I treated the first couple weeks of quarantine like a break. I stayed in bed, ate whatever food I wanted, watched TV all day, and just relaxed. That is until the news broke out that Virginia was under a stay at home order until at least June. This sudden and strange abundance of time at home no longer felt like a nice vacation. I’ve been trying to find several ways to keep a healthy routine in my life and provide some normalcy.
Here are some things that I’ve been trying to incorporate in my routine to get me through the day and keep my mind and body happy and healthy.
1. Go for a run
My favorite part of my day now is going out for my run. I’ve found that on especially hard and emotionally draining days, running has helped to clear my head and take my mind of things. Running is also an easy way to keep in shape, without having complicated workouts to follow or needing lots of equipment. Whether you go out for a short or a long run, there’s nothing like being able to get out of your house for a bit and enjoy this year’s beautiful spring weather. Additionally, studies have shown that running has many long term benefits too, such as increased immunity, decreased risk of cancer, and adding more years to your life!
2. Daily Stretch
A great way to start the day, take a break, or end your evening is to get in a good stretch. This is especially important now when we are spending the majority of our time sitting down at a desk or table doing work. Stretching out things like your back, legs, arms, and neck are great ways to relieve stress and help prevent soreness and pain. Doing a quick yoga routine can be a good break away from a stressful work day and give your mind a nice reset for whatever comes next.
3. Read a book
It’s tempting to sit for hours and binge episode after episode on our seemingly countless streaming platforms. I know that I’ve recently felt like my head has been hurting more just from being in front of a screen so much with online classes, TV, and my phone. A great way to give your eyes and brain a break from screen time is to crack open that book that you’ve always wanted to read. Reading always helps me escape for a little while and immerse into a whole other world.
4. Eating healthy
One of the hardest things for me to remember while I’m stuck at home and studying all day is to make sure I’m eating healthy. It’s really easy to grab chips or some other junk food in my pantry to eat all day, but it’s important to choose snacks that do something good for your body and make you feel good. I think the best and easiest way to do this is by including lots of fruits and vegetables in your daily diet and choosing snacks that are also high in protein to provide you the energy you need to conquer your day.
5. Dance Party
There’s nothing like throwing on your favorite song and dancing around your house. When things get to be too much, a 5 minute dance party can help you shake out everything that’s bothering you and help you to enjoy the moment instead. I love doing this before I go to bed at night as a way to shake out all the bad vibes from the day.
6. Skin care routine
Just because we can’t go out anymore and meet people face-to-face doesn’t mean that it’s time to let go of our skin care routines. Continuing to care for your skin is an important step of self care. Being stuck at home all day and not having to do makeup all the time doesn’t mean that
Need help establishing a good skin care routine? This NY Times article helps explain what steps you should include and how each helps to promote healthy and clear skin.
7. Stay hydrated
The age-old advice of drinking more water still applies here. The more hydrated you are the healthier you are. Water helps to keep your skin healthy, remove toxins, regulates your body temperature, and promotes a healthy immune system.
(see 6 benefits of staying hydrated)
While I know that these ideas won’t make all of our worries go away, they help me to focus on smaller, controllable things. In a new and unpredictable world, it’s important to keep taking care and loving ourselves. We don’t know what’s in store for us, but take a second and breath because it’s going to be okay.