9 Ways to Be More Mindful of Your Space

Instead of looking at our home as a prison, we can look at it as a sanctuary—somewhere that we are safe, secure, and able to be ourselves. Not to mention, having a roof over our heads really is a luxury right now.

To make your home feel like a safe space that you actually want to spend time in, you’ll want to be mindful of space in two ways: metaphorical space and physical space.

Metaphorical Space

• Allow yourself the space to feel all the emotions you need to feel. Let yourself grieve what you’ve lost, and recognize that it’s going to take work to cope with all this. Feeling overwhelmed is normal. Talk it out, meditate, journal, do whatever you’ve got to do to give yourself this space.
• Don’t let negative news consume your brain. Limit your news intake, whether it’s through TV or articles online. Once you know the facts, you don’t need to keep reading the same thing over and over again, and you don’t need the news anchors blasting through the speakers in your home 24/7. 
• Be mindful of your social media use and screen time. We all know it’s much too easy to get sucked into endless scrolling, so it’s important to be aware of how much time we’re actually spending staring at our screens (aside from work).
• Create emotional boundaries with people. Be aware of energy vampires and Debbie Downers. If you don’t have the emotional space to go to another Zoom happy hour, you don’t need to feel guilty about it.  
• Make way for mental clarity by using mindfulness techniques throughout your day. Allowing yourself space to focus on what’s important to you and to manifest future goals.   

Physical Space:

• Liven up your space with some new wellness-related decorations. Perhaps some aromatherapy candles, crystals, or plants. Research has shown that indoor plants can boost mood and productivity. 
• Create a comfortable workspace for yourself. We’re going to be working from home for a while, so you might want to invest in some desk accessories that feel a little bit ergonomically. Also, keep this space separate from where you sleep or relax. Create a division between work and life for work-life balance even when everything’s going on at home.
• Schedule alone time into your day if you’re quarantined with others. Everybody needs time to themselves for self-care and sanity! Have direct conversations with your roommates/family members about the space you need, and discuss their needs, too. 
• Make room for activities! You might find yourself more likely to take part in fun hobbies if you have space for them, like setting up a table with art supplies to get creative when inspiration strikes. 

Follow these steps and you’ll be on your way to making your quarantine situation a lot more comfortable. Hang in there, everyone. We’re in this together.