We’re living in a time where it can be hard to feel hope. There have been a lot of changes in just a few weeks’ time. I’ve seen the streets of New York City go from crowded to empty as we have a mandated stay-in-place order. You might be feeling stressed, overwhelmed, anxious about an infectious disease outbreak. You might be feeling unmotivated to work out at home or track your macros. And that is okay, take a break. After all, we’re all going through a collective traumatic experience. And it is far from easy.

I’ve seen a lot of posts saying that we should be far more productive than ever with all of this newfound “free time”. I’ve seen a lot of posts saying that we should be hitting multiple workouts per day and quarantine dieting now that we’re no longer commuting and have fewer interruptions. While I get that these posts intend to be helpful, they are far from it. During this time, a lot of us are exhausted and distracted. In addition to our physical health and wellbeing, our mental health and wellbeing are at stake. If you don’t take care of your mental health now, then you’re going to have a far more difficult time working on your physical health. More than ever, I’ve been prioritizing my self-care.

Here are ways that I’ve been taking care of myself during this time:

• Have 1-2 designated times to check the news for a few minutes a day to stay up to do date, but prevent feeling overwhelmed and helpless
• Set a timer for 20 minutes and move. It’s important to remain active during this time
• Meditate daily to calm the mind
• Find ways to help others— donate to local organizations, deliver groceries to elders and those who are immunocompromised

A lot can feel like it is out of our control during this time, so it can be helpful to focus on the things you can control— your daily routine, how often you move your body, how you nourish yourself, and so on. This won’t last forever and things will be okay in time. I’m hoping for the day that the COVID-19 outbreak is controlled, those who are sick have recovered, and the streets of NYC are full again.

How are you taking care of yourself? Let me know in the comments.