How to Stay Healthy During Isolation
As Australia’s lock in laws roll in, gyms and yoga studios around the country have shut down. I have always been reliant on going to a group Pilates/Barre class, or training with my personal trainer in order to stay fit. This recent news created a lot of anxiety for me, as exercise is my moving meditation and such an important part of my life.
The lock in also impacts my workflow as a model. Modelling is not only my income source, but one of my passions. The concept of not working as much or not at all is both financially and mentally stressful.
The anxiety hit pretty hard when the reality of the situation sunk in. I am lucky enough to be surrounded by the most loving family and friends, and through many discussions, the positives became clear to me.
Being such a hyperactive person, the challenge of finding stillness may in fact be exactly what I’ve needed all along. Having an extremely busy work schedule that lacks any routine, this may be what my body has needed to reset all along.
I’ve been in isolation for over two weeks now, and the below tips have helped me stay mentally and physically healthy.
1. Make a do-to list at the beginning of the day
Without the luxury of leaving the house, days can become quite monotonous. Without our usual routines, it is likely that we will end up watching Netflix for hours, or just procrastinating around the house.
I have found that making a do-to list at the start of the day really helps to keep me on track for a productive day. My list will usually include what uni tasks I need to complete, what workout I want to do, and what house chores need to be done. I also write time slots for each activity to keep myself on track.
2. Save your favourite home workouts to get inspired to train from home
Instagram and Youtube have some no equipment home workout videos, and they are all free! Before I found these, I was struggling to find motivation to train at home as i’ve always been so reliant on a class environment.
Romee Strijd’s Youtube channel has some amazing workouts; they are real time so you can follow the workout with her. I have also created a booty and abs workout on my IGTV if you wanted to check them out.
3. Make nourishing curries full of veggies and freeze them
I have seen first hand the emptiness of the packaged food isles in the supermarkets, and the fresh food section being fully stocked. This blows my mind! More than ever, it is important that we fill our bodies with nourishing vegetables to boost our immune system.
A great tip to get longevity out of your fresh vegetables is to make curries and freeze them. Curries are warming for the body, the perfect dish as we get into the colder months.
4. Make healthy snacks!
With majority of the country working from home, this gives us more time to cook and experiment in the kitchen. I highly recommend cooking as much as you can to light that creativity and joy you can find in the kitchen. This extra time at home has really sparked that for me.
If you are short of time, you can purchase healthy snacks online. I love Blue Dinosaur bars, they only contain 5 natural ingredients, and taste delicious. I highly recommend the Banana bread and Lamington flavour.
5. Limit your social media screen time
This one was definitely the hardest tip to follow through with, but it is crucial for my mental health. This time inside has made me so appreciative of the things I used to take for granted, a walk by the sea, being able to hug my grandparents, and dancing with my friends.
Meditating and journaling has led me to this realisation. These are two things I encourage you to do while at home. Being constantly glued to my phone only leads to negative and unproductive thoughts. Enjoy social media in moderation, and use this time to learn and create.