COVID-19 has given us some huge challenges but also taught us all the importance of slowing down sometimes. Now that it’s time to transition back to ‘normal life’, you might be feeling overwhelmed at taking on your old busyness.
What if I told you, you could transition back to your usual routine without all that stress and busyness?
Think of your body as like a bank account. Stress is like withdrawals from your account. Eventually, your body gets to the point of being overdrawn, which affects your health and happiness. Instead of stress, you can deposit wellness activities like eating well, movement, sleeping, mindfulness and gratitude into your account.
Was your pre-COVID-19 life a little like an overdrawn bank? Here are three ways to make sure you stay in control of your wellbeing post-COVID-19.
Create and Maintain Energy
A regular sleep routine creates a strong foundation for health and wellbeing. The most restorative sleeping time is between 10pm and 2pm. During this time your body cleans your organs, repairs and renews cells, regulates your core body temperature, reduces inflammation and consolidates your memories for the day. Good quality sleep doesn’t come without a bit of practice and planning. Start by dimming lights, turning off electronics at least an hour before bed and do something relaxing to ease your mind. Find what works for you, and practice it until it becomes a natural part of your daily routine.
In addition to sleep, physical activity is a great way to build energy. When your body gets moving it releases endorphins, dopamines and serotonin. These all make you feel fantastic, letting you start your day on a positive note. As your routine changes post-COVID-19, rework your exercise routine to support you. Keep up with online programs or local walks until your old activities start up again.
Organise Routine and Structure
The weekly activities of your family may be changing. Be sure to maintain or modify your family routines to match. A family routine helps to share the load and makes children and teenagers feel safe and secure. It also creates structure to the week and saves your time. Work commitments, school drop-offs and after school activities are obvious examples of weekly family routines. Don’t forget about other areas of your week- like chores, errands, fitness or socialising.
Get out your pen and paper (or your phone) and write down your to-do-list. Writing things down gets things out of your brain leaving you with the space to be creative. Make a list of single tasks for your week. I like to break down my to-do-list into categories like: phone (messages and calls), laptop (emails and purchasing), errands (in-car), home (around the house). The main thing is that you can easily look at your list and work out when and where in your week you need to do that task.
Be Present and Practice Gratitude
How often is your mind in the present moment? Do you often find yourself thinking of stresses, instead of what you’re doing at the time? Mindfulness is about experiencing the present moment, rather than replaying things that happened in the past or worrying about what’s going to happen next. Building mindfulness into my daily routine is how I’ve been able to reduce my overthinking and worry. It helps me work through my emotions and feel more positive.
Some great mindful practices to add to your post-COVID-19 routine are mindful breathing and a gratitude journal. Breathing is the best tool to calm your mind and body. It acts as an anchor to the present moment, allowing stresses and worries to float away. Attach calm and controlled breathing to a habit you’re already doing. See if you notice the difference. Gratitude journaling is a simple practice that increases your connection to the world and those around you. Set a time of the day, like dinner, or your morning cup of tea, and note down what you are grateful for. You can keep a journal, take down one or two notes, or simply acknowledge what you are grateful for that day.
If you want to add some extra wellness to your bank, why not try Simply Happy Mind & Body Online Studio? It’s designed for women who’ve struggled to stay consistent and motivated with their health and are looking for a more gentle, affordable, online option to exercise. The studio runs regular online Yin & Nidra Yoga classes that leave you feeling calmer, present and tuned in to your intuition.
Ready to try?