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I've always struggled with self-care. In my 20s, I thought I was invincible. In my mid-30s, I also thought I was invincible until my first heart attack. Now in my 40s, I really have to question myself on self-care.
I am by no means an expert on self-care, but I could be and so can you. Let's talk about ways to start practicing self-care during a pandemic.
Expect the unexpected
We're now five months into the pandemic. There've been peaks and valleys in infections and deaths, and guidance on what is best for us to do changes nearly daily.
So what's the best thing to do personally? Expect the unexpected.
Dr. Ben Crocker, a medical director and healthy lifestyle advocate, acknowledges the stresses that come with working remotely full-time and the ability to take care of the home. "Social distancing and the loss of work and/or routine are tremendous pressures, both physically and psychologically," he says.
He went onto say that we're in a society will reward heroic efforts showing we can continue to perform at same level. This may lead to overloading schedules and committing to too much.
He urges everyone to check in with yourself. Take the time and listen to your mind and body. Don't be afraid to grieve or express your sadness about not being able to socialize, seeing friends and family, or attending your favorite exercise class.
Grant yourself time to process and acknowledge the turbulence that we are collectively going through. You have to let yourself checkout, even if it's only for a few minutes of the day. Put it in your schedule.
Healthy eating
For those in attendance, raise your hand if you made a promise to yourself to start eating better at the beginning of this pandemic. Raise your hand if you thought working from home means you get to test your culinary skills and try new, healthy and interesting dishes. Now raise your hand if you resorted back to your original dietary habits. My hand was raised for all three.
I stocked up on fresh vegetables, fruits and meats. I found new recipes ranging from traditional American dishes to international favorites. However, within a month I was back to fast food and frozen meals.
Dr. Helen Delichatsios, Harvard, has a degree in nutrition and says fueling your body appropriately is very important. "We have increased physical and mental stress, and healthy eating is vital in supporting our immune system to stave off illness and recuperate faster if we fall ill."
The key here is routine. Ever heard of the 21/90 rule? It simply states that it takes 21 days to make a habit and 90 days to make it a permanent lifestyle change. So there is still time to make a change.
Ask yourself, what is your end goal? Weight loss? Healthier eating? Whatever it is, you have to have a motivator and a plan.
According to the Mayo Clinic trying to establish a healthy cooking routine doesn't mean having a week's plan already in place, especially if you are not used to cooking every day. Keep expectations low.
Start with a goal of cooking two meals a week. Once you are comfortable with cooking two meals a week then bump it up to three meals a week, so on and so forth. After a while your meal planning and execution will become a habit.
Start with foods you know. Staple foods should be your salvation. These are foods that you know and love. For me it was your basic garden variety foods like green beans, tomatoes, onions, potatoes, cucumbers, broccoli, and green peppers added with chicken, beef or pork.
Stick to familiar recipes. This is where I went wrong. I tried to get fancy like Gordon Ramsay when I should've been like my grandma Olus in the beginning. Do I know how to make a beef wellington? No. Did I try? Oh yes I did!
The result garnered mixed emotions from my son and I. However, I was not prepared for the time and effort it took to create the dish. Honestly it was a little intimidating.
On the other hand, I know how to make a killer a roasted chicken, with a side of green beans, mashed potatoes, and cucumbers and onions that takes little preparation. A meal that my grandmother would make.
Start with what you know.
Exercise
This does not mean couch to 5k. This simply means getting up and moving more. I've become accustomed to a sedentary lifestyle, I shouldn't but I have. So how do I start? Set goals.
Much like cooking, you can't jump in thinking you're going to run the Boston Marathon or compete in the Arnold competition.
However, you may be able to set aside time to walk 20 minutes a day. You can make a game out of it like snapping pictures of three different dog breeds, flowers, or whatever you like in nature. Doing this keeps your mind focused on the hunt and not the activity of walking.
Don't like walking outside. Then take 20 minutes to do yoga, lift weights or walk on a treadmill. The point is you have to find time to move your body.
Sleep
During the workweek before COVID-19, I religiously went to bed at 9:30 p.m. and woke up at 5:30 a.m. Dressed and out the door by 6:30 and at my desk by 7:30.
When we went to a remote environment, I still kept the same schedule, no telling when we would return to work. I gave up this schedule around May. My routine now is in bed between 10 and 10:30 p.m. and up around 6:30 a.m. and starting work by 7:30.
I hate to beat a dead horse but again this about routine. The Sleep Foundation suggests the following for number of hours for sleep by age group.
Newborns (0-3 months): Sleep range narrowed to 14-17 hours each day
Infants (4-11 months): Sleep range widened two hours to 12-15 hours
Toddlers (1-2 years): Sleep range widened by one hour to 11-14 hours
Preschoolers (3-5): Sleep range widened by one hour to 10-13 hours
School age children (6-13): Sleep range widened by one hour to 9-11 hours
Teenagers (14-17): Sleep range widened by one hour to 8-10 hours
Younger adults (18-25): Sleep range is 7-9 hours
Adults (26-64): Sleep range did not change and remains 7-9 hours
Older adults (65+): Sleep range is 7-8 hours
Know your body. If you need eight hours of sleep to function and be productive, then make sure you are getting that.
These are just four ways you can take care of yourself during the pandemic. Use them as you see fit or come up with your own routine. Just listen to your mind and body. They'll point you in the right direction, no matter how uncomfortable it may be.
| Date Taken: | 08.05.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 12.22.2020 13:08 |
| Story ID: | 385618 |
| Location: | INDIANAPOLIS, IN, US |
| Web Views: | 24 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Pandemic self-care, by Lewis Hilburn, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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