Working for the Human Resources Department of the Michigan Judiciary allows me a dual perspective. My family and I are living the Stay Home, Stay Safe experience, while I continue to serve the judiciary via telework. As we patiently sort through the ever-changing process of how to continue and/or resume work, and how to balance home life in the midst of frequent, sometimes unforeseeable change, we are learning more than ever that we must practice care and compassion for ourselves and others in ways far greater than we had before. I started collecting suggestions from publications I read daily about looking after health and maintaining wellness during quarantine.
Here are seven ways to invite health and wellness into your home:
- Stay as active as you can. You might practice some form of regular exercise or get outside every day to enjoy nature. Maybe you will be inspired to care for a plant you started from seed during quarantine, or you can find a moment to sit outside for a little while each day. Look for something that will inspire you to move your body or experience nature within safe parameters of quarantine.
- Take care of your body. Choose nourishing foods that will help you feel good. Even a special treat, special experience, or indulgence can put the wind in your sails and inspire you to keep taking good care of yourself.
- Feed your mind and spirit. Pay attention to what is going through your mind and take steps to remember your spirit (what I tell my kids is “your inner sparkle”) or what brings you joy. Art, literature, and music are some familiar and accessible methods to keep us in touch with our feelings. Many informational sources also reinforce the need to unplug, meditate, grieve if you need to, and do what you can to maintain a sense of normalcy. There are even guided meditations online if you could use some help in reaching a calmer state of being.
- Avoid pushing yourself too hard. This includes limiting access to the news. Some folks have shared that they check news no more than twice a day in order to gain peace of mind. An important part of wellbeing, regardless of our current unique conditions, is also to create boundaries between work life and home life. Remote workers may be very tempted to have their work computer or e-mail access on from the wee hours of the morning to the latest part of the evening, but not only can it decrease productivity, it can also diminish opportunities to restore ourselves through connecting with friends and family, whether virtually or those with you at home.
- Connect with people. Not only can you talk to friends, colleagues, and loved ones virtually, but you can also remain in contact with your doctor or other care professionals virtually. Use technology for your benefit and maintain the connections that help you thrive. On the flipside, you can take your penmanship for a spin (remember handwriting?) and write a letter to the first person who comes to mind or check in with yourself and document your experiences in a personal journal.
- Do what you can to stay in the present. We are still processing a different way of living and loving. Little by little, we are making it through! If possible, stay focused on what you are doing in the moment, and remember: you are resilient.
- Express kindness and compassion. This applies to how you see and treat yourself, too!
There are so many ways that we are adapting to quarantine and trying to get through as best we can. I hope this article translates my sincerity that you are feeling good and knowing that you are doing your best. In my opinion, we are all riding an emotional rollercoaster in varying degrees. With a little mindfulness, we can help each other and ourselves to thrive in our own unique ways. Thank you for taking the time to consider your own wellness, which, in my opinion, contributes to strengthening our friends, family, and community as a whole.
