11 Simple Ways To Make Life At Home Better

As the world hits the pause button, we are all relegated to spending time indoors — working, hanging out with loved ones, bonding with kids and pets — and simply trying to get through this without contributing to the spread of COVID-19. 

For those of you who haven’t worked from home before, this could be a time for adjustment. I am a writer who travels often for work, but I also spend quite a bit of time at home, sometimes for a month or more. Along the way, I’ve learned a few things about making my home a peaceful and work-friendly environment and adapted some tricks to stay motivated. I thought I would share a few tips and links to help us all get through these uncertain times.  

1) If your work from home routine involves spending hours in Gmail, change your background in the settings to a calming landscape. Choose scenes that feature soothing colors like blue and green. The same goes for your desktop or phone wallpaper that you look at constantly. 

2) Open your shades and windows. Let in fresh air and sunlight. Being stuck inside for weeks could feel claustrophobic, so allowing the outdoors in on a daily basis is a good way to keep your spirits up. 

3) If you’ve got pets, pet them and play with them. They’ll love the attention and the interaction will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy. (This one isn’t a quick fix, but if you don’t have pets, but want companionship to weather this storm, there are plenty of shelter pets looking for a foster home.) 

4) Nature is the best healer. Check out live nature feeds from around the globe on Explore.org to feel invigorated. The website also has an app you can download on your device. 

5) Take a few minutes during the day to meditate. Meditation doesn’t mean completely clearing your mind. Instead, it’s about mindfulness. Think about things you are grateful for and go down the list. Or remember a place that brought you peace and revisit it in your mind (mine is my recent trip to Tofino, specifically Pacific Sands Beach Resort).

6) Indulge in a bubble bath. Add your favorite essential oils and magnesium flakes, play some tunes, grab a glass of wine and a good book, and you are sure to feel more relaxed. You can get pure magnesium flakes from Clarity Apothecary. Magnesium helps to reduce pain and swelling, soothe muscles and release tension.

7) Dance, dance, dance. Even if you don’t want to do a full workout, put on some upbeat music when you need a break and just dance in your living room. The movement alone will make you feel better instantly and fight away any stress and anxiety.

8) It’s so easy to order in food, but cooking brings people together and it’s good for your health. Come up with a schedule for the week and get cooking. 

9) If you’ve been hoarding those magazines, now is the time to crack them open. Better yet, use them to create a vision board for the future by cutting out phrases and pictures that speak to you. Manifesting helps you work towards your goals. If travel gets you going, here’s a thoughtful piece by my friend, Fiona Tapp, entitled, Social Distancing Is A Perfect Time To Create A Travel Vision Board. 

10) Let television transport you to stunning locations. Here’s a list I wrote about some good binge-worthy shows to keep you entertained and dreaming about your next vacation (when we can all get back to traveling). 

11) Light candles, diffuse essential oils, boil some water with lemon or cinnamon, or find some other way to naturally freshen your space. Baking cookies helps, too! My favorite essential oils for my home are Sweet Orange and Black Spruce from Revive. I use Threshold Rose + Cedar soy crackling candle for my kitchen.

Just remember, when all of this is done, the things we normally take for granted will feel so much better.

Hang in there and stay safe!

Lavanya

Featured photo from unsplash.com