Ways To Stay Well

With the instability that is around us right now, it is essential that we keep ourselves and our families physically and mentally well.

As things continue to change day by day and even hour by hour, life can be stressful and overwhelming. Waking up each day we must be ready to face whatever new restrictions are placed upon us, and although we know this is for the good of everyone, it can be really unsettling. That is why it’s essential to take control of certain of aspects of our days in order to maintain a sense of normality and to keep us mentally and physically well.

Start your day with a plan. Lay out what you need to get done for yourself and your family. Start with your daily tasks which may include paid work / house work / school lessons etc. Then around these, lock in your essential daily activities such as exercise and play. Here are some ideas of things you should try to do each and every day.

Wake up and go to bed at the same time. With the reduced daily activities and travel time, it’s tempting to sleep in a little more. However, it’s really important to keep your body in its regular circadian rhythm. A fixed wake time helps to build a strong desire for sleep throughout wakefulness. Shortening it by sleeping in will make it harder to fall asleep the next night.
Move as much as you can, every single day. If confined to your home, put on some music and dance around the house. Clean out the cupboards you have been ignoring for a while - this may be a great time to Marie Kondo your wardrobe.
Do strength training every day. This can be as simple as a 5 minute bodyweight routine of push ups, squats and sit ups in the morning. Keep the body strong.
Get some sunshine. Going for a walk around the block is enough to refresh your body and mind. If this becomes unavailable to you, at least go outside in your garden area and let the sun shine on you for a while.
Challenge your mind every day. Complete a sudoko puzzle, play an instrument, read a book. There are even online virtual tours of some the world’s most famous museums which are a great experience.
Eat well. Now more than ever it is essential that we are eating food that will make us well. As many people are stuck at home, it can be so easy to fall into unhealthy eating habits, grazing all day and eating comfort food. Rather, take this opportunity to test out some new healthy recipes and remember, food is medicine.
Do something for someone else. Do a chore for your spouse that you wouldn’t usually do. Check in with your neighbours to make sure they are OK. Pick up some groceries for someone who is finding it difficult to get outside. Share your toilet paper. The reward from being kind is incredibly powerful for our own mental health.

Include the whole family in your daily plan. It can be helpful (and fun) to write up a specific list for each family member so they have a focus for their day, for example:

30 minutes of outside play
20 minutes reading a book
Unpack the dishwasher
Do 40 push ups (doesn’t need to be in a row)
Call Grandma to say hi
Eat 5 different coloured fruits and vegetables.

Stick this up on the fridge and make sure everything is complete before the TV is turned on or iPads are produced. Let’s get through this difficult time by creating some new healthy habits that can continue for life.

by Angie Black