Self-Care in a Pandemic: Top 5 Ways to Take Care of Yourself
While we have always been big fans of self-care, the last year has really taken the concept of self-care to a new level.
With so much of the world around us crumbling, the last 12 months have challenged us to look inward and focus on what we can do to keep ourselves strong, despite the chaos surrounding us.
And while that sounds challenging (and certainly can be), there is some fun to be had in taking this time to place some extra emphasis on yourself and work on strengthening yourself.
So, here are our favorite ways to practice self-care.
1. Exercise
Are you surprised that a Pilates studio would prioritize exercise as a form of self-care? Probably not. Exercise is something we do daily not just for our physical health, but even more so for our mental health. In COVID times, some days exercise may look like a 45-minute HIIT workout, while other days it may look like a 30-minute walk around your neighborhood. And both of those are great. In fact, a balance is ideal. Too much intense exercise and you’ll burnout, and not enough, and your body and mind will start to suffer.
Thus, we suggest mixing up your workouts and finding a few different things to switch between. This will give you a break from worrying about COVID and will keep your body feeling strong during a time when most studios are closed.
2. Eat well
We understand the challenge of eating well when you’re stuck at home all day, and you’re living in a very stressful time where there are so many unknowns. In fact, there is a new term for the weight gained during the last year: COVID 15. Much like the Freshman 15, COVID weight is not something anyone asked for. But by eating healthy and incorporating exercise into your daily routine. you can get back on track. It all starts in the kitchen, however. Eating well-balanced meals and minimizing mindless, unhealthy snacking is key to taking care of yourself.
3. Get enough sleep
With all this time at home, you’d think we would all be sleeping better. However, thanks to all the stress of the last year and the struggle to draw a barrier between work life and home life, we are guessing your sleep habits have gotten worse. Try to get yourself on a normal schedule where you are going to bed early and waking up early, with at least 7-8 hours of sleep in there. Binging on Netflix late at night is not going to put you in a good place to catch some zzzs, so turn that TV off early.
4. Get social
Though you are limited in the ways you can get social, you are not limited to social interaction entirely. You may not be able to meet up with your friend at dinner to catch up on life, but you can cook dinner and virtually eat it together over FaceTime. During a time like this, it is so important that you get creative about how to stay connected to people. We love a safe, social-distanced walk with friends or a virtual workout.
5. Meditate
One of the things we love about meditation is that it looks different for everyone. Meditation doesn’t have to mean sitting on the floor in silence with your eyes closed. Meditation for you may mean exercising. Meditation for another person may mean a sunset walk. Meditation for someone else may mean journaling. Find what your mode of meditation is, and practice it every single day. This will ground you and keep your perspective on life in check.