We are a bit tired. Are you? We think that’s okay. Luckily, being tired and taking care of yourself do not have to be mutually exclusive. We have three suggestions for you this week and every week.
For When You Need a Breath of Fresh Air
It’s finally spring and even more surprisingly, the pollen is beginning to settle. That means it is also an incredible time to get outdoors and spend time breathing, moving and walking (6 ft apart) on your bike, running or whatever feels good. While we wish it were true, going outside with a mask does not mean that you are fully protected, especially from UV rays. Try minimizing your time outside during peak hours, and instead, focus on the early mornings or towards the afternoon to avoid direct intense sun exposure. As a reminder, whenever you do go outdoors, make sure that your family and you are wearing wide-brimmed hats, a mineral sunblock, shirt and a good attitude. We are lucky to get some time back in our days… so why not protect ourselves when doing so. Thirty seconds today beats 30 hours at a doctors office, 30 years of aging on your skin and $3,000 in surgery.
A Full Day of Meetings in Front of Your Screen
You might have read about a dozen different articles, all of which are important, discussing how blue light impacts your sleep and brain. But what you might not know is the ways in which blue light also impacts your skin. If you have to be in front of a screen all day, make sure you use a sunblock that protects your skin from artificial light, which is shown to cause signs of aging to your skin. Our recommendation? Set an appointment with yourself (really, stop reading for a moment right now and go to your calendar) to get up once every hour. If you stand, you’re likely to make one or two additional movements, like go grab some water in the kitchen, pet your dogs, check in on your kids or simply look at something else that might inspire you.
We can’t promise you’ll notice a difference immediately, but we can promise that you won’t miss those 40 minutes during the day that you looked away from your screen.
Your Pantry Feels Boring
This might be our favorite way to stay sane. What could be more exciting than getting creative in the kitchen, but spending no money and feeling really good about yourself while doing it. Find three ingredients, and build your meal around those and only those foods. Bread, chicken and spinach? Okay let’s chef-up a gourmet sandwich. Sweet potatoes, carrots and cinnamon — sounds like a delicious curry soup. If soup is not your thing, try out this new appetizer. Enter in the ingredients you have on-hand and it will help you mix up a new drink.
What we suggest is focusing less on making something new and more about taking what you have and making something that tastes good and is actually good for you. What’s good for you probably looks different than what looks good for your co-worker, neighbor, daughter, brother and that’s okay. Try to give yourself one meal that’s actually just for you — and maybe give someone a bite when they look jealous. If you make something really delicious, we are sure you have uploaded it somewhere and have already tagged @get.mr by now.
Be well and stay well…Every. Damn. Day.
