I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m desperately missing my normal routine. My days were filled doing all of the things I love. I had dance practice, yoga, painting classes, pottery classes, and language lessons throughout the week. In my situation, I can’t do a lot of those things from home, so I’ve had to do some research.
I choose to stay busy with things that require me to leave the house, as I simply don’t have self-discipline. I will find myself in a deep hole on Instagram watching @Jessiesimofficial’s videos, gushing over @Sabsade’s eyebrows, drooling over @Finishoes, and fantasizing about the day I can buy one of @studiotimdevris’ tables for hours on end. So, I’ve learned, I need to have some sort of structure in place holding me accountable.
Focus:
Like I said, I will easily get lost in my phone if I’m not careful. So, I wanted to find something that can help pull me to focus on what my goals are. I’ve tried meditation and calming music as the internet suggested, and neither were quite enough, but the most effective method I’ve found is this self-hypnosis ap UpNow. Sounds like it’s an oxymoron since I’m using an app on my phone to get me off my phone, but it’s been pretty effective.
Food:
Trying to make sure I don’t come out of this fifteen pounds heavier, I’ve been doing my best to stick to a healthy diet. I’m not that creative when it comes to food and not great with elaborate recipes, so I’ve been using Instagram to try and find quick, easy recipes, but like I said before, I need structure. So, I’ve found one recipe page that is healthy but easy, @thetrailtohealth. I’ve been sticking to her website alone, so I don’t have to think about what to make every week. Recipes
Exercise:
So, I can’t make it to the studio, and yes there are plenty of YouTube videos for Yoga and Pilates, but those are of no use to me if I have to choose which video I want to use; they’re unlimited, it’s overwhelming. I’ll end up going through 20 of them before deciding that I’ll just work out tomorrow. So, I just needed to find a program that has a bit more structure. I’ve been using ePilates Online they sent me 20 video sessions, and all I need is my mat and my computer and I don’t have to think, so I actually get them done.
Staying positive:
My car rides were usually occupied with podcasts, and for the longest time it was @myfavoritemurder which I still love dearly, but with the current general energy being negative, I’ve decided to veer away from these compelling stories of death, and I’ve started listening to the Be You Find Happy podcast. Definitely a different tone than my usual, but it’s a great listen and is keeping my mind positive and me focused. And let’s be honest, I’ve been getting my fill of entertainment from binge-watching Tiger King.
Keep learning:
It’s pretty tough to fight the urge to just put on New Girl, and let it cycle through for the 100th time, but since I can’t make it to any of my usual classes, I try to make sure I’m at least still learning. So instead of putting on a TV show, I’ve been limiting myself to documentaries or docu miniseries, so there is a definitive end to the show. This way it forces you to think of what to watch next instead of letting it go on endlessly. So far, my favorites have been: Tiger King (obviously), I Am Migration, Frida, and any and all of Art21.
As of now, this has all kept me pretty on task and helped me avoid the black hole that is my cell phone, but I could definitely use some other suggestions if you have them! Drop any tips you have in the comment box below, or even some more documentaries to watch, as I’m running out of ideas.