I now work from home, like the majority of people around the world. My dining room table has become command central station for my business and my children are home from school. Plus, my husband has moved to remote 60% of the time (he works in an essential field). Like so many others we are learning a “new” normal. New routines. New set ups. New tools. New boundaries.
As the “new” new continues to emerge I realize how important is to take care of myself so that I can be wife, mother, business owner, friend and volunteer. Without a focus on health, I can’t do anything and that helps no one.
To stay in my healthy zone (pending illness), this is the routine I’ve created. I have to stick to it as I’m a creature of habit and things work best when they have some semblance of schedule and organization.
I’d love to hear from YOU and find out what’s working as I’m curious for two reasons: 1) I want to know what those around the world are doing and; 2) I’m looking for other opportunities to integrate healthy habits as I anticipate more “shelter in place” locations happening.
Here’s mine:
Morning
Ten minutes of self-reflection. Things I made a mistake on the day prior, something I want to be mindful of today and then, the most important part, I give myself advice as if I were a friend. Then, I record my thought on Twitter where it becomes a public archive for me and, hopefully, someday my children.
Herbal supplements. I take Mab & Stoke’s Readymade Calm or Readymade Immunity along with my Custom Mab Tabs. I take mine with warm water (like tea) to soothe my throat first thing in the morning and it’s become part of my routine I absolutely cannot miss. As someone who used to spend too much on individual tinctures and capsules, I like knowing that if I want to support my immune system or reduce stress, I have an all-in-one combo.
Stretch. This seems so simple and yet so often overlooked. If you’re a remote worker, you’re likely hunched over your computer the majority of the day, so some light stretching before work can open up your body and mind in more ways that just flexibility. I find that I breathe better and less stressed. In fact, this is one of my go tos if things get too stressful during the day. I even get the kids involved in it!
Oatmeal. Yes, oatmeal is part of my health routine. I am not a foodie, so I don’t need a ton of variety. I’m happy eating the same thing for most meals, most of the time. What I love about oatmeal is that it’s a solid base and does allow for customization depending on what we have in the house right now. It’s a great pantry staple to have on hand, as needed. I typically top mine with bananas, blueberries, apples, chia seeds, coconut flakes, almond butter, cinnamon and a drizzle of honey. (My entire family has their own oatmeal order, so on the weekends I set up an oatmeal bar.)
Afternoon
When we are in the thick of the work day and home schooling, there isn’t as much time to be super focused on “me.”
We are all doing our best to stay active while indoors most of the day (lucky we have a nice backyard).
Quick, healthy snacks. I don’t know about you, but with all of the additional food in the house, we are definitely eating more. I don’t want us all binge on chips and popcorn, so we are keeping some longer-lasting fresh produce around, like: celery, apples, carrots and blueberries. We are mixing up ways to combine them to keep good things in our bodies, too.
My husband and I (and when we can get the kids to join) have moved from daily gym goers, to reinventing our home to incorporate exercise.
From using the kitchen chairs to do elevated dips, to YouTube, Pelanton and Instagram fitness live streams, we carve out 45 minutes to an hour to decompress.
Evening
As a business owner, there is never a solid “shut down” time — even more so now that all of my equipment is here at home and not at the office.
Here is what I’ve been time for to help with several areas of health and wellness:
Texting, talking and FaceTiming with friends and loved ones
Lots of family snuggles and hugs. We all feel better after we communicate and just show one another we care. It’s not uncommon to have a Troll’s-inspired “HUG TIME” in our house.
Tech-free time. We designate some time just “be” with one another. NO tech. No interruptions.
What is working for you?