How to Stay Sane in Quarantine

Hey there!

The good news is, we finally survived March. The bad news is, we may still have a few more months stuck in the house. Here in Miami we have a Stay at Home order (although we would probably be staying home anyways) so like many of you, we're spending a lot more time at home than usual.  We are trying our hardest to make the best of it, so we wanted to share some of our quarantine activities with you all in case they will help you feel a little bit better about being stuck at home.

Don't worry, we won't tell you to work/start a business these are just some things we're been doing to keep ourselves happy and healthy these last few weeks (and most are free).

1. Work on Your Green Thumb

We live in a small apartment but we've managed to fill it with a good amount of plants. Recently, we have started a small vegetable garden in our outdoor area using seeds from our veggies before we cook them (fingers crossed that they actually grow). 

We have also subscribed to the House Plant Box monthly subscription which is only $12 a month and has an option for pet friendly plants if you have furry friends. There are also many small plant shops on Etsy that offer great prices and you can help out a small business at the same time!

One more free option is to take some cuttings from your existing plants and get some propagation going. This works great with succulents, snake plants and Philodendrons!

2. Work it Out 



Another thing that helps us de-stress is getting in some exercise. Depending on where you live, you may or may not still be able to go for a run but we are big fans of the Nike Run Club app. You can compete with friends from a far, do guided runs and also start on training plans to get ready for your next big race.

If running isn't your thing, there's also some great videos you can do at home. Fitness Blender has a great variety of videos that can all be done from the comfort of your home. Many don't require any equipment, but here's a hint: if you don't want to buy dumbbells you can always use large water bottles.

3. Pick Up (or put on) a Good Book



It's always nice to curl up with a good book, but it's not alway easy to find the time. But nowadays, we don't really have any excuses. While many small, independent bookstores are still shipping out orders, if you happen to have a library card you can always still get books on your e-reader for free! 

If you prefer audiobooks, Audible is currently offering some free ones including a few literary classics as well as a lot of titles for the little ones.

4. Spend Some Time in the Kitchen



We know, you're probably sick of hearing about everyone's sourdough starter, but there are other options other than bread. We prefer sweets but if you aren't able to track down all the ingredients you need it's always a good time to get out of your comfort zone. We are big fans of Minimalist Baker and while it may sound weird, we loved their recipe for vegan black bean brownies.

And if you're getting sick of frozen pizza, there's also a ton of great savory/meal recipes!

5. Foster a Furry Friend

We would definitely be going way more stir crazy if it weren't for our furry rescue sons (see above). If you aren't ready to take the plunge into full-time pet ownerships you can always foster a cat or dog while you have some extra free time!

Many local Humane Societies are open by appointment for adoptions or fostering opportunities so you can safely social distance while picking up a new friend.

6. Netflix and Chill



This is an obvious one, but sometimes it's nice to just sit on the couch and watch some TV. Whether it be Hulu, Netflix or Amazon there's a ton of great stuff to watch. Hulu just added Parasite which is an amazing film and if you haven't already binged Tiger King and the new season of Ozark on Netflix you can always check out The Killing of a Sacred Deer which was just added recently. As for us, we will be rewatching Arrested Development for the 1000th time because that's how we deal with stress.

If you're watching on Netflix, you can also check out Netflix Party which lets you watch shows and movies with your friends.
7. Find Your Zen



Okay, hear us out. Last year we would've never thought we'd be saying this but we started meditating and it's been pretty great for our mental health/overall well-being. Not saying it is a cure all at all but it's definitely something good to add to your routine even if it's just a quick 5 minutes. 

We use the Ten Percent app. It's a little on the pricey side ($99 a year), but you can always do the 7 day free trial just to get you started (but don't forget to cancel it if you don't want to be charged!). Some other free options include Calm, Headspace, and Aura but you can also find some free videos on YouTube.


8. Get Your Zoom On



Even in a pandemic, social interaction is a necessity. If you feeling lonely (or live us, you have a badly timed birthday), why not organize a Zoom party with some of your friends? BYOB, obviously. 

A word of advice, use a password and don't post your link publicly. We learned this the hard way (definitely saw a penis).


Anyways, that's how we've been holding it together during these crazy times. We hope you found it helpful and you all stay safe and healthy. 

Hang in there, we're gonna get through this.

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