Top 4 "at - home" survival tool kit

We are now living in challenging and uncertain times.  What we can and can't do keeps changing and our "normal" keeps being redefined.  For most people the prospect of now working from home, managing a family and whilst still keeping some degree of routine is getting harder and harder.

This time will most certainly bring out the best and worst in people.  How we deal with pressure and deal with being out of routine is a true marker of our true character and you will find out a lot about yourself in times like this. It is certainly a choice, whereby once we go back to "business as usual", do you feel you have grown as a person, has your perspective changed and therefore your priorities changed?

One thing is for certain, there is a lot of fear at the moment, fear about the present and fear about the future.  It is important to remember that it is very easy to let fear control us and influence our decision, thoughts and emotions.  Letting fear control you makes it very difficult to see the positives in situations, as well as live with a certain degree of optimism whilst still being realistic.

There are two ways to approach FEAR:

Forget Everything and Run

Face Everything and Rise

Which one will you choose? Will you let fear cripple you or will you use fear as an opportunity to get out of your comfort zone and grow.

Once fear is under control, see below our top 4 tips of survival for this "at - home" phase.

1. Have a schedule and plan:

• Get out of the pjs!
• We are creatures of habit and function better will consistency and routine, keep as much structure and normality - our brains love structure!
• Plan the day as if it were normal - go through your normal habits, shower, prep your food and the kid's food, exercise at the same time.
• Write down your key goals for the day, "what do I need to achieve today to feel productive and have a great day!?" This ensures you have a purpose each day.

2. Decrease anxiety and stress:

• Write down 3 things you are grateful for at the end of the day - something simply as a child's smile or the warmth of the sun.
• Keep a sleep diary, do you wake tired? how many hours of quality sleep do you have?
• Focus on what you can control - "if opportunity doesn't knock, build a door!"

3. Redefine your goals:

• What is most important now, have my priorities shifted? What is realistic for me to achieve during this time? e.g. even simply being active and maintain current fitness and strength levels requires consistency and routine.
• What can I do with the extra time? Read that book, do that course, quality connections with family.

4. Healthy choices that build immunity:

• Remember food still has bigger impact on your health and fitness than exercise.
• Just because it is now more readily available doesn't mean you should eat it!
• Fridge should be your friend NOT Foe
• Do not over-supplement - best to get from food choices
• Good fats, Vitamins and Minerals namely - A, C, E, B and D
• Planning food ahead of time, ensures portion control and avoids "snacking"

We are all required to adapt and change during this time, let's keep a positive and optimistic outlook and that once this is all over, we will all be better for it.  We will be closer to our families, realise how much we actually have and have a very different outlook on the world and what is most important to us.