1. Get your food
You can’t leave your hotel room for any reason and while they will provide you three meals, you know you’re going to want some snacky snacks. Fill your suitcase with whatever will help you get through: nuts, seeds, dried fruit, muesli bars, cereal, and popcorn are all good options. Of course, you can throw in some chocolate, candy, and chips for your big nights in too.
2. Rest assured
This situation can be hard at the beginning and it’s completely normal to sometimes feel sad, distracted or anxious. If you have jet lag, try to adjust to this time zone right away and set up a routine, like getting up/going to bed at the same time. Organise your day considering work hours, meals and save some time for you. Think about the fact this is only temporary and don’t put too much pressure on yourself.
3. Take care of your health
Yoga, dance, pilates, CrossFit. It doesn’t matter as long as you move! Days can sometimes feel timeless and if you are usually very active, you might also feel that you are neither tired nor sleepy. Doing some exercise will definitely help you with that. My favourites are Blogilates by Cassie Ho and the app Downdog Yoga but there are plenty of fitness apps and online classes you can join from home. Check out this free workout playlist to start right away.
After a good workout, enjoy some self-care time. Have a nice shower, put on a facemask and body cream, and relax for a while. Although you’re not going outside, it’s important to take care of your body.
4. Keep in touch
Reach out to family and friends, they need to hear from you and you need to speak to them! Keep in touch, ask about their day, tell them how you are doing, and share bingeworthy TV recommendations. They miss you too.
5. Stay away from your phone
We can spend hours and hours looking at our phones, tablets, laptops and TV. It’s good to disconnect from screens for a while and your eyes will thank you for it. Grab a book and read, maybe listen to a podcast or the radio. Step away from your phone, and stop social media from having a negative affect on your mental health while surviving quarantine in Hong Kong.