All throughout quarantine and now into the depths of dealing with the coronavirus, it has been difficult for me to take time for myself. Whether I am working nonstop or sleeping the days away, I never do things that truly benefit my well-being and happiness. Here is a list of some activities to try to take time for yourself.
Doing yoga
I always knew that yoga was good for the body and soul as all the Instagram yogis say, but I never took that information to heart. Because I like to be more fast paced when I work out, I crossed yoga off my list and went on some exhausting run. There is a time and place for going on a run and there is a time and place for doing yoga. I definitely got that confused as I would drain my energy trying to find peace. Not only is strength important for the body, but flexibility is right up there with it. Yoga is essential to gaining flexibility that will allow you to be more mobile as you age and to live a more fulfilling life. In the moment it does not seem like a lot, but yoga will show its benefits in the short and long run.
Reading poetry
Everyone says that reading a book before bed is much more beneficial for your brain than staring at your phone until the second you close your eyes. While I do believe this is true, it is sometimes hard to get invested in a novel while you are slowly falling asleep and losing interest quickly. That is why I think reading a poetry book is so much more relaxing and fun. You have the benefit of releasing the strain on your eyes while not having to follow along with a deep plot. There are so many new poetry books that are very relatable to today’s young audience that really tie you in. Books like these allow you to dive into your imagination, interpret the poems, and utilize your brain in a way a phone does not allow you to do.
Focus on cleanliness
In the midst of everyday life there are some things that just get pushed to the back of the to-do list. For me, one of those things was cleaning my spaces. This mostly means my room and my car, two places where I go every day. I would get caught up in other aspects of my life and let those places get cluttered and not pleasant to be in. This really affects not only your physical living, but your mental headspace as well. It is important to not only clean your room and clean your car, but to clean your body and mind. This looks different from person to person but keeping your entire life clean and organized will lead to a calmer state of mind.