The events of the past month have affected us in many ways. Many of us may be feeling overwhelmed or stressed by it all especially after being cooped up in isolation, the longer it lasts the harder the days seem to go by. It’s very important to go easy on ourselves and to take time needed for self-care.
We sourced the 10 most effective ways to give yourself some love during this time.
1. Stay Active
We too would love to be at one of our health clubs sweating it out to our favourite weights routine. But, as that’s not a current possibility, we must still maintain a level of physical activity to fuel both our physical and mental health. There’s heaps of different types of exercises you can do from home including our BlueFit workouts to help push you that bit further. You could also add a brisk walk with the family to help bring a change in scenery.
2. Meditation
Mindfulness can be practiced anywhere, anytime at any place. Take 10 minutes to practice calm. What may help are a series of apps if you need a trigger to help reach a level of zen.
- ‘Insight Timer’ – has over 25,000 free guided meditations.
- ‘Smiling Mind’ might be a good option if you don’t want to be overwhelmed by choice.
- Put aside distractions and focus fully on one small task. For example, while you’re having a cup of tea, pay attention to your senses (the smell of the tea, the warmth of the cup in your hand, the taste…).
3. Chat with your friends
Despite not being about to meet up in person there are many ways to stay in touch with your friends and family. Options include; via text, Messenger, WhatsApp, FaceTime, or a good ol’ fashioned phone call. Ask them how they’re feeling and share your own experiences if you feel comfortable to do so. This will help you feel as if you’re not alone and that others may be experiencing the same feelings as you.
4. Bake/cook
Being cooped up at home, during stressful times there’s no better feeling than eating a healthy, tasty meal. For many people it may be challenging to get some ingredients at the moment. If you’re running low or not able to get certain things, it’s totally fine to keep it really simple. You could also get creative with substitutions or Google ‘[ingredient] substitute’ for ideas. It’s also a great way to use some leftover ingredients you may have in the cupboard.
5. Take a break from the news
Between the news and social media, we’re all feeling saturated by coronavirus updates right now. It’s important to stay informed, but try to limit your media intake to a couple of times a day.
6. Declutter
Spending more time at home means you have some more time to declutter your space, some may say a metaphor for decluttering your life. Pace out the decluttering by picking a shelf to start with, or pick up five things and find a home for them.
7. Watch or read something uplifting
Distraction can be a good thing. Watch something that you find uplifting and allow yourself to zone out from what’s going on in the world. If reading is more your thing, go to your bookshelf or buy an e-book and choose an old favourite or something you’ve been meaning to get to for a while.
8. Learn something new
Now is the perfect time to learn something new! A quick YouTube search could have you learning a new language, skill or subject matter you may not have known before.
9. Start a veggie patch or herb garden
Gardening has many health and therapeutic benefits and can be very enjoyable. It’s an activity that everyone can enjoy. You may find it especially rewarding to spend time in the garden tending plants and growing your own food. With some planning and thought, you can create an interesting, productive and pleasant space that can be used as an edible garden.
10. Learn a dance routine
Get the family together and learn a new dance routine! If it’s a hit why not upload it to TikTok!
Source: Reach Out, March 2020
