Instagram influencer Kelsey Heinrichs inspires life in isolation during COVID-19
Social distance, but make it fashion. From staycations to Self-Care Saturdays, Instagram influencers in isolation are now using their platforms to inspire followers to live their best lives – inside, safely.
St George Shire Standard
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Instagram influencers are inspiring followers to live their best lives – inside, safely – by using their platforms to plug staycations and other indoor fun for life in the coronavirus pandemic.
Kelsey Heinrichs of Kelsey In London, 28, is a self-employed graphic designer, illustrator, photographer, influencer and travel blogger translating her skills for life during the lockdown.
“I work a lot with tourism boards as a photographer and obviously that work has now come to a halt due to travel bans,” Ms Heinrichs said.
“With lockdowns now in place, photographers like myself can’t go outside or meet with clients – content creators can and should adapt to these sudden changes and instead focus on producing home-centred content.”
Confined inside by the growing pandemic, Ms Heinrichs took to Instagram to inspire her followers to stay inside with a luxe staycation at The Sebel Quay West in The Rocks during a quick trip back to Australia from her home base in London.
“I had a busy itinerary that was months in the planning, but given recent circumstances, I made the call to cancel all my plans and turn my transiting visit into a staycation,” Ms Heinrichs said.
“My room had a stunning panoramic view of Sydney Harbour. I used Uber Eats and had some bubbly and pizza delivered with the no-contact delivery option – it’s been so nice to relax and slow down in what is normally a very busy city.”
Ms Heinrichs said she was looking forward to some downtime despite the impact on her usual work.
“I’ll finally have time to watch all the Netflix series I don’t normally have time for and listen to audiobooks,” Ms Heinrichs said.
“I find listening to podcasts help you feel less lonely when you’re working from home – I’ll either chuck on a podcast about serial killers or self-improvement, and I’m seriously considering buying a Nintendo Switch to kill some time.”
Ms Heinrichs is also making a conscious decision not to amplify anxiety among followers with coronavirus content.
“People can come to my page and know it’s a positive place where you can come for a bit of escapism and a cheeky meme,” Ms Heinrichs said.
“A fun way I’ve encouraged my followers to keep happy and entertained during quarantine is by creating and sharing my Instagram templates – they’re little quizzes you can fill out and post on your Instagram stories and share with your friends and family.”
The Brisbane-born influencer will also be part of aviation history when she takes a special Qantas service returning Australian expats home to London – direct from Darwin for the first time ever.
The flight will allow Qantas to fly Australians living in London home before international flights are heavily reduced, and without any stopovers that could exacerbate the risk of contracting coronavirus for passengers.
“I honestly cried with relief when I was able to nab a seat on the Qantas QF1 flight that flies to London direct from Darwin via Sydney, it was like getting a golden ticket,” Ms Heinrichs said.
“Granted, it did set me back a couple of grand, however, my home is now in London and it would have cost me more money to stay in Australia and get temporary accommodation for who knows how long.”
KELSEY IN LONDON’S TOP TIPS FOR AN INSPIRED ISOLATION
– Self-Care Saturdays. Or Sundays. Pick a day each week where you treat yourself to a self-care routine. This could be as simple as taking a bath, painting your nails or an uninterrupted having a cup of tea.
– Keep moving! Exercise releases endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. We already know that. The challenge is that the gyms are now closed. Fortunately, most governments are encouraging you to get outside for a daily walk, just remember to keep your distance from other members of the public. There are also so many at-home workouts on Youtube you can do without needing any equipment
– Stay Connected. Call your mum. Skype with your grandparents. You can also use Zoom to hang out with the whole gang from the comfort of your sofa.
– Take Vitamin D supplements! With less time spent outside and many without access to a garden or balcony, a daily intake in Vitamin D will help boost your happy hormones.
– Less screen time. Constantly consuming the latest news headlines can be overwhelming so make sure to switch off. Bring out the board games, get stuck into a new book or cook a new recipe.
– Learn a new skill. Now there’s plenty of time to brush up on your Spanish. Or teach yourself how to build a website. There are so many great resources and masterclasses online.