There are a ton of reasons you might be stuck at home for a given amount of time. Whether it be summertime and it’s too hot to even leave the A/C, a
There are a ton of reasons you might be stuck at home for a given amount of time. Whether it be summertime and it’s too hot to even leave the A/C, a snow day, the holidays when a lot of places are closed, one of the kids is sick and you have to stay home, or the Coronavirus has you quarantined. But one common thought is “WHAT DO I DO? I’m going crazy.”
We are all guilty of getting cabin fever when stuck inside for a long time. And a lot of us are guilty of not exercising or moving enough when this happens, too.
We’ve put our heads together and have come up with some ideas on how to move and other ways to keep you busy during “down” times.
To keep yourself moving do one of these home workouts:
Workout 1:
- 30 seconds of work 15 seconds of rest 4 rounds.
- Jumping Squats
- Flutter Kicks
- Lateral Lunges
- Plank to Push-up
Workout 2:
- As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes:
- 12 jumping lunges
- 20 sit ups
- 12 push ups
- 20 air squats
- 12 tuck jumps
- 20 mountain climbers
Workout 3:
- 4 or 5 Rounds
- 10 burpees
- 10 v-ups
- 20 lunges
- 20 ice skaters
- 30 squats
- 30 plank shoulder taps
Other ideas:
Play a card game with the kids and loser has to do 10 push ups 15 squats and 20 sit ups.
Every hour on the hour get up and do 25 squats. Next hour do 20 push ups. Next hour do 30 sit ups. Repeat all day.
Do a Yoga class on YouTube.
Go for a walk around the neighborhood and admire the plants in the yards.
Okay you got your workout in, but now you have a lot more time in this day to burn. Let me guess, the house is already cleaned, the dishes are done (well as of an hour ago they were), laundry is going (because in all reality does that ever stop), and you have no idea how to keep yourself busy, let alone the kids who have said “I’m bored” about enough times for you to want to pull your hair out. Here are a few thoughts and ideas we’ve had.
Play some games with the kids. Ellen’s Heads Up game is a for sure good time, but don’t forget to incorporate some exercise movements! Teach them a new game you have never played with them. Find some simple crafts to do. Some string, cups, tape, glue and popsicle sticks can go a long way. Bake some yummy treats, but try a paleo recipe. Teach the kids (if age appropriate) to work in the kitchen safely. And speaking of the kitchen, what we eat during these times is super important as well. Staying healthy and feeding our bodies what they need nutrient wise will not only make us feel great, but help kick start into a healthier habit when life gets back to normalcy. Cooking up lots of veggies and lean proteins is easy and healthy, and delicious. Limit snacking, even though it’s so easy to do when you’re home all day. Make sure you’re eating well balanced meals every 3 to 4 hours and limiting your intake of processed sugars and drinks. Drink all the water. I mean go for it! Hydrate up and flush out your body while you have the time. You can even get creative and fancy up your water with lemon, cucumber, mint, berries, or whatever else may appeal to you. Fancy water is so much more fun to drink.
Now let’s talk sanity. No kids at home, that’s much easier. Kids at home, now this could be fun. Meditation is a great way to re-center and turn off the outside noise. Headspace is an app that can help get you started. Listen to that podcast you’ve been wanting to get lost in. Or dive into that book that’s been on the shelf waiting for it’s pages to be turned. Catch up on your favorite show or watch a new documentary. Call a family member you haven’t talked to in a while and catch up. Making sure you take this time to take care of YOU is so important as well.
Although down time is not necessarily something we are used to, sometimes it forces us to take care of things we’ve been putting off. Like our physical or mental health, relationships, or even simply doing something for ourselves that we would not normally do. Uncharted times maybe uncomfortable, but sometimes it is out of our control. The things we can control is how we utilize the time, make the best of it, and create memories that looking back will make you smile. Be the sunshine, spread the sunshine, and never stop searching for sunshine.
