10 Ways to Prioritize Self Care During COVID-19
Do you remember the last time you sat in a history class? Sitting at a small desk with a textbook that weighed more than you. Learning about things that seemed like they took place a million years ago. Probably not, right? History was always one of those subjects that seemed so far fetched and that it had nothing to do with present life. In reality, that idea is so wrong. We are forever living in history, especially now. This pandemic is making history, it will be talked about for years and years to follow.
That being said, it is truly taking a toll on our mental health. We haven’t experienced anything like this in real life, only in the books. So it is extremely important to take care of ourselves. There are a couple of ways we can prioritize our mental health during this time.
Start a Journal
Journaling is something I believe everyone should do. Whether it is daily or weekly, journaling is a perfect way to keep in touch with yourself. It allows you to be reminded of your past self and past events. You can look back anytime and read exactly how you felt, what you did, and anything else you decided to write into it. It is a beautiful time capsule that you can even pass down through your family, that is if you choose to do so. It is your journal, you have the ability to do whatever you want with it. Set aside 15 mins to write about your day or things and people that you are grateful for, you won’t regret it.
Eat healthy
I am sure you have heard the phrase, “You are what you eat”. Well this statement is very true. Your body is like a machine, it needs fuel to function; now imagine feeding that machine with the worse type of fuel; how is that machine going to run? The same goes for your body. If you feed it with not the best foods, you will get ‘not the best results’. In contrast, if you feed your body with nothing but the best, then the best will come. Swap out fast foods and junk for whole organic plant based foods.
Keep in touch with family and friends
While things are starting to die down, life is still not completely normal for some people. A lot of individuals still have not seen their family due to this pandemic. There is an underlying fear of passing this virus to grandparents, parents, and even children. So call your loved ones, it will make not only your day but theres.
Avoid the media
The media is toxic. I hate to say it, but it truly is. Every time you turn on the news it is never something positive, always something negative. We frame the negativity to shadow out all the positivity. The same goes for mobile social media, it is extremely negative. Turn off the TV and phone and go outside, enjoy the present moment you are experiencing not what is happening elsewhere.
Declutter
Everyone has that one space in the house that is far too crowded. Whether it is the kitchen, living room, or bedroom; clutter is inevitable. Just because you have the space does not mean you need to fill it beyond capacity. So take some time to go through your belongings and decide what is worth keeping and what is clutter. When you figure out what is no longer of use to you, don’t just throw it away; you can either sell or donate the objects that we’re just filling a void in your home. That way you know not only is your home clutter free but the objects are not going to waste.
Read
We take for granted the amount of knowledge that we have accessible to use. Books are just one of those examples. Books are everywhere, libraries, waiting rooms, and I am sure you have a couple lying around the house. Books are such a perfect way to fill in empty time during the day or to use as a nice relaxing whine-down before bed time. So either take time for yourself to read a chapter or two at night or pull out a nice bed time story for the children.
Meditate
This act is a lost art. Meditation is another thing everyone should adopt into their life. Its is an easy way to ground yourself and become more present. You can use a guided mediation video or you can simply sit in silence and focus on nothing but your breathe. However you decide to practice, with consistency, the benefits are unimaginable. If you haven’t experimented with meditation and breathe work, I highly suggest it.
Listen to podcasts
Instead of putting on the TV or listening to music while going about you day, try listening to a podcast. For those who have not heard of a podcast before, it is simply a voice recording that you can listen to practically anywhere. There are many topics to listen about from diets, mindfulness, daily news, horror stories, and plenty more. The options are endless when it comes to podcasts. The best part is, they are educational and benefit you as a person, whereas TV is just a time filler.
Do something you have been putting off
It is easy to push things under the rug. For example, that messy junk drawer you have in your desk or the clutter in the garage. There is always something to do, but never time to do it all, until now. So set aside time to do something that you have been pushing off. By all means, you do not have to do the whole task at one time, but you can slowly chip away at the project. Every minute spent working, counts.
Keep in touch with your doctor
Now this is a given, during this time it is important to keep in touch with your health care provider. Not just your chiropractor, but your primary, physical therapist, and any other doctors that play a role in your life. Let’s make our health a priority, physically and mentally.
