Congrats!
I want to take a second to congratulate you. Yep. It's been one of the most difficult weeks that some of us have ever gone through...your 'normal' life has been pretty much uprooted, basically overnight. The level of uncertainty, lack of control, onslaught of information, and fight for pantry items and toilet paper has hit record highs for our nation. Not to mention the fear, confusion, frustration, and having to make really difficult decisions related to business. I'm giving you a virtual elbow bump - It's been quite a week, but you made it!
Living in Nashville, after a very recent devastating tornado, it has been quite difficult to process what's been happening. It’s to start asking ‘why’ but that will paint you into a dark corner really quickly. I’ve really started to focus on the questions I’m asking myself. Instead of ‘why me/us' start asking yourself ‘What good can come out of this situation?’ ‘How can I bless someone today?’ ‘Who can I reach out to and love on?’ It’s really amazing what can be accomplished when we now have all the time in the world - AND the internet! I hope this post helps you use your time a little wiser!
As a wellness professional, I feel like it's a bit of a responsibility to provide helpful resources, tips, advice, encouragement and support to enable you to prioritize your health. Health & wellness have always been important, but more folks are beginning to realize the need to really put their health at the top of the list more than ever before. Which is really exciting! Think about if everyone in the nation tried one idea from each of the pillars below, what could happen?
Disclaimer: This is not a post about what I think you 'should' do or shouldn't - I've had to catch myself from 'shoulding' on myself the past few days! (Geez, I should've been doing this all along!) I simply want to provide a little insight into what has worked for me in the past when going through seasons in challenging environments and hope that it encourages you to try something new.
A few things are FOR CERTAIN:
We're all in this together.
We can control a lot more than we realize and have a lot of options available. (more on that below)
We're figuring it all out as we go, one day at a time, and a truckload of grace is needed!
This is going to make our communities, cities, nation SO much stronger and the level of growth that's going to happen over the next few months will positively impact us for many years to come!
First, let’s clarify a difficult environment.
You’re in a small apartment with not very much space. You have kids that really need your attention 24/7, your spouse/S.O isn’t a fan of being healthy, you’re not really feeling motivated, etc. All of these are challenging but
Holistic approach to wellness:
Wellness is not measured in a silo. And it's not a one-size fits all deal. We all have different needs and are on a unique personal journey in our health. Wellness is also not just ONE thing - we all know that if someone runs marathons but eats fast food every day, they most likely aren't feeling their best. So, I've compiled a few tips and ideas for each pillar of wellness: physical, emotional/spiritual, social, intellectual, environmental, financial. Pick and choose what sounds like fun or even a challenge and go for it!
Physical:
All of the gyms have decided to close up shop but many of them are utilizing social media to provide free live-streamed workouts classes - Check out this amazing effort in Spain to stay healthy while self-quarantined!
Set aside an area in your house/apartment where you can workout - move furniture. Lay out a yoga mat. Put your hand weights and sneakers there along with any other workout equipment as a reminder.
Set a time each day to workout - block out that time on your calendar with a reminder. Stick to it! If someone asks you your availability, that hour is blocked off.
Set an alarm every 30-60 minutes to get up and move. Walk to get more water (hydration is key!), let out the dog, stretch, etc.
Join a challenge! Most of the fitness devices provide a virtual challenge that you can join with other users. Create your own challenge and invite friends/family. (i.e. walk to California and back in steps over the next 2 months)
Start with workouts that sound fun and then work up to more challenging workouts. (dance, yoga, etc)
Take time to rest. Just because you're self-quarantined doesn't mean you have to workout every day - and you shouldn't. Take a day or two to veg, rest, make something with your hands. Recovery is important!
Meal prep healthy meals for the week. Most restaurants are closed - so it's a great time to learn how to cook! There are loads of recipe books and YouTube videos out there that can help.
Stock up on healthy pantry and frozen items. (you don't need to go crazy here!) Grab some healthy broth based soups, beans, rice and frozen veggies for quick & easy meal ideas.
Try a new recipe each week and get your family members involved in cooking and learning. Get creative!
Eat the rainbow! Building your immunity starts in your gut. It's important to have variety in your foods. Try a new veggie or fruit each week.
Here are some of my favorite apps to stay fit and active at home:
Strava – great for running and cycling
Nike Training Club – aimed at strengthening overall fitness levels through bodyweight/HIIT workouts
Yoga Studio – great stress reliever
Couch to 5K – take advantage of the Spring weather and get outside for a run!
JetFit – great for strength training/body building if you have weights at home
FitOn – Netflix style exercise classes (HIIT, pilates, dance, etc)
Google or Youtube – “at home workouts"
Not a fan of technology? No worries! Grab your pooch or family member, lace up your sneaks and hit the pavement. Walking at least 10,000 steps per day has been the recommended goal - but even an additional 5,000 will provide benefits.
Social:
Yes, being social is a part of being well. Social distancing has made all of us introverts, which may not come natural to you! We still need human connection - social distancing doesn't mean isolation or disengagement. Keep showing up and take extra effort to interact with other virtually whenever possible.
Skype/Facetime with friends and family. This is the best way to feel connected virtually.
Pick up the phone when people call – call versus texting.
Get comfortable with video calls for work meetings. This is the new norm.
Start LinkedIn Live Stream interviews with peers and provide valuable content to your followers.
Converse in online groups – and create your own! This is the time to step up and be a leader instead of a follower. Start speaking up on topics that are important to you - add your wisdom, insight and positive vibes.
Emotional/Spiritual:
Mental health has been getting a lot of attention over the past few years in the wellness space, for good reason! We all know that our mental state can really impact our stress levels and thus physical health. Taking time to fill up your cup emotionally will really help you get through this season.
Limit Netflix, social media and news. This is really important. Find out the facts and move on.
Start a morning and an evening routine. Stick to a specific dinner time (with family) and bedtime in order to get on a routine - this will help ease your mind a lot! Our brains love structure and routine.
Practice self-care - now more than ever, we need to be kind to ourselves. Take time to do a face mask, paint your nails, unplug from technology, meditate, etc.
Practice some of these great mindfulness exercises to recenter and ground
Go for a walk in nature – play a scavenger hunt with your family. (Easter egg hunts are great too!)
Read positive media/news articles – these guys are my go-to Good News source – it’s amazing how much good is taking place right now!
Break out the Crayloa’s and get artsy - Brit & Co are offering free art classes until 3/31!
Journal your feelings - get it all out! Write down three-five things you're grateful for every day.
Financial:
There have been a lot of folks who have been impacted financially from this pandemic, unfortunately. Try and use this time to focus on what you can do to support yourself financially.
Focus on Financial Wellness for employees
Here’s how to react financially during a pandemic
Leverage your employer’s resources (401K, retirement, HSA, etc)
Make it a challenge to see how much you can save during this season - the restaurants, bars, entertainment centers are closed. This is a great time to pad the savings account and/or pay off debt!
Work on setting up an Emergency Fund of at least 3-6 months of living expenses saved (be prepared for emergency situations like these in the future)
Intellectual:
Being at home doesn't mean we won't be able to learn and develop skills. Thanks to the internet - the world is our oyster! Keep yourself busy by learning something new,
Struggling staying productive at home? Here are some great LinkedIn courses on how to make the most of your time working from home
Virtual meetings are taking off – here’s a great article about how to have a successful virtual meeting
Take online courses that expand your knowledge in all types of categories via Udemy courses (prices average $10-20 per course with a money back guarantee)
Learn a new language via the Babbel or Duolingo app (I personally love this app!)
That should get you all going for at least a few weeks! I really hope you found this to be useful to you and you've got a few things you can add to you 'to-do-at-home' list. I'm cheering you on from my pj's and kitchen table!
Have fun, take it easy on yourself, focus on the good, and do your best to enjoy this time.
One day at a time.
Cheers to good health! Stay safe and well friends. Please reach out if you have any questions or feedback on if you tried any of these ideas and liked them! Would love to hear from you. :)
In Good Health,
Gretchen
PS: Friendly Reminder: This is just a season….
I’m sure you’ve heard this from at least one person over the past week. And if you haven’t then here you are: THIS TOO SHALL PASS. I don’t want to negate the fact that there are some crazy, scary, unknown things happening right now. But there are also so many amazing things happening - it’s your decision on what you want to focus on and how you want to react. You really have so much more control than you realize. Like a LOT. And the fact that you don’t have to commute anywhere, you don’t have to meet with your boss in their office every week, you don’t have to listen to your coworkers drama, you don’t have to worry about parking, you actually don’t even have to get dressed (but I highly recommend it!). That leaves you with an immense amount of autonomy and time that you haven’t ever had before. Hopefully that helps change your paradigm a bit and encourages you to take your life by the reins and make some things happen!
