Five ways to ‘glow up’ while self-isolating at home

Staying at home can be boring, and many of us are looking for new ways to keep ourselves feeling motivated.

As we continue to await the end of Phase 2 (Heightened Alert), why not take this opportunity to glow up – transforming your physical and mental state – and become the best version of yourself? 

If you’ve been feeling unmotivated lately, here are five ways you can reset your life and go through a “glow up” as you come out of isolation.

Before you embark on your glow up journey, take some time to write down the goals and aspirations you would like to achieve by the end of the year.

While writing down your goals may seem cliché, those who write down their goals are more likely to successfully achieve them compared to those who don’t.

Don’t set big goals right at the start as that may overwhelm you and lead to burnout. Instead, break down your goals into small attainable ones that you can easily accomplish.

Achieving these small goals will keep you motivated and drive you to work harder to achieve other bigger goals.

For example, if you want to improve your overall mental well-being, you can make it a goal to recite positive affirmations daily and practise meditating every night before bed.

For a start, evaluate your lifestyle and make it a habit to be more mindful of what you consume. 

If you’ve been snacking on too much junk food or you haven’t been exercising, it’s time to transform your unhealthy habits into good ones. 

Since you will be spending most of your time at home, make good use of your kitchen to cook healthy recipes. 

Not only does healthy eating improve your mood and memory, it also reduces your risk of developing diseases like cancer and diabetes.

While a healthy diet is essential, keeping fit also plays a part in your overall health. 

Exercising while self-isolating at home is great for your mental health as it improves your mood and increases your energy levels.

Gyms may be closed, but you can always exercise from home! Popular fitness YouTube channels like Chloe Ting, Pamela Reif and Fraser Wilson have various home exercise tutorials that you can follow without any gym equipment. 

If you have family members at home, you can even participate in a workout together to make exercising more fun and less dreadful.

Glowing up is not just about changing your physical appearance, but it is also about taking care of your surroundings. 

Start by going through your wardrobe and assessing the items you haven’t worn in a while. If you haven’t worn a piece of clothing within the last six months, it’s probably time to donate it.

Decluttering doesn’t just stop there – clearing your digital space is just as important. 

Go through all of your social media platforms, delete or archive posts you’re not pleased with, and unfollow accounts that don’t make you feel good about yourself.

Another fun way to leverage your free time at home is by learning a new skill. Ask yourself: What is something you’ve always wanted to learn but never had the time to? 

Some fun yet productive skills to learn include sewing, playing a new instrument or speaking a new language.

Picking up a new foreign language will make you smarter and help you communicate directly with people who speak the language. It also helps you open your mind to learn more about the world around you.

If language-learning is not your forte, you can go online to learn other in-demand skills such as coding, blogging and web design. Having these skills up your sleeves may boost your job prospects and help you advance in your career.

If you feel like there’s constantly a lot on your mind, now is the time to start a journal. Journalling is known to help you relieve stress, express your emotions and keep you organised. 

There’s no need to buy washi tapes or expensive pens just to make your journal look pretty. Simply buy a notebook or an online journal like Notion, and get lost in the process of journaling!

You can start by writing about how your day went, three things you’re grateful for, or any goals you plan to achieve by the end of the year. 

Add 10 to 20 minutes of journalling into your morning or nighttime routine so that you never forget to write. 

Once you get the hang of journalling, you can try more prompts to explore your thoughts and discover more about yourself. Soon enough, you will achieve better mental clarity and learn how to manage your emotions. 

Glowing up is a journey of self-discovery that takes patience and dedication, so don’t feel discouraged if you don’t see results within a week.

Once you have found happiness within yourself, your future self will thank you for starting this journey.

If you find yourself feeling down during this season, check out our mental well-being resources here.