If you can tell us what day of the week is it right off the top of your head ... You're doing ok! If not, this blog is for you! We share some simple quarantine tips meant to keep you motivated, feeling accomplished, and healthy.

10 quarantine tips to stay safe, healthy, and sane!

1. Establish a new routine

Finding a new "normal" amidst this pandemic can help you take care of your physical, emotional, and mental health. To establish a new routine, start with the basics:

• Get eight hours of sleep: Set a bedtime and wake up time
• Eat a balanced diet: Meal plan or prep for the week
• Stay active: Workout or take walks
• Find purpose: Set a goal each day (laundry, reading a book, organizing, etc.)

2. How to work from home

If you can work from home, setting work-life boundaries is crucial. What do we mean by that? Work from home quarantine tips:

• Create a dedicated workspace: This will keep interruptions to a minimum and help you separate work from home
• Set work hours: Determining when you're online and offline will help keep you focused and protect your personal time
• Utilize video chats: Host meetings or check-ins on virtual platforms to keep your team effectively communicating
• Take active breaks: Look away from your computer screen and move your body

The same goes for children having to do school from home too!

3. Take active breaks

When you're in the zone - whether it's working from home or binge-watching Netflix - time can fly by, and before you know it, you've been sitting for multiple hours. Sound familiar? This is not good! Your body needs movement. Try to take a quick 5-10 minute break every 1-2 hours. You can get up and stretch, do yoga, walk outside, do a quick chore, etc. The benefits... This text opens a new tab to the source... of taking active breaks include:

• Improved muscle tone and posture
• Decreased stress
• Boosted self-esteem
• Increased concentration levels

4. Watch what you eat

With more time at home, you may find yourself looking in your fridge or pantry more often. And we all know what this means, you're bored and looking to fill that void with food. Most often, these food choices aren't exactly healthy. Typically, unhealthy food = bad for your teeth. Sticking to a meal schedule or meal prepping can help minimize snacking and overindulgence.

5. Drink more water

Not only does your body need water to survive, but drinking water also helps your oral health. Here are some quick facts you should know:

1. Water protects your teeth! Most water sources contain fluoride, which remineralizes your teeth to fight cavities.
2. It cleans your mouth and washes away harmful bacteria with each sip.
3. Staying hydrated keeps your saliva production up, which is your mouth's first defense again decay.
4. It's sugar-free! Ok, this is obvious, but if you can substitute water for sugary drinks, your smile and body will thank you.

6. Get outside every day

If you're on TikTok, you've probably heard, "I'm bored in the house and I'm in the house bored..." If not, you get the point; you're bored when you're stuck inside your house every day. So try to set yourself a goal: Get outside for at least 20 minutes a day. With social distancing still in effect, make sure you are safe and maintaining distance. There are many benefits to getting outside, but for us Washingtonians, one of the more prominent is getting that Vitamin D!

7. Stay connected to friends and family

Just because you cannot physically be with your friends and family, doesn't mean you can't still "see" them. With today's technology, it's easier than ever to keep in touch and continue to have family dinners, happy hours, and game nights. Here are some of the most popular video chats during quarantine:

• Zoom
• Houseparty
• FaceTime
• Skype
• Google Hangouts

8. Set daily goals

Give your day a purpose by setting at least one goal. By completing these daily goals, you will maintain a sense of accomplishment. To keep yourself motivated and accountable, write down your goals. We recommend writing them as a list and then crossing them off as you complete them. Over time, your list will grow and you will see all the things you've done. And remember: No goal is too small! It can be as simple as cleaning the bathroom or calling your mom.

9. Limit the news

News surrounding the pandemic is grim, and there are a lot of different news sources (even your friends on Facebook!) who often reporting misleading information. Regularly checking the news may be doing you more harm than good, causing stress and worry. So if you must check the news, limit your daily exposure, and view credible sources only. Children are especially affected by what they see and hear on TV, so be mindful of that.

10. Focus on what you can control

You can choose to wake up and feel angry at the world, government, etc. for what is happening. Or you can choose to wake up, be grateful for what you have, and focus on what you can control, such as making someone laugh, fueling your body with nutritious food, or changing your outlook on the current circumstances. At Love Your Smile, we are choosing to be thankful for our health, our community, and our awesome dental patients. We are so eager and excited to reopen and see you all again.

Give these quarantine tips a try!

What one was your favorite? Let us know in the comments! ???? For more tips, check out our blog feed! The Love Your Smile dental team is passionate about dental education and empowering you to take charge of your health. Our dental office provides family, cosmetic, restorative dentistry to downtown Seattle, Lake Union, and Belltown.