How to Stay Healthy During Shelter-In-Place: 7 Tips for Physical and Mental Health During the Pandemic

Have you felt stir-crazy at any point during the pandemic? What's that? You've felt it at every point during the pandemic? 

I get that. The other day, the Yugenite team brainstormed some ways to keep the sanity levels afloat while sheltering-in-place...

Our conversation inspired me to do some research, so I thought I would share these ideas with you. It's a bit of a lengthy email, but I think there are some good nuggets in here. Let's begin:

#1 - Develop a Journaling Habit.

Writing daily has been consistently linked to greater happiness, self-esteem, and better memory function. I’ve personally found it to be instrumental in clarifying my thoughts and creating inner peace. Plus, did you know that studies show you are 42% more likely to achieve your goals if you write them down?

#2 - Stay on Top of Your Personal Hygiene.

It can be tempting to skip that shower after spending the day on the couch, but maintaining your normal hygiene standards is important. In addition to reducing your overall risk of illness, it will do wonders for your mental health, particularly if you struggle with anxiety or depression.

#3 - Get into the Groove of Exercising at Home.

The unfortunate reality is that gyms will not be reopening for quite some time. Accepting that, we all must get into the rhythm of an effective home-workout. Check out Nerd Fitness’ 7 Best At-Home Workout Routines for inspiration!

#4 - Keep It Fun in the Kitchen. 

My wife Paige and I love to eat out. Not hitting Chicago’s unmatchable restaurant scene has been one of the most painful parts of sheltering-in-place. Luckily sites like allrecipes understand the struggle and can help you keep things interesting as you amplify your home cooking. There’s something very gratifying about preparing and sharing a meal with your loved ones.
 

#5 - Stay Connected.

It’s easy to feel isolated during shelter-in-place. Scheduling regular zoom meetings with your friends and family will help to satisfy the hunger for connection that we all feel. On a personal note, Paige and I have had frequent zoom-based bible studies with her family, and it has become something that I earnestly look forward to each week!

#6 - Create a Space for Working from Home.

Working from home every day can be a big adjustment. The sacred boundaries between work space & time and personal space & time are blurred. As a result, it can be difficult to disengage your mind at the end of the day. That’s why creating a physical space for your home office is so important!

#7 - Spend Time in Nature.

Just being outside has been shown to have a wide range of benefits on physical and mental health. The reality is that you can easily maintain social distancing outdoors. Just be sure to wear a mask, per the CDC's guidelines. Start going for a run or taking a walk outside multiple times per week: I promise there will be a noticeable difference in your life, both mentally and physically!

Wrap it Up, Chuck

I hope you read something here that inspires you to take action. If it did, or you have any questions, I would love to hear from you. You can reach us any time at: info@yugenite.com

Until next time…

Cheers,
Charlie, from Yugenite