HOUSTON – July 24 is National Self-Care Day, and for some it couldn’t come sooner. With ongoing concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic, negative headlines in the media and a lack of social outlets due to stay-home orders, it has been a stressful time to say the least. When many people think of self-care, they imagine face masks and bubble baths. While those can both be great ways to unwind, true self-care should go a step further. Daya Executive Director Rachna Khare is here to share ways we can truly take care of ourselves while in quarantine.
“It is critical that you take care of yourself in a very deliberate way before you can take care of others,” said Khare. “There’s a misconception that self-care is indulgent or selfish, but actually it’s quite the opposite.”
According to Khare, there’s no wrong or right way to practice self-care. Some may get energy from journaling, while others might enjoy cleaning or tidying the home.
“The most important thing is that it is intentional, and that it is all about you,” said Khare.
Here are some key self-care strategies Khare suggests for coping with quarantine.
Quarantine Self-Care Tips:
- It’s important to determine boundaries for your time and your space at home
- If working from home, make sure work and home life don’t bleed together
- If living with others, try to carve out some alone time for yourself everyday
- Stick to a daily routine filled with self-care activities (exercise, prayer, journaling)
Since people have been spending more time at home, there has been an increase in domestic abuse rates. According to Khare, though this rise is common during natural disasters, the COVID-19 pandemic has presented a unique set of challenges for abuse victims.
“After Hurricane Harvey we saw an increase in calls. This is a little bit different,” said Khare.
According to Khare, a major concern abuse victims have is feeling as if there’s no place to go due to COVID-19. Options that were previously available, like going to a shelter, seem more dangerous than just staying at home. Practicing self-care can help provide the mental fortitude needed to recognize a toxic relationship and/or to seek help.
Additionally, social-distancing has made many people feel isolated and unable to communicate with their loved ones. Khare suggests that everyone check in on those that might be struggling in an abusive relationship.
“If you feel like a friend, or neighbor or family member seems to be more isolated than normal, that is a huge red flag,” said Khare. “Check in on folks in a safe way. As neighbors and as a community, we have to take care of one another.”
To connect with Rachna Khare, visit the Daya website.