The global COVID-19 pandemic has meant that we are spending more and more time at home, which could be the perfect excuse for you to ditch your alarm, slob out on the sofa and lounge around in pyjamas all day. However, after a few days, it’s likely that you’re going to feel awful as there is only so much lazing around that you can do before you end up feeling bored, craving that daily routine, and wanting to feel good.

You might be thinking about why you should spend time looking after yourself and caring about how you look, when there is no one around to see? Here lies the problem with self-care in general, because it is a concept that we use to pretend we are justifying time spent on ourselves for ourselves, but actually disguises the fact that we are performing these acts of self-care for the benefit of others who might compliment us. Without social occasions, you might not feel the need to look after yourself. So, transform self-care into what it should mean – caring for yourself and working on any areas that will help to boost your confidence or change your life in some way.

It can be difficult to look after yourself when you’re spending so much time in the same environment, without different stimuli to motivate you each day. We’ve found some easy ways to look after yourself at home and we’ve concentrated on the main areas that you might focus on when performing acts of self-care. You can use the new free time that you’ve gained as a result of the pandemic restrictions in a productive way, which will contribute towards your long-term happiness and confidence.

Your Body

With so much time at home, as we are encouraged to avoid socializing and going out in public spaces, your once busy lifestyle that kept you on the go and active has been put on hold for the foreseeable future. Without the excuses or opportunities to head outdoors to carry out your daily activities, such as walking to the office for work or catching up with friends on a pleasant bike ride, you might have noticed that you’ve begun to lead a much more sedentary lifestyle than you might have previously. There are multitudes of ways that you can get your body moving again, which will boost both your mental and physical health.

If you’re lucky enough to have a garden or outdoor space, you can try weight-training exercises or circuit routines to get your heart rate going. Even if you don’t own weights, you can use everyday household objects to lift, such as backpacks with bottles of water inside, or large bags of flour and sugar. A litre of water is equivalent to one kilogram, and bags of flour are often packaged in one-kilogram amounts, which mean that you know exactly how much you are lifting.

Once you have built up a routine, which could involve following online workouts on YouTube or other sport applications on your phone, you can gradually increase the number of reps or the overall amount of weight that you are lifting. This will help to keep your body in shape, push you, and keep you motivated! Not only will you feel better in yourself, but by taking care of your body, you will boost your efficiency at work by being able to concentrate better because your body is functioning well. If weight-training or intense cardio isn’t your thing, even a 30-minute walk each day will raise your heart rate and ensure that you maintain your cardiovascular health. No matter how small the exercise, your body will thank you for it.

Your Teeth

One of the biggest areas that people are embarrassed about, or are looking to change, is their smile. Whether you’ve got stained teeth, a crooked smile or a misaligned jaw, there are so many different treatments available that don’t require you to take a trip to the dentist. To whiten your teeth, you should start by ensuring that you brush your teeth twice a day with a specific teeth whitening toothpaste product followed by rinsing your mouth with mouthwash. Make sure that the toothpaste and mouthwash has been approved by dentists, which will be featured on the product packaging.

There are a range of at-home teeth whitening kits which will involve whitening gels applied to custom-made trays that have been moulded to the shape of your mouth. Again, ensure that the product you apply to your teeth has been approved by a dentist association to ensure that you do not damage your teeth.

If you’ve already got a set of pearly whites, you might instead want to straighten your teeth to transform your crooked smile. Just as you can find an at-home treatment to brighten the colour of your teeth, there are ways that you can straighten your teeth without the obvious choice of having braces fitted at the dentist. Rather than having to wonder how much braces cost UK-wide, or whether there are more affordable and effective ways to straighten your teeth at home, you can learn more about your options with Straight My Teeth. They supply clear braces and aligners to thousands of customers, and all of their products are dentist-approved as their treatment plans are conceived by their specialist team of orthodontists. You can be sure to trust their advice and consider what teeth straightening treatment will suit you best.

Your Face

It’s no surprise that we all want more youthful looking skin that is well hydrated and wrinkle-free! Whilst getting rid of all of your imperfections is impossible, there are a number of beauty treatments that you can purchase online and in stores, which will help you to look after your skin to make it appear softer, younger and brighter. The best place to start is ensuring that you maintain a regular skincare routine where you cleanse tone and moisturise twice a day. Not only does this freshen you up in the morning, but it means that you go to bed at night with clean skin free of any make-up or germs that have accumulated throughout the day.

From time to time, you should exfoliate your skin using a natural exfoliant like coffee beans, brown sugar or coconut shells which can be found in many exfoliant cleaners on the market at the moment. Alternatively, you can use exfoliant brushes or pads which will have an abrasive surface to ensure that your pores are free of any dirt. This prevents a build-up of oil which causes most blemishes on the skin. A quick Google search will help you to find the most suitable products for your skin so that you can feel better about how your face feels and looks.

Your Property

Just as you spend money on clothes and shoes, you should justify spending money on your face, teeth and body too because they are just as important for yourself and your appearance. Not only do these self-care practices help you to achieve a certain look, but taking care of yourself will boost your confidence and help you to live a longer happier life too.

You also want to dedicate some time towards protecting your property. After all, while your body mattes, so too do all the things that you use to look after it and keep it in good condition.

There are many ways that you can keep your possessions safe, even if you live in a rented accommodation. For instance, cheap renters insurance can cover you in the event that somebody steals from you. You can also improve the locks on your exterior doors or get a safety deposit box that you build into the floor.