Healthy Choices
Fall 63
How Do I Maintain My Health & Wellness?
As the COVID pandemic continues, the focus on
returning to some sort of normalcy and taking
care of oneself in areas other than just fighting a
virus is on the minds of many. With that, here
are some simple actions you can take to put yourself back
into the routine of maintaining good health and wellness.
Keep a Regular Schedule: Create and maintain a routine
and schedule. Don't forget to include periodic breaks for
recharging in your schedule. Although everyone's schedule
will be different, here is a sample:
• 7 a.m. – Wake up, stretch and take care of kids/animals
• 7:30 a.m. – Breakfast and family time (technology free!)
• 8:30 a.m. – Work and check on updates with small
breaks every 30 minutes or so
• Noon – Lunch break! Get fresh air, stretch and exercise
• 1 p.m. – Work with breaks every 30 minutes, and check
in with co-workers
• 5 p.m. – Dinner and screen break! Call a friend, family,
or loved one
• 7 p.m. – Self-care time
Stay Connected: If you
are still at home most
of the time, be sure
to connect with
family, friends
and others using
technology, such
as FaceTime,
Skype, Google
Hangout and
other video-based
options.
Keep Your
Immune System Strong
and Prioritize Personal Hygiene: Commit to
staying strong by washing your hands with soap
or hand sanitizer for 20 seconds, getting enough
sleep, eating well, staying hydrated, and staying
home if you are sick.
Exercise and Stay Active:
This is good for your
physical and mental
health. Walking,
stretching, planks,
jumping jacks, or even
gardening—whatever
physical activity you
enjoy and works best to
help reduce or alleviate stress –
increases endorphins and provides
a sense of freedom.
Limit Media Consumption: Avoid continuous exposure
to news, media and social networks that may trigger or
elevate anxiety, stress or panic. Stay informed by following
a few, authoritative resources that you trust. Limiting
media consumption will help from feeling overwhelmed by
negativity.
Set Boundaries on Work Schedules:
If working from home is still
the norm for you, be sure that
you are working reasonable
hours. It can be tempting to
work more while you have
your work at home; however,
it can also be taxing on your
health and wellbeing, so stick to a
schedule with healthy boundaries.
Make Time for Positive Distractions: Engage in activities
that benefit your wellbeing, bring you joy and distract you
from existing challenges. This might include meditation,
yoga, reading a good book, working on art
projects, cooking with new recipes,
breathing exercises, or simply listening
to a calming podcast or music.
The bottom line is that things in
our world are constantly in flux. It is
important to create an environment
that will allow people to maintain
their health and wellness in times of
change. Keep at it and stay well.