5 ways to maintain health and wellbeing while stuck at home

Having a good routine in our daily lives is so important. Routine creates structure and gives us direction, which makes us feel good, safe and in control. On the flip side, when things happen that interrupt and change our routine, it can cause us to feel uncertain, lost and maybe even scared. This is a completely normal reaction for most of us, as we like to be in control and we like to know what’s coming.

It’s important to remind ourselves that, while some things are out of our control, there are some simple strategies that can help us cope. Here are my top 5 tips for maintaining health and wellbeing:

1. Connect with family and friends via email, phone, and text messages. Video calls are a great option, as being face to face with your loved ones helps you feel more connected to them. Get creative with your catch ups and mix up your social calendar. Maybe you could schedule in a weekend brunch, Friday night drinks or a mid-week coffee catch up.

2. Try to get as much sleep as you can. Sleep has a major impact on our mood. Setting a bedtime reminder an hour before you want to go to sleep is a great way to remind yourself to switch off. Establish a nighttime routine for yourself. That can be as simple as putting your phone away, washing your face and grabbing a good book to read. Removing your phone and other technology from the bedroom will help you switch off, making it easier to fall asleep.

3. Exercise as much as you can, even if it's just stretching or a slow walk around the block. It’s just important to move your body. Dance. Run. Squat. Whatever you enjoy doing, do it, as you want to be able to maintain it. Yoga is a great way to maintain your general health and wellbeing as it encourages breathing, helping you remain calm and grounded.

4. Eat as healthily as you can, making sure you get lots of the good stuff and less of the not-so-good stuff. Try and make sure you have a well-balanced diet as this has a major impact on your mood.

5. Be kind, not just to others but yourself as well. Make yourself a priority and treat yourself to things you can do around the home. Here are some ideas: Make a bubble bath. Give yourself a mani pedi. Have a movie marathon. Listen to your favourite record. Dance like an idiot in the kitchen because there is really no one around to see it. Send yourself flowers. Order your favourite takeaway for a fancy dinner in. Bake a cake. Sleep in. Tell someone you love them. Water your plants, then talk to them - they might be lonely too. Take it easy. Don’t push yourself. Take each day as it comes.

We can often put a lot of pressure on ourselves with what we think we should or shouldn’t be doing. Just remember that there is no right or wrong. The only thing you need to do is to look after yourself and look out for those around you.

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