Staying Active at Home.

Leaving active social and work-life behind to stay at home to maintain social distance in the current situation adds extra stress on you. You have to stay active and positive for your mental and physical wellbeing. Not meeting with friends and family is frustrating for every member of the household. Your kids will miss their football practices, music lessons, and birthday parties. You will surely want to go to the movies or spa or gym. However, in the current situation, you have to limit all your outdoor activities. So, how do you keep positive energy in your life? How do you create healthy activities in your house to make yourself healthy and fit?

Before we start with the tips, let us discuss other reasons for staying at home. People recovering from leg or back injuries also have to stay at home. People with disabilities and recovering from surgeries also have to stay at home for long periods. Whatever the reason might be, rehabilitation and spending your time doing healthy activities is very important.

 How much activity is required to stay healthy?

The WHO recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity and 75 mins of vigorous exercise every week. Dedicate two or more days per week for muscle strengthening and building exercise. Now that you cannot go to your gym and other activities, you have to find an alternate solution for yourself. Build your exercise regime around your household chores. Clean the floors, do your laundry, and mow the lawn in a way that keeps you moving and active.

How to stay active at home?

Follow these useful tips to keep yourself up and running during your stay at home period:

• Now that you are working from home, you have to sit a lot in front of the computer. Take breaks from your work and move around the house for 2-3 minutes. Talk to your kids or pat your pet but break the sitting time every 1-2 hours. Sitting for long hours can be damaging for your back and can cause neck pain. If you can’t leave the computer then stand for some time while working.
• Use stairs to your benefit. Climbing the stairs 3-4 times a day faster than you usually do, will keep you fit and slim. It will keep your legs, knees, and calf muscles active.
• Do exercise at home like lunges, push-ups, pull-ups, stretches, etc. to keep your body in shape.
• Dancing and aerobics are an excellent way to keep your heart and lungs healthy, not to mention how much fun it is. You will feel happy and healthy in dancing.
• Apart from physical fitness, mental wellbeing is important too. Meditation and yoga are excellent ways to acquire peace and tranquility in your life.
• Use your time to bond with your kids. Play with them by creating family time involving them more into family activities. Play board games, dumb charades, Jenga, etc.
• Now that you have time, read all the books that you have on your list. Listen to your favorite music and relax to release all the stress you got from staying alone.
• If you have a backyard, then do a barbecue for your kids, build a tent with them, or have a water gun fight with them.

Many outdoor and indoor activities can be created in your home. Be creative and think about ways you can keep yourself busy. Do something that you always wanted to do but couldn’t make time for. Make the most of this time and don’t let the stress and tension damage your mental or physical health.