Raise your hand if you've ever said or felt that there weren't enough hours in a day! I know for sure I've said this many times. Our lives have become so busy that there's no room for anything else ... including ourselves and our families. But now is a time where not just our country, but our entire world has been on hold. Many of us are forced to take a "break" as we follow shelter-in-place orders.
While there are still many people that are working each day (myself included) and we surely give thanks to all of our essential workers, there are so many of us who have time on our hands that we haven't had in ions. Now is the time to take advantage of the "extra" time. Now is the time to get a leg up. Now is the time to recharge, recollect, and reclaim your life! Even your rest can be purposeful!
Here are some ways to gain leverage during this time of #crisis or anytime you might be extra stressed:
1) Get some #sleep: Take advantage of the alone time. You've been trying to find extra hours on the clock - well here they are! You've been pulled at every end but now is the time to rest and make sure that you are sleeping well. Get your body clock back on track. Re-develop the good habits you once had or start them for the first time. When we sleep, our bodies get a chance to heal naturally. Listen to your body and do what feels comfortable.
2) Meditate: #Meditation can help you get centered and to clear your mind. Even when you are sitting at rest and doing nothing, your body can relax. You can pray or even just focus on your breathing. Meditation is a very powerful tool.
3) Exercise/Stretch: Find a way to move your body somehow. Whether you decide to dance, do yoga, walk your dog, or complete an online exercise video ... it all counts. You will find that even as little as 30 minutes of #movement per day will help to rejuvenate you!
4) Finish The Project: There must be something that you started that you haven't finished! Pull it out and dust it off. Maybe start something for the first time. Start/finish the #book you've been wanting to read or what about the book you've been planning to write? Everyone has a story. Now, is the time! How about a project with your children? Learning a foreign language? Start a blog? Try a new #recipe. There must be something??!!
5) Practice Gratitude: When you are thankful despite your surroundings, it is the single most productive thing you can do. Try keeping a #gratitude journal so that you can go back and look at your entries over time. This exercise will help build your compassion and to even reel you in if you ever lose sight of things.
Remember, we are all in this together but having different experiences. Your experience at this time is unique to you. You control your #schedule. You decide when you want to talk or not talk. But do not forget to stay connected and do not isolate yourself for extended periods. Respect yourself and respect others. Protect yourself and allow others to protect themselves.
These are a few steps and #tools that you can use to level up at this time. Before you know it, the world will be back in full motion and your time will be limited again. Come out of this with a new mindset, a new perspective, and perhaps even something tangible that you can say that you completed! You will have a sense of pride in all that you've accomplished and your body and mind will thank you!