By Bell Lifestyle

Are you doing your part and staying home? The growing number of COVID-19 cases in North America is alarming and with authorities announcing local state of emergencies, the need to stay home has never been so critical.

Staying home and keeping yourself and your family occupied can be challenging. There are numerous quarantine memes, dance challenges, and pet videos online that are keeping us in good spirits but despite the laughs, our daily routines have gone topsy turvy. We have replaced our dress shirts and ties with pyjama pants and hoodies, taking multiple naps a day has become mandatory, and snacking seems like an all-day event. Staying at home is necessary so why not make the most of it? Below are a few tips for making your time at home a little more comforting.

1. Don’t sleep in and make your bed. Getting a good night’s rest benefits immune health, but oversleeping negatively impacts mood, decreases motivation and hinders productivity. Once you are up make sure you tuck in those sheets and fluff the pillows. Making your bed as soon as you are up means you are less likely to get back under those sheets. Additionally, the simple act of making your bed can set the tone for the remainder of your day, making you feel accomplished and productive for the rest of the day.

2. Eat well. Grocery stores have been ransacked of canned goods, cookies, pastas and for some reason toilet paper (we’re still trying to figure that one out!). Since you will be home, take this time to cook healthy homemade meals. Grocery stores do not have a shortage of vegetables, which by the way, are good for your immune system. Make a salad, roast some vegetables or throw them in a blender for a green smoothie. Think of this as your second chance for attaining that New Year’s resolution.

3. Take your supplements. Lots of people have fallen off the wagon with their vitamins and nutritional supplements. Remember, your body still needs these essential nutrients whether you’re in your office or at home sitting on your couch. So don’t forget to take them. Additionally, add in extra supplements that help benefit mood, improve stress and give your immune system a boost and regulate sleep. The pandemic is impacting our mental and physical well-being, so provide your body with the support it needs.

4. Less screen time. Engage in activities that make you feel good, turn off the T.V. and get off social media. Take this time to make better decisions. Dust off that board game, call an old friend, start getting your vegetable garden ready for spring. If we are being forced to stay home, do something that benefits your health. Spend less time staring at a screen, focus on human connection during this time.

5. Move that body. The human body was built to move, no fancy equipment required. Spend 30 minutes a day getting your heart racing. A few sets of jumping jacks, squats, soup can weight lifting and planks can really benefit your body and mind. Do you have stairs in your home? Challenge yourself to see how many flights of stairs you can do before feeling that burn in your thighs.

Use this time to work on yourself and make better choices. Once we get through this and get back to “normal life” you don’t want to look back wondering why you didn’t take advantage of this time to focus on what matters most.