Refresh. Move. Nourish.

This page offers achievable tips to help you take care of your body, mind and spirit, during these uncertain times.

Refresh

Be Mindful with your Coffee or Tea

How to use your daily coffee or tea habit as a daily opportunity to practice mindfulness:

  1. Make a cup of coffee or tea and find a quiet place to sit.
  2. Start by clearing your mind and focusing on the sensations coming from your coffee or tea.
  3. Notice the warmth of the cup in your hand and the rising steam.
  4. Pay attention to the aroma.
  5. Take a sip and be mindful of the taste.
  6. If a thought distracts you from enjoying your tea or coffee, put your focus back on the joy it gives you by the taste and feel of it.
  7. Be aware of not rushing to finish your tea or coffee.
  8. Stay present as you drink what is left of it.
  9. Take a moment to hold your finished cup of tea or coffee, feeling the appreciation and gratitude of the present moment.

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Practice a Controlled Breathing Exercise

Belly breathing

  1. Sit or lie flat in a comfortable position.
  2. Put one hand on your belly just below your ribs and the other hand on your chest.
  3. Take a deep breath in through your nose, and let your belly push your hand out. Your chest should not move.
  4. Breathe out through pursed lips as if you were whistling. Feel the hand on your belly go in, and use it to push all the air out.
  5. Do this breathing 3 to 10 times. Take your time with each breath.
  6. Notice how you feel at the end of the exercise.

Six count breathing —Inhale for six counts, then exhale for six counts:

  1. Sit upright or lie down and place your hands on your belly.
  2. Slowly breathe in, expanding your belly, to the count of six.
  3. Pause
  4. Slowly breathe out to the count of six.

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Move

Try a Really Short Workout

“Roll the dice” and create your own mini-break workouts or set a timer for 15-minutes and try to complete as many exercises as possible:

  • 45 jumping jacks
  • 25 squats
  • 30 walking lunges (or 30 lunges in place if you don’t have a long hallway)
  • 15 push-ups or knee push-ups
  • 30 second plank
  • 15 dips (using chair, bench or other elevated surface)
  • 8 overhead burpees

Try high-intensity interval training — referred to as H.I.I.T.:

This  is based on the idea that short bursts of strenuous exercise can have a big impact on the body. If moderate exercise — like a 20-minute jog — is good for your heart, lungs and metabolism, H.I.I.T. packs the benefits of that workout and more into a few minutes. You can try it with any aerobic activity you like. The principles of H.I.I.T. can be applied to running, biking, stair climbing, jumping rope, rowing, even hopping or skipping. (Yes, skipping!) The workouts are tough, requiring you to push your body near its limit.

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Don’t Forget to Stretch!

Here are five simple stretches for your neck and back that you can do throughout the day, holding each for 10-20 seconds:

  1. Put your chin down to your chest then look up to the ceiling
  2. Slowly turn your head to the left, then turn your head to the right.
  3. Put your left ear to your left shoulder, then your right ear to your right shoulder.
  4. Interlink your fingers in front of you and stretch forwards.\Interlink your fingers behind your back and stretch backwards.

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Nourish

Keep Healthy Snacks Ready

Take personal inventory prior to snacking—Are you eating because you are hungry or is it because you are bored, stressed, annoyed, lonely or procrastinating?

Keep healthy snacks ready: 

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Fuel Your Body with a Healthy Lunch

Routine is a big part of life for most of us, and I think we can safely say, all of our routines have recently and abruptly, been adjusted in some way. Are you working through lunch or grazing through your workday at home?  As always, snacking can be a healthy part of every day, but make sure you are taking the time to eat “real meals” and drink plenty of water. Your goal today and every day going forward is to make the time to nourish yourself with a meal for lunch!

  • Schedule a virtual lunch date with a colleague
  • Send a meeting invite to your own Outlook calendar as a lunchtime reminder
  • Plan a time to eat lunch with others in your home and connect for a few minutes in the middle of the workday
  • Make your lunch the night before (just as if you were heading into the office the next day)
  • Make a double batch of dinner and enjoy for lunch the next day
  • Keep it simple. Use your pantry items. Have some fun with it!

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