It’s been a pretty difficult month. For many of us. Our lives have been altered out of our control and things are changing without our say. There’s no way around it. Many of us are feeling stuck, trapped, hopeless, and anxious. Especially with the uncertainty of this virus and not knowing how long the world around us is going to be shut down. And, if you’re anything like me, then you don’t do well with change either. However, I have noticed throughout this past month that there are some small things we can do to help us adjust to this new normal. In today’s post, I’m talking about 6 helpful things that have been getting me through this past month and hopefully, they can help you as well! Let me know what you think!
1. Less screen time. More walks.
While many of us are stuck inside, this typically means more screen time as well. However, it is crucial for our overall health and wellness to make sure that we schedule time away from our computers and phones throughout the day! Try planning aside some time to play outside with your kids, take the dogs for multiple walks, or have a relaxing evening walk with your partner! Or you could even bring out the bikes and ride around your neighborhood or on a trail if you live closeby to one!
2. Making meals that you look forward to
Whether the meal you enjoy is premade or something new and gourmet, take time for each meal that you eat. Now is the time that you can finally put more thought and energy into each meal! You don’t have to settle for that sad, desk salad or that meal replacement energy bar now that you have more time at home. In fact, now is the perfect time to try out recipes that you’ve been saving on Pinterest and wanting to make yourself but haven’t had the time before.
It’s also an essential time to teach your children to cook some of your favorite family meals! Not only will it teach them the basics of cooking but it’s something you can bond over and do together!
3. Learning a new hobby, DIY, or subject
Take this time in quarantine to research, read up on, or begin a new project or hobby! There are tons of ideas out there to be inspired by, even in difficult times like these! For example, my good friend has been making masks for health care workers and headbands out of the material as well. My aunt has taken up an old hobby of knitting and sewing blankets.
Personally, I have dedicated more time to reading and learning more about different times in history. Either through books or by watching documentaries on Netflix. This is perfect because I’m in school to be a high school history teacher, but I’m currently not in any college courses. All in all, think of something that you’ve been wanting to start doing and go for it!
4. Schedule weekly coffee chats over Facetime
Social distancing doesn’t have to mean isolating yourself from others completely! Set up a time to Facetime, Skype, or Zoom with family members and friends once a week and catch up over a cup of coffee or over brunch! This is what my cousin and I have been doing recently and it’s been helping to bring back some normalcy to this strange time.
5. Organizing your space
Organizing a space in my house each day has been something I have been doing nearly every single day this month. Whether it’s my closet, my desk or dresser drawers, my kitchen, my living room, etc. I’ve been trying to take time each day to switch up or organizing something in my house each day. I don’t know if it’s because I have more time on my hands or if it’s because it simply helps me take my mind off of current events.
Either way, organizing definitely helps me feel better and more productive! For example, today I decided to color code my closet haha! I mean it’s spring cleaning time after all! So why not take this time to declutter and organize as much as you can?!
6. Switching up your morning routine
Now that many of us aren’t having to wake up and get ready for work or school, we can take time to focus on ourselves and get our morning’s back! Not to mention, we can use this time to cultivate a more healthy and productive day overall. Take a moment to make your bed, enjoy some quiet time with your cup of coffee, or do a morning workout.
One thing I have been loving lately, especially now that the weather is warmer, is going outside and taking the dogs for a morning walk. And yes, I know it can be tempting to lay in bed all morning since we’re stuck at home and have way more free time on our hands. However, try making it a brand new morning habit to take a quick outdoor, morning walk in the first hour that you wake up! Not only is it a great way to exercise and a perfect morning boost to jump-start your day, but, getting outside and breathing in that fresh, morning air will help to reset your circadian rhythm! (Learn more about the importance of your circadian rhythm and balancing your hormones, here!)
Take 15 to 30 minutes out of your morning to take a calming and meditating walk. Take your dog with you, or ask your partner to join you! Either way, it is a beautiful way to begin your day, wake up naturally, improve your overall mood, get your exercise (cardio) in, and actually improve your sleep for later on that evening! It goes back to your body’s circadian rhythm and balancing your hormone levels!
I hope you enjoyed this little post on the 6 helpful things that have been getting me through this month!
What are the things you’ve been doing to keep yourself busy, healthy, and taken care of lately?
I would love to hear what you’ve been doing in the comments!
Until my next post, I hope you have a safe and healthy rest of your week!
xo, Cydney
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