The Key To Chic: Stay at Home Survival Kit

April 14, 2020

Stay at Home Survival Kit

One of the things that has helped me during this COVID-19 pandemic is meditation. Last year I decided to give it a try after reading about it. Reduced stress, more patience, better quality of sleep, decreased anxiety, and lower blood pressure are just a few of its many benefits. All you need is a comfortable, quiet place to sit and a few minutes of time each and every day to relax your body and focus on your breathing. Paired with a lifestyle of regular exercise, a healthy diet, and eight hours of sleep, it works wonders to prolong your life, boost your immune system, and ward off disease. These are especially crucial during stressful times like these.

Now that most of America is staying at home, and I've been doing so for about one month, I've found that keeping a daily routine makes me more productive, more grateful, and less stressed.

Daily Routine

Here's a sample of what my day might look like:

6am - 7am: wake up, stretch, hydrate, eat breakfast, catch up on news

7am - 8am: check e-mail, respond to messages, prepare for the work day

8am - 9:30am: do HIIT workouts, get on the treadmill, stretch, cool down

9:30am - 10:30am: eat a recovery snack, hydrate, make coffee/tea, take a shower

10:30am - 11:30am: catch up on the news while working

11:30am - 12pm: meditate (alert mind, relaxed body)

12pm - 1pm: eat lunch, do dishes, plan for dinner

1pm - 4pm: get back to work, respond to messages, make to-do list for tomorrow

4pm - 6pm: cook and eat dinner, wash dishes, do some work

6pm - 7pm: food prep and meal planning for tomorrow, clean and disinfect the kitchen

7pm - 8pm: tie up loose ends related to work

8pm - 9pm: relax and watch TV

9pm - 10pm: prepare for bed, stay off my phone as much as possible, read a book, do skin care routine

10pm - go to sleep

Stress Management

Some tips for managing stress when things get hard:

1. Focus on what you do have and what you're grateful for
2. Don't worry about what you can't control
3. Focus on the here and now; be in the present moment (don't fret about the past or stress about tomorrow)
4. Reach out to someone you trust for a chat
5. Just breathe (meditation)
6. Remind yourself that this is not a permanent situation; things will change. Hang in there!
7. Engage in a creative project, learn a new skill or craft
8. Watch a funny show or consume content that makes you laugh (watching videos of people dressing up to take out the trash might help)
9. Remind yourself that we are all in this together. The more we stay at home, the more lives will be saved and the faster this will be over.

Give Back

If you are in a position to do so, please join me in donating to charities like Feeding America, Direct Relief, Meals on Wheels, and some of these organizations for coronavirus relief. You'll feel less helpless and more empowered knowing that your donation will help Americans in need.

Stay Home Essentials

This is a sample of the things I've been buying and eyeing for making stay at home more comfortable.

This post contains affiliate links and I may be compensated it purchases are made by clicking links.

Hang in there!

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