It’s easy to lose motivation, to feel good, when you’re sitting at home all day during this weird time in the world. I know I have a hard time convincing myself to get off of the couch and be productive. But it’s so important to not let yourself just lounge around all day doing nothing. Because then when it’s time to be busy again and get back to “real life,” you won’t even remember how. There are so many things you can be doing at home to feel good and happy right now. So, here are some quick tips to keep on feeling good!
It’s obviously important to get enough sleep. But, I think that a lot of people who now find themselves with so much free time, may just think “Oh, I can finally sleep in as late as I want!” While this is great to do once in a while, people should really be getting up at reasonable times and starting their day like normal, in order to keep that good feeling of purpose alive inside of them.
Sauntering around in your pajamas all day is always fun, but not something you should be doing every day, or at least all day. Showering, getting dressed in clothes you would normally wear out to dinner or to work (if you’re working from home now), can make you feel good and prepared for the day. Even if you’re just getting dressed to go to the living room or to walk your dog, it will make you feel alive and prepared for whatever the day throws at you. Even if that ends up being nothing.
One way to feel good is to but good things in your body. Gut health is closely related to mental health, so if you put a bunch of processed crap in your body, you likely won’t feel your best. While we all have stocked up on our quarantine snacks, it’s important to not eat potato chips and candy for every meal. Make yourself a big portion of something healthy and then save it for the week or freeze it for the month. You don’t just have to eat ramen noodles. Trust me you’ll feel better.
Just because you’re stuck at home doesn’t mean you can’t make plans for your week. Buy a planner, or use the one you already have, to write down ideas for meals, exercise, activities, or times to talk to family. Planning your days out is a great way to feel good and to feel like you still have purpose when you’re sitting at home, not at work or school, like you want to be. I also find that being organized even when I don’t necessarily have to makes me feel like a more productive and happy person all around.
Just because you can’t go to the gym doesn’t mean you can’t work out at home. Exercise is super important for your mental health and well-being. So many people around the world are even providing Instagram Live excercise classes. The video conference call app, Zoom, is also providing work-out classes you can sign up for via the app. But, if you don’t want to do an online class, just do some abs or go on a run. Any form of exercise is essential in feeling good and happy. Exercise lowers cortisol, the stress hormone, and increases endorphins. So it’s basically scientifically evident that you will feel happier if you exercise.
Meditation is said to improve your mental and physical health by reducing anxiety and improving self-awareness. It’s especially a great activity to start doing now, with all the stress going on in the world. Meditating is easy and well worth it. There are also various apps that can be downloaded to guide you through your meditation, such as the well known “Calm” app, that not only helps guide meditations but also has soothing ways to help you sleep!
We all need to practice social distancing but that doesn’t mean you have to sit inside all day, wishing you could go outside. It’s perfectly fine to take yourself or your dog for a walk, and it’s good to do so. Fresh air is good for your lungs, immune system, and is said to make people feel generally happier. It’s also said to improve your blood pressure and heart rate. So why not go outside for a bit! You’ll feel so good and far less likely to go stir crazy inside.
This one is especially important for people living alone: make sure you are talking with your family and friends. Whether that be over the phone, SnacpChat, or Face-Timing. We all need to see familiar faces in times of stress. Being alone right now is difficult and luckily, we live in a time where we have the ability to see our loved one’s faces even when we’re far apart. So, take advantage of the good part of living in 2020, and Face-Time your mom, brother, best friend, or boyfriend (or do all at once, because you can do that now!).
It can seem daunting to force yourself to do something besides watch Netflix when you’re stuck at home, but it’s so crucial to do other things to feel good. Any of the options above are great ideas for simple tasks you can do to feel good despite what seems like endless amounts of free time. Going for walks, eating remotely well, meditating–all of these can help you in a time that may to some, feel hopeless when it comes to productivity. Making yourself feel good is the best way to stay sane during times of craziness.
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