We’ve all had to alter our lives because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and you might already be daydreaming about everything you’ll do when it ends, from attending weddings to relaxing on vacation. But what if some of these changes would serve us well in the coming years, too, especially when it comes to practicing self-care? Live Breathe Alaska lists a few behaviors you may have adopted during this pandemic that you could stick with even once it’s completely over.
Making Time for Your Passions
Canceling plans during this pandemic may have allowed you to improve your work-life balance and make time for the things you truly love. Perhaps you’ve been able to focus on improving at new hobbies or working towards major career goals. As life returns to normal, you can continue taking steps to maintain a healthy work-life balance and prioritize self-care.
For instance, you may be considering starting your own business based on your passions and talents. Being your own boss requires a lot of time, energy, and focus, but it also allows you to call the shots, one of them being not neglecting self-care. Whether it’s a new or established business, you have the option of running it as a DBA (“doing business as”), a pseudonym for your business’s legal name. ZenBusiness notes that this strategy is an effective marketing and branding tool, “whether you’re a company’s sole owner and you want to establish a business identity separate from your personal name or you’re a corporation launching a new product line under a unique name.” Registering a DBA name gives you exclusive rights to that name for five years in Alaska.
Creating a Cozy Home Environment
The pandemic sent us indoors for months on end, and this likely prompted you to create a cozier, more comfortable environment in your home. Self-care is also about your surroundings! You can ensure that your home continues to be a place where you love spending your time and practicing healthy habits by refreshing the atmosphere. If family tensions have been on the rise, and your loved ones have been complaining, arguing, or being overly critical, it’s time to declutter, deep clean, and open the windows for fresh air.
Supporting Local Businesses
When we support local businesses, our communities thrive, and the pandemic has taught us the importance of buying from business owners in our neighborhoods instead of large corporations. Prioritizing small businesses after the pandemic ends is crucial. Sustainable Connections recommends tipping generously at local restaurants when ordering takeout, giving gift cards for nearby shops over the holidays, and posting about your favorite small businesses on social media.
Enjoying the Great Outdoors
With indoor socializing off-limits for most of the year, the pandemic may have motivated you to explore the great outdoors. Daily Life states that spending time in nature can reduce your stress levels, boost your mood, and even enhance your creativity. Even after the pandemic completely ends, you should definitely stick with this habit — it’s a fantastic form of self-care! Make it a point to plan an outdoor outing about once a week. Once it’s safe to do so, you can also invite your loved ones along so that you can socialize while getting some exercise.
Focusing on Self-Care
Finally, the stress of the pandemic and its aftermath may have pushed you to focus on self-care to an extent that you didn’t before. And sometimes, blocking off time just to relax at home is the best thing you can do for yourself. There’s nothing better than soaking in a hot bubble bath at the end of a workday, doing gentle yin yoga before going to bed, or giving yourself a budget-friendly pedicure at home. The pandemic has taught us to slow down and take care of ourselves, and those lessons will still be valuable in the future.
The past couple of years have been challenging, but in some ways, they could have prepared you for a better future. Sometimes, change is necessary. From spending your money at local businesses to getting outdoors more often, you may find that the changes you’ve made as a result of the pandemic are actually beneficial!
