How to Achieve More Wellness at Home
Fun fact! On average, we spend a whopping 90% of our time indoors, mostly in our homes. That’s especially true now that now that many people are working remotely (and our children are learning remotely too). To prevent burnout and maintain a healthy work-life balance, it’s so important to take extra care of ourselves and create a positive and nourishing environment.
Are you looking for ways to practice self-care and maintain a healthy work-life balance? Let's start by understanding your wellness needs – both for your body and your mind. What activities help you to relax? What brings you joy? What inspires creativity? What makes you laugh? Think about all the things that make you happy and nurture you. At the same time, think about some of the things you would like to do for your wellness, but haven't yet. Write a list of all your ideas, then go through your list and prioritize the things that are the most important (and easy to do right away in your home).
It’s time to take the first step! To help you kickstart your wellness at home, here are 3 ideas.
For Your Body: Get Moving
We all know that exercise is good for you, but did you know that you can get incredible benefits from short bursts of exercise? Known as HIIT (high-intensity interval training), the idea is to do intermittent sprints of exercise, alternating short periods of intense exercise with rest periods. There are a lot of HIIT exercises that can be done right in your home. Check out Group HIIT on YouTube for routines. Or try an exercise ‘snack’. Similar to HIIT, but the goal here is to add a quick spurt of movement throughout your day. For example, if you’re on the phone, get up and walk while you talk. Or do some yoga or stretching or squats. When you move more often, you’re practicing a form of self-care and preventing your body from suffering the aches and pains that come with sitting too much.
A few more simple things you can do for your body at home:
- Drink more water (aim for 60oz of water every day)
- Get 7-9 hours of sleep every night
- Stretch
- Eat breakfast
For Your Mind: Try Relaxing
Meditation is an amazing way to reduce stress and anxiety, and it’s totally free! Plus, you can practice anywhere and at any time, and it’s all-natural. It’s proven to not only help you relax but also improve sleep, improve the immune system, lower blood pressure, decrease muscle tension, and aid in problem solving and creativity. Ending your day with meditation is a tranquil and meaningful way to take a moment to slow down and let go. During your meditation, you could add some gentle self-reflection, acknowledging and giving gratitude for your day. (Try these meditations from Mind Body Green or download a meditation app like Calm.)
Some more actions you can take to improve your mental wellbeing at home are:
- Spend more time with friends and family
- Smile! (Studies have shown that simply smiling can instantly improve your mood.)
- Set goals and write them down
- Wake up earlier
For Your Home: Create an Oasis
Our wellbeing is powerfully connected to the way our homes look and feel. Creating a home that brings a sense of relaxation, calm, and joy can have a powerful positive impact on our health and happiness. Our homes support our dreams and goals, so it’s important to create the kind of space that you love being in, one that speaks to you and sparks joy. Make your home a sanctuary that reflects your unique personality and dreams!
Here are some tips on how to create an oasis at home:
Bring nature indoors. Studies show that plants (and other forms of natural beauty) can enhance your mental and emotional health and help to reduce the negative effects of stress. Decorating with house plants, flowers, and even rocks, shells, and other organic found objects will help to harness the power of nature in making your home a place of calm.
Let the light in! Open up curtains or blinds and windows during the day to bring in natural light and fresh air. This is one of the quickest ways to freshen the air indoors and clear your mind at the same time.
Get rid of the clutter! Keeping your home clutter-free is a sure way to keep things tidy and open up your space for good things to come. It also helps you stay organized and avoid the stress that comes with missed appointments and lost paperwork, for example. (For more tips on decluttering, check out this blog post.)
Make space for wellbeing. If you can, create a special area for yourself in your home, whether it’s a sacred space for meditation or a creative corner for you to tap into your inner artist. It doesn’t have to be indoors – it could also be an area of your garden or backyard. It’s a wonderful way to de-stress and boost your happiness level.
Make your bedroom a center of calm. Turn your bedroom into a sanctuary by keeping it tidy and well-cared for. Make sure your bed is as soft and comfy as possible, from your mattress to your pillows to your sheets and comforter. Choose a mattress and pillows that will help to support restful sleep and linens that ensure you enjoy getting into bed at the end of the day. And don’t forget to make your bed!
Living a healthy and happy life is like completing a puzzle made up of hundreds of different pieces. However, if you make changes and improvements one at a time, you’ll soon start to see the bigger picture emerge.