To keep sane during this quarantine, every morning, I need to move, meditate and work in some way.
On a rare occasion am I lucky and awake enough to make it outside by 6 AM, when the streets are empty, for a quick jog. Most days, I wake up and get some work done in my office while Matt eats breakfast with Ollie downstairs, and then do some form of movement after getting my work done. We switch off around 9 AM, so Matt can do the same.
I am guessing this is the new normal for a lot of working couples with kids now. You work, I'll watch. Then switch. We're cramming more work into less hours, and we're forced to decide what's essential and what can wait. For me, home workouts have become essential. Moving for fun is a major part of my mental health and can also be a major part of my aches and pains.I would venture to say that 75% of my workouts are turning on Kidz Bop (how did I just discover this?) and dancing around my bedroom or living room with Ollie. I never realized how inspiring Kidz Bop would be. Ha! I do fake jump rope exercises to the beat of the music, squat jumps to the base, and a shimmy-shimmy-shake when "Havana" comes on. I'm glad Ollie is not yet embarrassed by his mom shimmying to Kidz Bop.
A lot of my moves, maybe all of them, are completely made up. The point is, I'm sweating, laughing, and moving for fun. That's all my body and mind need right now.Since many of my moves have a random squat jump in them or some inspired jumping jack with a side kick (recommend not doing), I do need to keep in mind that getting hurt is not something I want to do right now. In an effort to prevent injury, I have four essential guidelines for home workouts that I follow:
- I warm up first.
- I am mindful about my movements and form, until that one song Kidz Bop comes on and I just can't control my excitement.
- After I move I try and stretch.
- I rub Pachamama CBD body lotion around my knees post workout--and sometimes pre-workout. I use this CBD cream liberally because it's safe, uses the highest quality ingredients and is THC-free. This particular cream rejuvenates the skin by regenerating healthy tissues and cells and has added lavender, tea tree, rooibos and geranium for stress relief and relaxation. Use discount code EMILYN10.
Home exercise doesn't have to look like your typical gym class. In fact, I started my quarantine by signing up for new apps that have home exercise classes, but after a couple weeks, the excitement fizzled out for me--all but two apps--my yoga app and my meditation app. Stay creative and as inspired as you can be in confined spaces. I know it's a huge challenge for all of us physically and mentally, but we're doing our part by staying home and doing the best we can, even if it's Kidz Bop and some simple restorative and rejuvenating practices.
