2020 has proven to be a challenging year, especially for self care and wellness. It’s been harder than ever to prioritize health this year with gyms closed, more time spent at home and fewer opportunities to get outside and be active with friends and family. Furthermore, it’s been difficult to get used to these things being the new normal in light of the pandemic. During these times and with National Wellness Month happening now, it’s important to review some unique ways to improve your overall health and wellbeing.
Work Out At Home
All around the world, gyms are still closed, and even if they are open, it’s okay to feel uncomfortable returning to the gym to work out at this point. Luckily, it’s possible to create an at-home gym no matter the amount of space you have. If you live in a small area like a condo or apartment, you can store workout equipment like dumbbells, resistance bands and a jump rope under your bed or in a closet. You don’t need much to hit your fitness goals at home, and right now, a lot of companies and personal trainers are posting their at-home routines online.
If you own a home and have a room or basement that can use some renovating, consider creating a multi-functional home gym space. This way, you never have to worry about going back to the gym or paying for a membership again. One way to afford your dream home gym is to figure out how much equity you own in your home and decide if a home equity loan is a good option to utilize during your home gym renovation. You could use this loan to refinish an area of your house or even to buy professional gym-quality equipment.
Manage Your Self Care
This tip is easier said than done, especially if you’re not currently in a good mental state. However, this month, set a goal that’ll help you feel more at ease and content daily. This goal will vary from person to person, but prioritizing your self care is important, and writing down a goal for the month will make you more likely to achieve it. Here are some self-care activities to think about adding into your day:
- Journaling can help improve your mood by getting any negative thoughts and feelings out of your mind. It also provides you an opportunity to reflect on your feelings and give yourself positive self-talk. Furthermore, journaling during the pandemic will be interesting to look back on in the future.
- Learning a skill can help focus your brain on something new and exciting. If there’s been a hobby you’ve been wanting to try out, now’s the time to try it. This can help you make a positive use of your time and feel productive while at home. Hobbies like designing clothes at home with a t-shirt maker, teaching yourself to crochet or even learning how to rollerskate are productive solo activities to try.
- Meditation and yoga are mindfulness exercises that can help you balance your body and mind. These practices have been proven to help with blood pressure, stress, and anxiety. These are both healthy habits that can be incorporated into your routine. They provide you with time to care for yourself and improve your mood.
- Scheduling an appointment can help you manage your physical and mental states. Go to a doctor or clinic like this wellness clinic in Fall River, MA to schedule one.
Focus On Your Relationships
In these unprecedented times, it may seem harder to focus on building relationships with friends and family when you can’t be physically close to them. However, we can take this as a learning moment to connect more with others outside of texting and social media. If you have friends or family that don’t live near you, set up a Zoom call or a regular phone conversation to keep up to speed with their life in quarantine.
It’s vital to continue to have social interaction throughout quarantining to better your mental health, although it’s more difficult. For elders or people who live alone, it’s especially hard to get this personal interaction with others, so make an effort to connect with your loved ones. You’d be surprised how much this will improve your mental health and help the ones you love.
Assess Your Finances
There’s a record high unemployment rate right now with businesses laying off employees or closing completely. It’s important to stay on top of your financial well-being to ensure the state of your bank account doesn’t cause you any extra stress. Finances are a prominent cause of stress issues in adults and are hard to cope with, but not impossible. Although it may not feel this way, your financial situation is completely in your control, no matter how much your monthly income is.
Being acutely aware of your monthly expenses, creating a budget and sticking to that budget will help you feel more in control of your finances and any anxiety you may feel surrounding them. Other healthy habits to consider when it comes to your money is ensuring that you have a 401k set up and a regular savings schedule. More than ever, people are learning that it’s important to have money saved for your future.
You can decide which route you want to take to celebrate National Wellness Month this month, but no matter what you choose, be sure you take time out of your daily routine to better yourself. It’s essential to adjust and continue your healthy lifestyle to fit this unusual time in our lives.
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