COVID-19: Staying healthy at home

As Canadians have been urged to stay home as much as possible to help fight the spread of COVID-19, the Dialogue team has compiled some ideas and resources to keep you healthy, active and calm.

1) Relaxation and meditation

• • Try to disconnect from your phone and the news for at least an hour a day.
• Headspace (a relaxation app) has unlocked a free selection of meditation and mindfulness content to tackle stress.

2) Staying physically active

• Many gyms and trainers have created at-home workouts requiring little to no equipment. Check your local gym’s social media pages for virtual workouts or Fitness Blender for a variety of free programs and exercises.
• Start a little friendly competition through a virtual step challenge with colleagues, friends or family using a fitness tracker (we’ve started our own at Dialogue!).

3) Eating healthy

• When trying to limit trips to the grocery store, consider buying a combination of:
  - Protein foods (canned fish, lentils, beans, eggs, cheese, milk, etc.)
  - Whole grains (quinoa, rice, whole-wheat pasta, rolled oats, etc.)
  - Vegetables (canned or frozen, leafy greens, long-lasting root vegetables like carrots and potatoes)
  - Fruits (canned, frozen or dried, longer-lasting fruits like oranges or apples)
  - Healthy fats (nuts, seeds, nut butters, or avocado)
  - For more ideas, consult this article.
• Make a list prior to going to the grocery store to minimize time spent roaming the aisles.

4) Working from home habits

• If working from home is new to you, try defining when your day is done and taking regular breaks to maintain a schedule.
• Use video conferencing to connect with your colleagues, and schedule lunch, coffee or snack breaks with team members or friends when possible.

5) Caring for children

• With schools closed across the country and child care potentially

limited for you, it may be a struggle to maintain a structure and schedule. Try creating a daily calendar that can include time for learning, reading, playing, and walking in your yard for example

• You can incorporate some new exercises to stay active indoors like this fun-themed yoga or these workouts for kids.
• Take a virtual tour of 12 museums from across the world (great for adults as well!).
• This book can help you address the current outbreak with children.