7 WAYS TO STAY MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY FIT AT HOME

Physical and especially mental health is incredibly important for our well being. We all deal with things differently but when we are spending a lot of time at home it can be a rollercoaster of emotions and feelings. We can be happy to be at home spending time with family and having time to work on things that we don’t normally have time for. But this can be draped with stress, anxiety and the feeling of being disconnected or even out of control. Sometimes it’s not our choice to stay at home and this can quickly make things worse. Staying at home can be the most wonderful thing ever but it doesn’t always feel that way.

1. Work on a new project or hobby

Ask yourself what have you always wanted to do that you don’t usually have time for? Perhaps a new hobby, tidying your garden, organizing your closet, decorating a room in your house or maybe it’s time to develop that business idea you had a few months ago.

2. A tidy workspace just for you

Tidy space, tidy mind. Organising yourself a great little work space. Somewhere just for you where you can have a place to focus. Get up early and get dressed as you would to go to work. This will get your mind in the right headspace, having an organized space will keep you focused, reduce stress and increase confidence.

3. Stay active with daily workouts

There are some great workout platforms out there and a lot of great ones for free on YouTube. Nike has just released their home workout platform for free. During this time it is totally normal to be feeling more stressed than usual, as well as finding it easy to get lost on Netflix and ending up binge watching a lot of tv shows. Get up, go and workout, release energy and get your body working. Working out is a huge stress relief, and will help you to sleep tonight.
I have a 30 day ab challenge which you could do. It’s perfect for any level of fitness. It’s fun, free and follow along with video workouts. Sign up for the next ab challenge which starts on the first of each month.

4. Face call friends and family

Check in on your friends and family. Thank goodness for technology these days for us to stay in contact. In reality we never get time to sit down and catch up with a long distance friend or family member, now is the time to do that. As well keeping in touch it’s a great chance to check in on them, make sure they are ok. There are great ways to hang out with your friends still but virtually. I’ve been having fun calls with my whole family, playing games with my nieces and wine evenings with my girlfriends. Here are the Apps I’ve been using:
Houseparty | Zoom | Facetime | Skype | Facebook messenger | Whats App

5. Get outside

It is important for your wellbeing to get outside, and to breath in the fresh air. Whether you go out for a long hike or a short walk in your neighborhood. If the weather is great, sit outside for your morning tea or coffee. We’re lucky enough to have a courtyard and this is where I’ve been having my lunch everyday. It’s amazing what a bit of vitamin D will do. Here are a few other things to do outside:
Short walk in your neighborhood | Hike | Run around the block | Bike ride | Yoga outside | Workout outside

6. Bake or Cook up a healthy meal

This is your time to experiment in the kitchen. Usually we’re so busy and naturally stick to a similar meal plan weekly without planning too. Being at home, especially with not much to do we tend to pick more in the kitchen and it usually is something unhealthy. Explore with your healthy options and snacks and create little treats when baking. There are so many incredible recipes online and I have been buying ingredients I never even knew existed.

7. Write, draw or Create

This is all new to us and a lot for us to just adapt too and again people deal with hard situations differently. Motivation might not come naturally anyway but during this time it is totally ok that there may be a lack of motivation. If you are having a tough time trying to deal with these feelings, writing down emotions and how you are feeling really does help and also it will take a weight off your shoulders. Perhaps write a letter to someone dear to you, like a grandparent. People always feel special when they receive something by mail, and as our oldest generation are very vulnerable this would be something to brighten their day. If you’re not a writer, then sketch, doodle, paint, take photos, build something. There are many ways to express our emotions.
I love writing lists, this makes me feel the most productive and gives me so much motivation to get this list completed.

A to do list for the day or perhaps to see you through the week. Even that’s writing.

Weekends are still Weekends

On the weekends to keep things a bit different check out some of the great zoos around the world and museums taking you on virtual tours.

Check out an inspiring podcast, or someone in the field that you are interested in going live. I believe that we are now using social media in such a great way. Being able to stay in touch with loved ones and follow and learn from people.

Follow and support small business, do what you can digitally. Go like their social media pages, share them, leave them a review. Big corporations and businesses won’t be as hurting as much as the small local business. Pick up a to go from a small local restaurant. I mean you can get a delivery from a big chain but everyone will be doing that. Don’t forget about the little guys. I know even local farm shops are doing deliveries which I think is so great!

BONUS – Things to be wary of

Watching too much TV – Yes we all love a good Netflix show or our favorite TV programme but be careful not to binge watch. In our house we have made the decision to only watch the same amount as we would on a normal work week. For us that 1-2 episodes of a show in the evenings. Our days are spent doing lots of other things.

Getting lost on Social media – This is a big one. Try not to just sit and flick through facebook and instagram. If you can do just 3 of my ‘7 things that can help you keep mentally and physically active at home’ then you won’t have time for social media. Remember you are in control of how you interact. You are the boss of your social media, use it to communicate, don’t let it use you.

I hope you will be able to take something from my blog here, remember this isn’t forever, this is just for now. This too shall pass.

Stay healthy and stay safe.