As our whole reality has changed these days and more and more people are isolating at home, we come to realize how appreciative we should have been, when we could go out for a coffee with a friend, when we could go to a restaurant for dinner, when we could visit our parents and grandparents, when we could visit the gym and push our fitness levels, join a class with so many other people that were there to better themselves.
Isolation can take a toll on our well-being if we are not careful with how we adapt our everyday lives to these new circumstances. Social Distancing means that any social activity that used to be a standard on your day to day basis, will be put on hold. So how do we keep sane when nothing for our daily routine is the same, when the world is in a state of fear and when we must keep ourselves closed in the walls of our home for so long?
Below are some tips on how to get through home isolation, while maintaining good mental and body health.
Mindfulness
· Eat healthy & Hydrate: Your Body is your temple, so treat it like one. Quit eating junk food, fry less, eat more colours (green - vegies, red - berries, beetroot, purple - cabbage, blue - blueberries, yellow – bananas – More and more Fruit & Veg!). Nourish your body so that you can perform your best, feel good and have a strong immune system to fight against a virus. Make sure that you keep hydrated, the best way to detox! Get inspired by some of our healthy smoothies, healthy snacks and healthy food recipes!
· Keep fit: There are many ways to keep your fitness up, even with no gym! Going back to our technology, there is a vast amount of fitness advice and material on the net. If you want a quick guide plan to what you should do for your workout, you can get that on social media. Also, if you are looking for a Personal Trainer offering online services and you are in need of a plan that is bespoke to you, make sure that you check our Online PT services. If you are one of those people that are more interested in classes, you can find all kinds of fitness and dance classes that are live-streamed, getting together with people that also want to keep fit and a positive mindset. Make sure that you check out our Online Virtual Fitness and Dance Classes by clicking here. Fitness also provides a way to put our worries aside and help us achieve mindfulness, helping with our mental state.
· Bad habits: As I mentioned before, treat your body like your temple. Try to quit bad habits that have a bad outcome on your health long-term; don’t smoke and don’t drink too much. Avoid too much snacking and track the amount of water you are drinking. Also, do not keep still and sitting on the chair for too long; have small breaks to move and stretch. Good posture is also something essential to think about while you are working and also making sure that you set the right work layout (computer at the right height, comfortable chair supporting your back etc). If you are looking for a way to introduce some stretching in your schedule and find ways to improve your posture, make sure you join our online 'Stretch and Distress' online virtual class.
Self-Love
Self-love should not only be part of your plan/schedule for these days, it should be your priority. At times when you are not working (for those who work from home), do something that makes you feel good, it is all about self-care! Some ideas:
Face mask time!: Taking care of your skin, will induce that feel-good hormone – dopamine. Dopamine is not only responsible for the pleasure sensation that we get, it is also associated with memory and learning! Win-win! One of my favorite masks is the 'Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask' from The Body Shop - and it is cruelty free!
Learn something new: With so much spare time in our hands while being at home, there is an opportunity to learn a new skill! Most of us have a skill that we always wanted to learn, but there was simply not enough time to do so. Well there are no more excuses! Learn a new language (I have been using a Language application called Babbel), read that book ( I have really enjoyed reading Little Black Book: A Toolkit for Working Women), watch that documentary (Really enjoyed watching 'The Game Changers'), make that recipe, sign up for that online course, learn how to make that new recipe, find new ways of expanding your business online, make a plan on how to make your everyday routine better, once everything is back to normal.
Clean house, clean mind: It goes without saying that being hygienic is essential, but during a pandemic there should be consciousness on always keeping surfaces that we regularly touch, sterilized (door handles, kitchen counter, fridge door handle). Also, think of the general cleaning of the house, as a cleansing activity for your mind as well. Declutter, by creating a box of stuff that you are not using anymore, have it ready for charity. By doing this, you are giving away something that might be a lot more valuable to someone else, and you get to help someone in more need. Having the house clean is the perfect way of feeling good in an environment that can only create positive vibes.
Technology
· Stay in touch with your loved ones: Luckily, we live at a time where technology is advanced and there are so many different platforms out there that allow us to ‘stay in touch’. Now it is the time to use technology to our benefit, constructively. Take time to talk to the people that you care about, check in on how your best friends is doing, let them know how you are doing and support and motivate each other to get through this. This is not only a way to put the ones that are worried about you at ease, but also it is mutual emotional support.
· Limited Screen Time: It is important to try to limit the amount of time you spend on social media. It is easy to get side-tracked and spend all your day in front of your screen, something that is not healthy for our eyes and especially for our mind.
· Expand your business online: There are so many people that have managed to build a successful business online. Some of these people never had to work a 9-5 job and became free to practice what they are passionate about. Think, are there any ways that you can use your free time to make an extra income online? Now you the time to research if that option could be for you, find out about different platforms that you may be able to use. This pandemic has brought many to the route of online business, some because they had no other choice, some were the ones that always wanted to do it but were just waiting for the ‘right time’.
Work
· Productivity: If you are working from home, you might find that it is easier to get distracted, easier to have longer breaks, easier to not be as productive. Try to make your work from home routine as close as possible to your normal work routine. That means having your lunch break at the time you usually have it, take the same amount of time for a break and the same number of breaks in general. Also, emphasis should be given on table and chair set-up, with no other distractions around you.
· Sleep time: If you must work from home, you still must get enough sleep. Do not stay up late, because you will be staying at home next morning.
I hope that you and your loved ones keep positive and healthy. We can and will get through this together, as long we do our part – stay home and protect the vulnerable, wash your hands, spread the love and support. Please share with whoever you think would find this article helpful!