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Katherine's Silver Lining Approach: Use This Time to Whip Yourself into Shape!

Yesterday morning I was so tempted to skip exercise. It was hard tearing myself away from reaching out to you. Are you happy with your health and weight? Can I help? Would you like to join me? Since I don't want to go to pot, I exercised! What about you?

There is light - or clouds - at the end of the tunnel. You could come out of today's situation with new, great habits, in better shape, even happier, healthier, and feeling proud of yourself. Or you could end up feeling miserable, with higher blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol and body fat. What's it going to be?

I'm trying to take the "silver lining" approach and consider this moment as an opportunity to improve my habits.

Would you like to join me? Organizing your routine, day by day - even hour by hour - is important for introducing calm, relief, improved productivity, health, and even happiness into your life during this stressful time.

The first step to transforming this isolation into a happier, healthier time is creating a schedule with which everyone agrees. Ask yourself and your family members the following questions:

  • What has the normal schedule for everyone been, before isolation began?
  • Which activities does everyone want to include every day?
  • What goals do you want to achieve now, and at the end of isolation?
  • How can you design a schedule at home that includes 1.Exercise/recreation, 2.Work/learning, 3.Socializing, 4.Relaxation/meditation/prayer, and 5.Renewal/sleep

Here is an example of what your schedule may look like. This is a template. You could make yours with more - or less - detail and different activities.

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Katherine Tallmadge
Katherine Tallmadge

Example of an hour-by-hour schedule for you and/or each of your family members

Some ideas:

7 am Coffee 7:30 am Exercise: at least 4,000 steps with Family 8:30 am Shower 9:00 am Breakfast with Family 10:00 am Work / Study 11:00 am Short Walk or Play 11:15 am Work / Study 12:30 pm Lunch with Family 1:30 pm Recess for All! 2:30 pm Back to Work / Study 3:30 pm Short Walk or Play 3:45 Back to Work 5:00 Dinner with Family 6:00 Exercise: at least 4,000 steps with Family 7:00 Recreation / Relaxation / Homework 8:00 Recreation / Relaxation / Homework ? Renewal / Bed Time / Sleep

Make up your own schedule. But have one! I'd be happy to help.