I wrote this article during the first lockdown, when I got stuck in Cape Town, South Africa. It didn’t dawn on me that this would actually become a regular article I would look into every time I came back from a country that was suddenly deemed “high-risk” and involved quarantine. Despite my frustration about it, I have found that the quarantine has actually always been a very restful and/or productive time and these tips keep reminding me of it.

[This article may cointain Affiliate links. This means that if you decide to purchase some of these resources, I earn a small commission at no additional cost for you. I only recommend selected products that I’m convinced about and that I would buy (or already did buy) myself. This is helping me to keep investing as much time and passion as I do for this blog] 

1. Give this self-quarantine an intention or purpose

Ok, this might sound a little weird but what if that time was given to you to slow down?

  • You might have been super overworked and you really needed a break. Well, you got one. Use this time to the best you can to rest and recharge (and ignore my other advice if it feels overwhelming on trying new stuff etc)
  • You might have been unhappy with the way your life was and are seeking a new direction. Now is the time to slow down and ask yourself some questions, research, connect to others online.
  • You might have had that big idea in your head you wanted to start as a side hustle. Now that you won’t get a whole lot distracted you can dedicate a few minutes or even hours a day to build that.
  • You might have always wanted to learn how to do proper handstands. Or get into yoga. Or try meditation. Use this time and dedicate it to this purpose.
  • If you just got back from your kite holiday, this might be your break to sort things out. Wash your laundry, do the taxes or admin stuff that were long due, clean your apartment or even better, declutter, rearrange some stuff, sort your holiday photos and maybe even print a book with them and get it delivered to you.
  • Whatever it is you’ve been longing to do but never had the time to, you have the time now. Ask yourself if that is how you want to spend this time and then go with that intention into your day.

2. Reconnect with old friends and family

In general, it’s a great time to reconnect with friends and family, no matter how long you haven’t spoken to each other. If you are, like us, not at home with your loved ones but traveling and didn’t make it home or decided to stay where you are: make use of those awesome video calls. I currently am speaking more often to all my friends and family than I have before.

If you miss your girl’s night on Thursdays – how about you just make it online?

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3. Read or listen to audiobooks

What better time than to peacefully read a new book with a cup of tea/coffee in your hand? I personally also love to listen to audiobooks so most of these books I had as audiobooks. I often listen to it as an audiobook and then might get the kindle version after 😉 I will link which ones I read/listened to how

My favorite kitesurf books:

  • World Kitesurf Guide [the best book on kitesurf spots, where is it windy when and which spots are best around the world]
  • Europe Kitesurf Guide [the best book on kitesurf spots, where is it windy when and which spots are best in Europe
  • Tricktionary [tricks for for advanced kiteboarders of all levels and styles, Airstyle (old school, hooked in tricks) and Newschool (wake style, unhooked moves)]

self quarantine ideas for kitesurfers and surfers: kitesurf and self-development booksMy Favorite self-development books of the last years:

4. Listen to podcasts

No matter if it’s around kitesurfing, health, relationships or business. Simply enter your word and search, there are so many good podcasts out there and such great free content for you to learn and grow!

5. Cook and bake – and experiment with new recipes

Self quarantine idea: experiment with new, healthy recipesI collected many easy recipes on this Pinterest board Easy & Healthy Travel Recipes

Most of them are with just a few ingredients (often as little as 2 or 3) and don’t need a lot of kitchen appliances. Maybe even make a challenge with yourself and try one new recipe per day (starter, main, dessert or smoothie/juice).

You have the time to experiment and maybe find new, easy, healthy alternatives to what you usually eat. “I don’t have time to eat healthily” is not an excuse at these times 😉 Fuel your body now so that you can be the best “you” you possibly can.

6. Strengthen your immune system

While there are many different ways to strengthen your immune system, I’ll just add my favorites:

  • Chill out. Literally. Relax. Stress lowers your immune system. Make sure you relax by starting meditation (Calm and Headspace are great apps) and sleeping a lot.
  • Start doing daily breathing exercises. The Wim Hof App is a great, easy free resource. It helps you regulate your stress levels and strengthen your immune system
  • Start implementing coldwater exposure. Again, you can check the Wim Hof App as a great free resource. Or simply start by having a 2-minute cold shower (or however long you can) after your hot shower.

7. See working from home as a trial run for being a digital nomad

self quarantine home office remote work as a digital nomadLoads of you that follow me on Social Media say they would love to become digital nomads. While it is under different circumstances of course and more restricted – see it as an opportunity to see what it’s like. Develop strategies on how to become productive. Whenever the self-quarantine will be dropped, maybe you can try working from cafes to see how it works or a Coworking space. And if you don’t like it at all: great, one thing to cross of your list! You were given a free trial.

Or maybe you realize there are a few kinks to sort out regarding your productivity and workflow. Also great because you got to test and can improve your strategies.

More articles about this:

8. Establish new habits

Now is the time to try new habits. Always wanted to start meditating? Go for it! Want to start flossing? Working out 10 minutes a day? Reading every day?

If you want to get deeper into habits, on how to establish new healthy habits and how to change old negative habits I can highly recommend these two books:

Some good tips from those books:

  • Start small! 2 or 3 min a day is enough. Take it from there.
  • Try habit-stacking. Add your new habit to an activity you are doing every day like e.g. brushing your teeth, making coffee, showering
    For example: After I finished [sth. you do every day] I will [do new habit]
    After I brushed my teeth, I will floss
    After I switched off my alarm clock, I will meditate for 3 min
    After I made coffee I will work out for 3 min in my living room
  • Make it as easy as possible to act upon it. When you want to start flossing, get some floss and put it next to your toothbrush. When you want to start meditating, look for an app (I love Calm and Headspace), download it, put your headphones next to your bed so you can listen to it right after you wake up. If you want to workout make sure your workout clothes are already out (or buy some if you don’t have any), put out your mat (or buy one) and pick a workout the night before. Make it so easy to start the new habit that there is no resistance.

9. Clean out your closet/house

Decluttering feels SO GOOD. I absolutely love it and do it once a year. Whether it’s your wardrobe, the kitchen shelf with spices or the shoe rack. You could even split it up in small chunks: every day you dedicate 5-10 minutes cleaning up one specific part of your apartment. This really works and doesn’t feel as big as doing it all at once 😉

10. Redecorate/reorganize your apartment

Nothing better than bringing some fresh air. You always wanted to move the couch to another part of the living room and reorder some other furniture so you have more space to workout? Now is the time. Or you want to decorate your balcony? Go for it!

If you want to add more kitesurf/beach vibes into your home also check out my designs on redbubble 🙂kitesurf designs kitesurf prints

11. Make photos of the things you don’t need anymore and want to sell

Now you have the time to declutter, take the photos, write the texts for the items you want to sell. Whenever this is over, all you have to do is upload.

I like to sell different things on different platforms and probably this works differently for every country – I am based in Germany.

  • I sell my old kite gear on the German facebook group Wind- und Kitesurf Gebrauchtmarkt and put it up on eBay kleinanzeigen.
  • For clothes I started loving the German platform kleiderkreisel (works really much better than a few years ago and often much quicker and easier than eBay kleinanzeigen).
  • For outdoor gear and clothes I also sell stuff on the German facebook group Outdoor Flohmarkt.
  • For old books and Cd’s/DVD’s I use momox

12. Help out others in need

Whether you want to bring your elderly neighbor without family some groceries or just give your anxious friend a call to distract her – if you are feeling in a good place, cheer someone up. In Germany we have a great website called Quarantaenehelden (you can either ask for help or offer your help).

13. Share your passions online

Whether you always loved experimenting with food, doing a DIY project, paint or do workouts – now is the time to share it with others. You could either give small tutorials, give tips or do live cooking/painting or whatever it is you want to share. I have seen so many creative outbursts online and it is beautiful to see everyone shares what they love.

14. Learn something new

I absolutely love skillshare for creative purposes but there are many other online video courses you can do. Whether you want to extend your knowledge, practice something new for fun or find a new hobby, when is a better time than now? Get 2 free months on skillshare using this link.

15. Keep moving daily

Move every day, no matter how long or short, intense or soft. Maybe try out something completely new. There are loads of live events happening on fitness channels with live workouts and there are tons of no-equipment workouts you can do from home. Here are my playlists

16. Write your (kite) bucket list

Start dreaming yourself away. What is it you always wanted to do? What are your crazy dreams? Make a list and decide on which one you want toward first. Maybe that includes researching a new destination, thinking about how much money you would need to travel there, how long it would take you to save, what time is best to travel there.

discount codes for surf and kitesurf brands, surf bikinis and surfwearFor inspiration on kite destinations check out the blog posts:

17. Think of the next kite trick you are going to nail

What’s the next kite trick you want to learn? If you don’t have it yet, get the Tricktionary to get inspired or download the free Duotone Academy App (with tutorials on hooked, unhooked, strapless and foiling). Watch some videos and bookmark them, visualize yourself already doing it.

Also check out this blogpost on kite progress.

18. Get the stuff for your next kite trip

Just remembered you still need a kite bikini? Or wanted to get a new kite bag? Or try that new organic sunscreen? If you can, get the stuff now and support those businesses that are currently all struggling.

More tips and inspiration on what to get:

19. Watch Kite Movies

If you can’t kite yourself, live that emotion to the fullest! See this blog post with the best kite movies or the best coldwater kite movies. Or for a walk down memory lane and to epic locations, check out my collection of 4 years of all the Wake Up Stoked movies we filmed.

20. Stay present and shift your focus

I know it is quite overwhelming at times with the speed of which things are happening and the uncertainty. Know this: everything is pretty much unpredictable.

Stay in the moment and whenever you feel yourself getting into a tornado of negative thoughts, shift your focus. Either say out loud “STOP” or what helps me sometimes is writing my thoughts down (good time to start journaling btw!) and then ask myself: Is this the really real? Is this the truth? Or is it just my anxious thoughts going crazy? And how can I turn this situation into one that benefits me, that teaches me something?

If both of those don’t help, jump up and move. Put on your favorite song and dance it off with full energy, no matter how ridiculous you look. Or if you don’t want to do that, just jump around or do some jumping jacks. This usually helps me  🙂

21. Make a new vision board

I don’t know about you but creating vision boards is a hobby in itself for me. Whenever I feel a bit lost or like I need a new direction, I make a new one. If you have some old magazines lying around, start looking for inspirations and make a physical one or print some stuff if you have your own photos and a printer at home. Or do a virtual Moodboard – either one you design yourself (with e.g. free tools like Canva) or you create a Pinterest board where you pin the images that inspire you.

self quarantine ideas: make a vision board

This was my vision board in 2016

I love to put quotes, images that show emotions I want to have, words, photos of places I dream of etc.

For more inspiration you can check out my Pinterest boards. You could have a look at the boards Kitesurf Vibes, Travel Vibes, Kitesurf Holiday, Surf Vibes, Surf Home, Surf Quotes for example. And then take it from there 🙂

self quarantine ideas: make a vision board

21. Imagine how this will have impacted your life in one year from now

To leave you with a positive ending, I simply want to share this post 🙂

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