quarantime diaries: my go-to looks for staying cozy + TIPS FOR tackling this new 'normal'

Over the last...

few weeks, we have seen this virus take a turn for the worse; although most of us can't help but have this underlying feeling of helplessness, we can take one direct action to help flatten the curve + potentially saves someone's life: stay home. 

I want to start this post by sharing some GOOD that has come from this virus because right now, this IS the situation at hand and in order to grow new beginnings, we must shift our mindset from being too overwhelmed with the negativity. I too have been directly impacted by this situation (honestly much more than what's being shared on my social channels) + felt myself slipping into a bit of a negative, overwhelmed headspace. It's important we remember that EVERY single person is being impacted by this pandemic. Every single person is being impacted differently + choosing what, how and IF they present things to those outside of their immediate circle. 

WITH ALL OF THAT SAID, I have been trying to keep myself busy because I go stir crazy if I am not moving (everyone is different, am I right? ) + I do this through: keeping a consistent routine, setting boundaries/goals and getting myself ready. Below I have included a styling video + pieces I am loving to stay cozy! Please, please remember that as I am sharing this I am by no way trying to imply that there is a 'right' or 'wrong' way to handle this quarantine - everyone copes very differently. We are ALL deserving of respect, patience, love + human connection right now.

POSITIVE OUTCOMES FROM THE VIRUS

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–– quiet, uninterrupted time for creativity
–– increased compassion, empathy + patience for humanity
–– SLOWING down + having more time to spend on self care + personal growth/awareness
–– increased time with loved one and/or strengthening communication in partnership
–– less pollution in the air + ocean
–– decrease in seismic activity 
–– reduction in overall environmental noise causing less stress to wildlife + marine life
–– more snuggle time with your fur babies at home!
–– intense connection through music + the arts

see the COZY QUARANTINE FITS in action

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@glowwithjo

Stay cozy! Jordynnnoakland.com/blog for all product info! □ ##foryoupage ##fyp ##levelup ##levelupchallenge ##freezeframe ##seattlecheck

♬ Level Up - Ciara

SHOP THE PRODUCTs

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FOR EACH ITEM SHOWN IN VIDEO, I HAVE LABELED THE CORRESPONDING LOOK IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE

Target + NastyGal are two of my favorites when it comes to cute versatile basics, especially cozy knits. Their prices are also too good to beat while being nice quality + durable. Barefoot Dreams is a consistent favorite of mine for ultimate coziness (I seriously spend 80% of my time at home in my FAVORITE BD robe). The quality is incredible, the wear is true to size + comfortable but make sure you are delicate when washing and lay flat to dry!

TIPS FOR PRODUCTIVITY, POSITIVIty + maintaining structure

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I want to be really clear - I am in no way implying that you need to be active + accomplishing a million things during this time. Staying productive simply to stay productive without the why or motivation doesn't always produce the most beautiful work or give true  fulfillment. It is absolutely ok to use this time to rest + reenergize. We spend most days go, go, go so if you are using this time to do more self-care, unplug from society + better yourself, i' m here to support you. 

For those of you who are seeking consistency + routine in order to maintain a positive mental state, below are a few tips I have been doing at home!

1. EAT
No, i'm not necessarily talking about mindless eating just to simply eat but more so nourishing your body + meal prepping or trying out new recipes. Have you been wanting to start a new habit? This is the one time that we are needing to stay at home and have minimal distraction. This can also be a great way to bond with your partner or have a creative date night! 

–– I am queen of making food, getting distracted and forgetting about it for awhile. I personally am working on this and have found that if I sit at the dining table off my phone while I eat i'm able to get calories in, energy up without the distraction. May seem a bit like common sense but there has to be others out there like me that are guilty of eating on the couch or bed! 

2. LISTS (new skills, hobbies, daily tasks, etc.)
–– Each morning when I wake up I have been writing out short-term goals/simple tasks I want to accomplish that day. This allows me to have structure for the day, relate back to any unfinished plans or tasks and honestly keep track of the time while being cooped up at home. I have officially been home for almost a month so the days are blending together and this allows me to keep track of honestly what i've been doing. 

–– Keeping a list of the new accomplishments/skills/etc. you have attained since being home ( could be goal oriented or unintentional!) as well as  things you are currently grateful for. This can help give you something positive to reference when starting to feel those negative thoughts or feelings coming back. 

–– Try keeping an ongoing list of new skills, hobbies or home projects you want to get around to as well as the steps + plans to reaching your goal as well as your 'pause point'. Keeping an ongoing list allows you to take time + start when you feel motivated as well as reference where you are at with the progress. A pause point is crucial to me for maintaining balance and avoiding feeling guilt when I don't accomplish something right away. I keep a list of emotions in this journal that signals to me when I need a pause on a project (passive, sadness, distracted, etc.) When documenting my pause point I write down progress that's been made, how I was feeling when I needed to stop and this gives me reassurance that I will not forget my progress + can revisit when I am more mentally 'there' and feel excited again. 

3. STAY ON A ROUTINE/SCHEDULE
–– We are all over the place right now.  If you are like me and need routine to feel motivated, then don't turn off that morning alarm! One of the easiest ways to keep things a bit more 'normal' is to continue with your typical sleep schedules (this will also help avoid the shock when we do in fact go back to work). I wake up at 5:30 still because I carve out an 1.5 hours in the morning to make breakfast, drink my coffee, check email and have a slow relaxing morning. This little bit of time brings me pure happiness. If there is a part of your routine you are deeply missing - find a way to recreate it at home! Another tip I love for productivity is starting the morning off my phone for at least 45 minutes.

–– Find a time during the day you are having the most energy..... NOW TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT! If your goal is working out, every day carve out a time slot to go on a walk, lift, run, etc. 

4. GET DRESSED + KEEP UP WITH HYGIENE
It's as simple as that. Wake up, take a shower and/or fix your hair + throw on that cozy cute fit. Everyone is more motivated when they're cute, plus doing your makeup will alleviate some of the boredom!

5. SOCIAL MEDIA + BRAIN BREAKS
Carve out time during the day to be completely unplugged for an hour. I am incredibly guilty of starting a project, looking at tiktok and then 2 hours has flown by. Making meaningful strides to reducing screen time will help keep your attention at the task at hand, even if it's simply enjoying a face mask. :)

6. THE POWER OF WHEN THEN
I used to use this trick with the 2 year old I nannied... but it applies really well to adult self discipline as well LOL! If there is a task you absolutely need to or really would like to get done use the phase, "when I xxx, then I will xxx." This works really well for list items as well, for example, I love doing videos and my makeup looks but I don't necessarily love sitting through emails but it needs to be done so, "when I spend 30 minutes going through my email responding to brands, then I will be able to devote my focus and time to creating a makeup look." Verbiage is a really, really powerful tool and you are saying out loud to yourself your plan of attack, hello accountability!

7. BE PATIENT WITH YOURSELF + FOCUS ON SELF CARE
Just because we are home, doesn't mean we need to accomplish more than we feel emotionally ready for. You may feel as if you're doing 'less' while being home but remember this is not normal. You do not need to be over-the-top productive. How others spend their time does not make the way you are spending yours wrong or less valuable. I think, we all could learn a thing or two by allowing time to reconnect with yourself + provide the self care that is easy to neglect during our typical everyday lives.