Nothing slows you down like a mandatory quarantine. After the initial shock of the current events I decided that I was going to be productive with this time. There’s always these little things that we want to do but never seem to have the time for. Even being forced to quarantine won’t allow me to check everything off this list and that’s ok. These subtle changes to my daily routine were made possible with this time and I am grateful for that. They have increased my overall energy and productivity so much that I wouldn’t dare stop them when this time of social-distancing ends.
1. Making My Bed In The Morning
In the mornings I’m usually trying to squeeze in every moment of sleep that I can before I have to dash out the door and catch the train to work. The labour of making my bed never quite makes the priority list of tasks to complete before my day begins. Now that I don’t have a commute, my timeframe in the morning has tripled and making my bed in the morning makes me feel oddly energized. It may be the aesthetic of a clean room or the mental process of doing something now rather than later, but I highly recommend changing this habit if you don’t already.
2. Homemade Fresh Pressed Juice
Fresh pressed juices used to be a luxury I would sometimes treat myself to. Before the quarantine, my friend suggested that I buy a juicer at home. I was skeptical that my $100 juicer would never be able to produce the same quality of juice as the nicely furnished modern juice bar downtown. Due to time restraints, I previously had only tried celery juice but never experimented any further. Now that I have the time my previous notion that my juices would never match up are simply false. You will never be able to buy orange juice from the grocery store again after making it yourself. Not only will this save me money in the long run but it’s a nice treat at home.
3. Turmeric is Awesome
I’ve heard people talk about turmeric before as a natural anti-inflammatory but I never got around to trying it. I bought some turmeric from the store and have been consistently adding it in my morning juices. It makes me feel like I’m doing something good for my body and I can honestly say it has helped my overall energy.
4. Cute Workout Outfits
As a former college athlete looking good while working out was never a priority. Intense work-outs were my norm and I was just happy to get through them. One of the hardest adjustments for me during this is not being able to go to the gym. I have come to realize that getting up and driving to my workout was my form of “pre-workout”. Now that I’m at home my motivation to workout has gone way down. However, putting on a cute matching workout outfit that I ordered months ago but never wore, makes me want to workout. I don’t think there’s any science behind it but it gives me that extra motivation that I need.
5. Virtual Workouts
I love group fitness classes. I always feel like I get a better workout when I’m with a group of people and a motivating instructor. Virtual workout classes have been around for a while but I never had the desire to try them because I liked the group environment so much. Having to stay home has forced me to try these classes and I have to admit, I kinda like them. I still feel connected to a community because you can see other people joining and commenting throughout the class. I highly recommend you try a virtual class if you were hesitant like I was before.