Me Time at Home: How to Get Some Space And Relief At Home When You Can’t Leave

Guest post: Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health-related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with BetterHelp.com. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.

Over to Marie:

With schools and businesses closing due to COVID-19, many mums have their kids, spouses, or other family members at home. A family together under a single roof sounds nice until you realize that your privacy is at risk.

If you were a stay-at-home mum, you now have children who are at home all the time. If you were a working mum, you still probably had an office or other place where you worked. Now, you have lesser privacy.

Privacy is important, but when everyone is under one roof, it’s much more difficult to get it. Here are some ways to get that privacy.

Gently Establish Boundaries

Establishing boundaries with your children, your spouse, and any other family member is important. While most people are understanding that you sometimes need your space, some people, especially young children, may not completely understand and think you’re mad at them.

For your children, be a little gentler with them. Perhaps say that at a certain time, it’s me time, where everyone gets to have some time to themselves to spend on their hobbies, unwind, or do something else.

It’s important to keep those boundaries up unless your children need you for something. Have a way for them to contact you in that case.

Go for a Walk

While you’re self-isolated, it doesn’t mean that you can’t go outside and take a walk. This is especially true if you live in an area where there are wide, open spaces. Take some time to take a walk outside. Not only does it keep the blood pumping, but it’s just good for some private time to your thoughts.

The Art of the Bath

One place that is always private is the bathtub. Why not spend some more time to yourself in there? It can be a good way for you to unwind and collect your thoughts. In the bathtub, you can practice mindful breathing and learn to toss any self-defeating thoughts your way. If you’re worried about death, what you’ll do for Mother’s Day, the future, or anything else, learn to breathe and relax in the hot water. Order yourself some bath salts or anything else you can use to enhance your bath time experience.

Don’t Be Afraid to Spoil

As long as you’re financially stable, if there’s a video game or other toy your kids want, don’t be afraid to buy it for them. While they should exercise and go outside, if they’re winding down in their rooms, it can increase the chances of privacy for you, which is always a plus in our books.

Order Some Noise-Cancelling Headphones

If your house is noisy, curl up in a corner and listen to some music, a show, a podcast, or anything else with some strong headphones. Order some headphones that can help to drown the noise around you and help you immerse yourself in whatever you’re listening to. With that said, always have a way for your children or a loved one to contact you if they need to.

Noise-cancelling headphones, especially those designed for sleeping, also work wonders if you’re having a lazy day. Just listen to some white noise and you’re good to go. No distractions, just pure rest. We think you’ll need that as soon as possible.

Try to Add On To Your Home

While you’re trying to improve the indoors, make sure that you improve the outdoors as well. If you have neighbours who are nosey, building a fence, or having more screens around your home can give you a sense of privacy. Curtains work well for this, too.

If you live in an apartment, some rugs can help you absorb sound to make everything a little more discreet. This can allow you to get some privacy in an otherwise noisy environment.

Seek Help!

While you’re in a private area, speaking to a counsellor or therapist about your problems is important. A licensed therapist can help you cope with the stresses of quarantine and give you a way to talk to someone without any face-to-face contact. BetterHelp can help you when you feel like you’re at your limits. Seek help today.