The COVID-19 pandemic has been hard on everyone. For almost a year now, people across the world have been forced to isolate, quarantine, and work from home.

For folks living alone in an apartment, particularly young adults, this lonely and uncertain time has been especially difficult. In fact, Census Bureau data reports that adults living alone are more likely to report feeling anxious than people living with roommates. Also, young people—between ages 18 and 44 years—report higher rates of anxiety and depression than older age groups.

But living alone doesn’t have to lead to loneliness. With some planning, extra effort, and awareness, people living alone in an apartment during COVID-19 can get to know themselves better and discover new ways to connect with other people. Here, we’ll discuss tips for loving living alone.

Tips for Living Alone in an Apartment

  • Check in with yourself. Start by acknowledging when you’re anxious or nervous. Then, try to focus on things you can control and make healthy choices that will boost your mood. Activities like exercising, meditating regularly and cooking nutritious meals can have a huge impact. If you do find yourself feeling anxious or depressed, call a friend, family member, or schedule an online therapy session.
  • Focus on self-care. Sticking to a consistent routine is important to your mental health and well-being. In the morning, get an online workout in, take a shower, get dressed for work, and make a cup of coffee or tea—whatever gets you motivated for the day ahead. Keep end-of-the-day rituals as well, when you step away from your workspace.
  • Stay connected. Take advantage of technology and reach out to family and friends regularly. FaceTime, Skype, make a phone call or schedule a group Zoom meeting to check in and see how others are doing. You’ll probably find that many of your family and friends are feeling lonely, too. A quick chat can give you a sense of companionship, even if you’re living alone.
  • Take breaks from the screen. Constantly scrolling through social media or checking the news can be upsetting. Find a hands-on hobby or interest to distract you from this habit. Read a book, take up painting or photography, play an instrument, work on a puzzle, or start a journal.
  • Get outside. Not only are sunshine and fresh air good for you (hello, Vitamin D!), taking short breaks throughout the day to go outside can improve your mood if you’re living alone in an apartment. When the weather is nice, make a point to go for a walk or bike ride around your neighborhood, or spend some downtime on your balcony or patio.
  • Go where the people are (safely). Look for regular activities you can safely engage in with other people. Schedule a weekly outdoor walk with a friend, or a socially-distanced, outdoor happy hour with a few neighbors. If you have a dog, make a point to take Fido to a popular dog park with other pet owners. If you had a favorite yoga studio or gym class before the pandemic, chances are good they’re still offering those classes online. You’ll see your favorite instructors and some familiar faces. (Plus, check out more ways to socialize virtually.)
  • Be a team player. Work colleagues are an important social outlet for many of us. Working from home may have you physically separated from your teammates, so maintaining those social connections needs to be more intentional. Schedule virtual game nights, happy hours and trivia nights. Or, work together on a remote adventure via The Escape Game, which offers virtual escape rooms for groups of all sizes.
  • Look ahead. Although it may feel like this pandemic and social isolation will never end, remember, it is only temporary. Instead of worrying about the uncertainty of the coming weeks and months, look ahead to the future. Make a list of all the things you want to do, people you want to see, and places you want to go when the pandemic ends. There are brighter days ahead.

Find Your Community at Southern Management

Thanks to these tips and tricks, living alone in an apartment during COVID can still be a fun, even enriching experience. By keeping busy, seeking out social connections, and maintaining a positive attitude, we can all get to the other side of the pandemic safely.

At Southern Management, we’re dedicated to our residents’ well-being. Our current residents can continue to reach out to us through RentCafe (our resident portal), by email, or by phone. If you’re currently apartment hunting, we’re just a phone call, or a few keystrokes, away. We’re happy to chat and provide a virtual apartment tour of any of our apartments across Maryland and Virginia. We can’t wait to speak with you, so contact our team today!