance if you can- and make sure that no matter what, you will always prioritise fresh fruit and vegetables every day. If food shopping is tricky for you, look for alternative places where you order fresh produce locally. Try to cut down on caffeine too as some studies have found possible links to anxiety.
Essential Oils
Add some mood boosting essential oils (make sure they’re animal friendly if you have pets) and breathe in the aromas daily. We love lavender 
for its calming effects, bergamot and orange for uplifting benefits and rose to calm anxious feelings.
Positive podcasts
Put your headphones on and sit back for a while. There are loads of really positive podcasts out there that can help to boost your mood and leave you feeling brighter- and they’re available 24 hours a day. We love Happy Place by Fearne Cotton, Reasons to be Cheerful; Good Life Project and The Science of Happiness. If you’ve got any recommendations for us too, please let us know!
Sing!
Singing out loud has proven health benefits for both physical and mental wellbeing- so out your favourite sounds on and just sing. We guarantee it will lift your spirits when you need to! Read more about the powerful benefits of singing here.
