Life is not easy for anyone, anywhere right now. You have the threat of physical illness, financial worries, shortages of necessities, children home 24/7 driving you nuts, weak and elderly loved ones you can’t get to and a sense of isolation.
Staying positive is so important. Don’t watch that sad movie, don’t dwell on the fears, continually count your blessings.
Here are some ideas to come out of this traumatic life event in one piece and maybe a little wiser, healthier, and happier.
- Physical exercise is really important, though this may be particularly hard confined to home. Consider jump roping, Yoga, Tai Chi, or Pilates from online classes or something you find on the web. 10 minutes a day makes a difference.
- Turn up some good music and dance, dance, dance. Keep moving and your heart pumping. Usually within five minutes after moderate exercise you get a mood-enhancement effect.
- Walk off your anxiety, with or without Fido and the kids. Fresh air and sunshine does wonders for the mood and the endorphins need an airing out too. Chat with your neighbors from 6 feet away.
- Create a daily routine, it will add structure to your day. Set your alarm clock regardless, get yourself dressed to start your day, you will feel better and more purposeful.
- If you work at home, keep your routine as close to going to work as possible including getting dressed.
- Take breaks from the news stories in any format, including social media. You are living a pandemic, you don’t need to be hearing about it repeatedly, adding to your stress.
- Don’t stress eat, nothing good will come of it. Try to eat healthy, balanced meals.
- Search the web for new recipes you never had the time or energy to try before. Take the food pantry challenge, what delicious meals can you make from what you have at home already to avoid going shopping. Make it a family activity, divide into teams to see who comes up with the best meals.
- Ease off on the caffeine and avoid alcohol. Caffeine makes many anxious and jumpy and alcohol, while it gives you that lovely buzz, is a depressant.
- Make the most out of family time while you have this opportunity. Don’t share your anxiety with your children. Your kids are already stressed with what they hear, try alleviating their fears by making an adventure out of it as much as possible. They are stuck in with no school, no afterschool activities, no friends.
- Take that online course you have been considering, sharpen your skill set. Learn a language or musical instrument!
- Clean and organize your home, doing all the things you never had time to do before. If you have your family around you, make it a group effort.
- Social isolation is a terrible thing. Connect with others. Make a list of people that you want to check in on, especially those who bring your spirits up. Reach out to people you might not have spoken with in a long time. Avoid Debby Downer and Sad Sam. Make use of facetime and Zoom to see their faces and know they are well.
- If you love the outdoors, gardening is actually a low-impact workout. Pulling weeds can burn 200 calories an hour, but more so it puts you in touch with nature and renews your spirit.
- It is early spring in New Jersey, spend time on the web planning out your perennials and vegetable garden so when it is time to sow, you are in the know.
Think well, live well, be well.
Dr. Marshall P. Allegra
879 Poole Avenue, Hazlet New Jersey, 07730
Phone: (732) 888-8388
Dr. Marshall P. Allegra is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon in private practice in Monmouth County for over 25 years. As an experienced diagnostician, Dr. Allegra can expertly determine injuries, and then determine the best treatment options to return you back to your normal life, restoring functionality and range of motion as quickly as possible and avoiding long term implications.