Ways to boost your wellbeing!
1. Get into a routine
Creating a healthy structure can help you find some order in your day. Set your alarm and
get up at the same time, keep a ‘getting ready’ morning routine, stick to set meal times, plan
your meals, and finally hit the sack at the same time too. Then you can use the in-between
hours to plan in activities, get your to-do list done, or simply chill out. If you’ve got kids,
building a daily routine will also help them feel more settled – and that means less chaos for
everyone.
FootieBugs, DanceBugs and YogaBugs can help you with activities for both you and your
children.
2. Stay Active
With our daily step counts in nose dive, it's important to find ways to get your body moving,
not just for your fitness but for your mental health too. You can do YouTube workouts with
the kids (hello Joe Wicks), or set up a makeshift bootcamp in the garden or try some
FootieBugs fitness sessions. Try skipping on the patio, running up and down the stairs,
jogging around the block or even just getting the family out once a day for your daily walk.
There's plenty you can do to keep your body and your mind healthy, plus it's an opportunity
to try something new. Always wanted to try yoga? Well now's your chance! For inspiration
check out the YogaBugs which has a range of videos for both adults and children to join in
with.
3. Eat Well
Sticking to a healthy diet and building healthy meals from scratch can be a challenge at the
best of times. And when you’re at home feeling stressed, it’s so easy to reach for the comfort
food. But the benefits of keeping a healthy diet for you and your family will be worth it, not
just for your waistlines but also for your moods. Look online for simple store cupboard
recipes and see what you can whip up with tins, pasta and rice. Stay hydrated with water
instead of sugary drinks and try to eat foods that make you feel good too. Fish, nuts, dark
green vegetables, seeds, oats, yogurt, eggs and poultry all boost serotonin, the happy
hormone in our brains. Plus, these protein-packed meals will keep you fuller for longer. If you
need to, hide any unhealthy snacks and limit yourself to one a day, or even one a week. But
be kind to yourself, remember the 80:20 rule, if you stick to your plan 80% of the time, you
can have a little bit of what you fancy too.
4. Get Creative
Playing isn’t just for kids! You can get creative by drawing, getting crafty, painting, cooking
and even gardening. Whether you stick to projects on your own, or get the whole family
involved, letting your creative side out can be calming and a great escape from the day to
day.
5. Don’t forget you!
Plan some daily 'me' time to do things that make you feel good. You could try mindfulness or
meditation, keep up a good skincare regime, soak in a hot bath, read a book or complete
some mindfulness activities. YogaBugs has some great mindfulness activities such as
‘Positive Post It Notes. You could also ditch the loungewear and get dressed in jeans and a
pretty top, or even just paint your nails. Sometimes little things can make a big difference to
how you feel, putting you in the strongest frame of mind to better look after everyone else.
6. Be Present
With contact to the outside world largely limited to our screens right now, it’s so easy to
spend time scrolling, Instagram and news alerts. But it’s important to take a moment to be
present, put phones and laptops away for an hour or so, hang out with your partner, play
games with the kids, such as our kindness game, put your family favourite movie on and all
snuggle on the sofa or read a book. Shut out the world for a while and give all your attention
to what’s happening right now, in the moment.
7. Sleep Well
We all know that a good night's sleep is important for your health and wellbeing. But it can
be hard to stick to your usual routine at the moment. Try waking up and going to bed at the
same time, even at weekends, shutting off any mobiles or laptops an hour before bed,
exercising in the daytime and not eating a big meal too close to bedtime. These are easy
steps to take for a good night's rest. Try some relaxing bedtime yoga and relaxation
techniques to help relax you for a good nights sleep. Breathing techniques are another great
way to relax the body for a great nights sleep!
