Guest Post by Cheryl Conklin

Perhaps the COVID-19 pandemic has prevented you from attending school in person, working, spending time with your loved ones, or going on trips that you were looking forward to. If you feel like the past few months have been a letdown, it’s time to prioritize looking and feeling your best, in spite of everything going on. Need a pick-me-up? Then try out these tips for healthy routines!

Make Time for Exercise

If you want to improve your mood and focus on physical self-improvement, you can’t overlook the importance of fitness. You can safely work out outside, or you could invest in an exercise machine if you have space available indoors.

Using a fitness tracker or smart watch can be a fantastic way to keep track of your progress and stay motivated as you work towards your goals. While you don’t necessarily need a smart watch, it can be a very helpful tool to record your activity and stay safe while working out. One option is the Apple Watch SE, which comes with features like fall detection, texting and emergency SOS. The best choice is to look for something you’ll look forward to using so it doesn’t end up just tossed on your nightstand.

Eat a Healthy Diet

Cooking nutritious meals is a surefire way to look and feel your best while you stay home during this pandemic. If you want to choose foods that can give your mental health a boost, Eat This, Not That! recommends popcorn, chickpeas, avocados, and oranges. You can also sip on warm beverages like green, black, or oolong tea. As you make your grocery list, just make sure to include these mood-boosting foods!

Start a Skincare Routine

Starting a basic skincare routine is a great way to get glowing skin, increase your self-confidence, and carve out a little time for yourself every morning and evening! Starting and ending each day by pampering yourself will definitely help you look and feel great. If you just want to pick up a few products to create a simple routine, Self recommends starting with a cleanser, a moisturizer, and sunscreen if you’ll be going outside. Try to choose products that are developed for your skin type, especially if you have sensitive skin.

Self-Care and Stress Relief

In addition to committing to a soothing skincare routine, you should also prioritize other forms of self-care and stress relief. For instance, you might want to block out an hour to practice yoga in the morning or evening. In addition, you could add a few minutes of meditation into your daily routine. You could also bring some positive energy into your home by decluttering and opening the blinds. Overall, it helps to think of self-care as non-negotiable – you deserve to have time to relax, breathe deeply, and tune out the world for the sake of your mental health.

Stay in Touch With Loved Ones

If you haven’t been able to spend time with your friends this year, making an effort to stay in touch with them even if you can’t see them in person can definitely help you feel better. And if you want to work towards other goals while “hanging out” with your friends virtually, try working out over video chat together! It’s a fun way to connect with the people you love most while supporting each other.

Whether you’ve suddenly found yourself working from home or trying to keep up with your schoolwork through online classes, this pandemic has presented everyone with challenges. But our current circumstances do not have to hold you back from looking and feeling your best. If you maintain a positive outlook, you can begin to make the most of these changes.

Looking for empowering life advice that will help you navigate this pandemic and beyond? Connect with master mental health coach Megan Stoddard and learn about her membership program and her free Subconscious Mind Mastery Workshop