When lockdowns ended there was a general sense of needing to win back lost time. Time seemed to crawl during the lockdowns, and as a result, many failed to meet those essential self-care priorities. So, now that we have shaken off those lockdown chains, let’s get back to what matters and serve our mind, body and soul with exactly what we were missing. Here is a list of our essential self-care items to kick off post-lockdown living.
Visiting the dentist
Hard to believe there would be a time that a trip to the dentist was looked forward to, but keeping away during lockdown has made dental care a huge priority. A general check-up, clean and even teeth whitening by a dentist will have you feeling like new and will flag any things that you will have to keep an eye on in the year ahead. If you really want to commit to this important self-care task, go ahead and make your next appointment to keep you on track! Don’t let another pandemic take place before you sort out your dental care.
Getting back to indoor fitness
No one can knock the walking tracks that became a second home in lockdown, but now it is time to get back to indoor fitness! You might want to join a local and affordable gym, or might be looking for something a bit more boutique, like a hot pilates studio. Take your time in choosing and trying out some introduction offers before you really commit so you know exactly what’s on offer. If you really want to get back on track and meet your fitness and health goals, it might be worth seeing a personal trainer for some clarity and a plan to set you on course. This is a great thing to do as you might have lost or gained muscle in areas that you didn’t know during this massive lifestyle shift.
Habit tracking
Now that there are more freedoms and options available to us, you want to be allocating tour time and effort into the right areas. Habit tracking is a great way to design a lifestyle for yourself, and you can make your habits about anything at all. If you struggle to find time to make a smoothie in the morning, this could be something you track, or you could even track how many dinners you spend at the table with your table – anything that is important to you. You can do this manually or download some great habit tracking apps, and you can add to and optimise your habits as you go.
Look within
Reflection is such an important thing for us all to do, as it reinvigorates our values and purpose and it can even uncover any areas that we might need to reassess. Working in a job that does not serve you will never end well, and neither will nurturing relationships that are toxic. Take some time to sit with these potential concerns and think about how you can change course or even make changes within those arrangements that are going to make you happier. Journaling is a great way to get your thoughts on paper, and so is speaking to a psychologist, mental health professional or coach if that is what you need. There are also lots of mindfulness podcasts that may also provide thought-provoking prompts to steer your reflection.
Treat yourself
After a tough few years and counting, isn’t it time that we treated ourselves? Now, this is going to mean different things to different people, and could take the form of a spa day, buying that outfit you wanted all lockdown, or even setting a party in the calendar so that you and your friends can start this next phase with a bang! Focus on finding joy in each day and making room to have fun as this is going to really aid you post-lockdown. If you are like us, we are planning lots of domestic travel to places we have not been to make up for lost time and might even add some international travel to that wishlist also!
Remove the lockdown
We imagine it is going to be pretty cathartic to remove all that evidence of lockdown from your home. Maybe it’s the mattress in the living room for late-night movie viewing, the tracksuits that are at the front of your wardrobe rotation, or maybe even all those sourdough starter bits and pieces that take you back to lockdown! Make your way around the home and do your best to clean it all away and set yourself up with a brighter, more exciting outlook. You will definitely know what those things are when you plan to have friends over and they are the first things you clean away or hide!
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We hope this list of self-care must-dos has you thinking about all those things you promised to do when lockdown ended. Serve yourself up on a silver platter and enjoy the process of emerging from lockdown and re-entering life with balance and peace.
