Working from home conjures up all sorts of imagery—cosy afternoons on the couch with Netflix in the background and your laptop dutifully perched on a cushion. That is, until you start to feel more sluggish than usual, sleep badly at night, answer emails at all hours and aimlessly stare into the fridge on the hour, every hour. You may notice yourself slipping into a bit of a funk if you’re currently adjusting to your new self-isolation reality, where your whole day revolves around being at home.
One thing that is readily overlooked is the importance of maintaining a routine while we get through this pandemic together, albeit a safe social distance apart. Blurring the lines between your normal, well-curated boundaries can lead to insomnia and the feeling of never really switching ‘off.’ Many people also report feelings of anxiety and loneliness. Keeping a sense of normalcy and a daily structure during challenging times is incredibly important to stay focused and on track.
At F45, we love community. It means everything to us and we want our whole F45 Fam to be taking care of themselves during this difficult time. Here’s a few handy tips on the importance of keeping your regular routine (as much as possible), and how to maintain it during self-isolation:
Seize the morning:
At night, before you go to bed, lay out your workout clothes. We use this handy little tip for sticking to an exercise routine by eliminating excuses in the morning—it works!
Set your morning alarm for the same time every day and if you don’t trust yourself with the snooze button, put your phone in the bathroom so that you have to get out of bed to turn it off (a great trick learned in university days that ensures no oversleeping).
Keep up the exercise:
The list of benefits that exercise provides is endless. Our F45 Training Chief Sports Scientist, Dr. Lee Wallace, reports:
In response to the potential impacts of COVID-19, we would like to raise awareness of the importance of physical activity on supporting both the immune system and mental health. A recent review examining the impact of exercise on immunological health across the lifespan indicates that regular physical exercise and/or frequent structured exercise reduces the incidence of communicable (e.g. bacterial and viral infections) and non-communicable diseases (e.g. cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic inflammatory disorders). These findings suggest that engaging in regular exercise improves immune competency and regulation.
Research also shows strong links between physical activity and mental health. Specifically, regular physical activity is associated with better mental health and emotional well-being. This is an important consideration particularly during periods that may involve social distancing, stress or self-isolation.
Thanks to the marvels of technology, there are a range of exercise solutions to keep you engaged with your workouts. We have our new F45 At-Home Workouts available to individuals across the globe—all you’ll need is a water bottle, a mat or towel and enough space to do a burpee and jump from side to side. Cory will lead you through the workout and you can get those endorphins pumping in no time, all from the comfort of your living room!
Maintain your healthy diet:
Self-isolation is the perfect time to master your meal prepping skills! Dust off those cookbooks and whip up some of your favourite dishes that you wouldn’t normally have time for. You can also find some great ideas in the Challenge Recipe Library. Cooking big batches to divide up for the week will help to ensure that you’re eating sensibly and not just out of boredom. Raw Caramel Slice or Coconut Bounty Balls, anyone?
Embrace a little mindfulness:
Setting aside 10-15 minutes a day can do wonders for clearing your mind and recalibrating to be able to process the unfolding situation around you. If you can, take a walk outside in nature (remember to practice good social distancing technique), write in a journal or try out a daily meditation (our Challenge blog on Meditation here). If you’ve been stuck at your desk/kitchen counter for the last few hours, 15 focused minutes of stretching can do wonders in helping you to unwind, relax and calm your mind during this stressful time.
Check in:
If you’re used to the busy hum of the office, little chats over the water cooler, and the odd birthday cake and coffee with your colleagues, self-isolation can feel lonely and disconnected. Make sure you’re checking in regularly with family and friends as well as your workmates, work out alongside your F45 trainers if they’re doing live stream sessions, and set up some studio challenges with your usual gym buddies! #5amcrew
