It’s undeniable, 2020 really has been a tough year for everyone – but in recent weeks, there have also been lots of positives when it comes to our collective health and wellbeing…
It seems many of us have used the opportunity of the lockdown to concentrate on our eating habits and fitness, which is so refreshing to hear. There have been so many changes, worries and pressures on everyone’s time that getting through has been an achievement in itself, but it’s so heartening to see so many people using the time to incorporate some healthy habits into their day!
Sport England has reported an increase in the number of people taking up regular walking, cycling, or exercising at home in a bid to keep themselves healthy – and 60% of people intend to keep up their new active routine as lockdown continues to ease1. 🚴♀️🚶♀️
Meanwhile, department store John Lewis revealed in the first few weeks of lockdown there had been a 315% increase in yoga and Pilates equipment sales, 496% more gym equipment purchased, and even a rise in skincare sales (183%) as UK consumers looked to take more care of themselves2 – amazing! 🙌
Flour sales were reportedly up 93% as people turned to home baking3 – and there were certainly fewer options when it came to fast food and takeaways. Many small farms, including ones in the Midlands, were reporting demand rocketing as families opted to eat locally-produced fruit and vegetables4; and social media was full of pictures of people trying new recipes.
But how do we keep up the momentum as lockdown eases and the ‘new normal’ begins? We’ve asked the Paycare team for their best healthy living tips and here are a few of our favourites:
- Make achievable goals – it’s so hard to stick to a huge goal like running a marathon, but if you break it down into smaller goals (like running a 5k or a 10k by a certain date), it’s much easier to stick to ✅
- Nail your sleeping routine – sleep is such an integral part of health that is sometimes overlooked – ensuring you get enough hours of sleep can provide huge benefits to both your physical and mental health. Check out our most recent blog, ‘Sleeping Well During Uncertainty’ for more sleeping tips! 💤
- Make it fun – creating your own mini-allotment, exercising with a friend, or getting the whole family involved in a healthy cooking competition can stop you from feeling bored with your new routine! 😃
- Congratulate yourself – sometimes we focus too much on how far we’ve got left to go rather than how far we’ve come and what we’ve achieved. Make sure you reflect on your progress along the way and remember how well you’ve adapted and adjusted to unprecedented changes. You’re amazing! 👏
It’s so important to focus on the positives regularly, practising self-love, appreciation and gratitude. Now more than ever, let’s continue to adopt and implement healthy, and happy habits in our lives – whether that’s a bit of self-care and pampering here, or making simple changes to our eating and fitness there 😊
Our physical and mental health and wellbeing should always be a priority, especially during 2020. Take care and remember to #PayCAREforyourself… 🧡
Sources:
- https://www.sportengland.org/news/people-intend-be-more-active-lockdown-eases
- https://www.drapersonline.com/news/john-lewis-reveals-what-lockdown-britain-is-buying
- https://theconversation.com/home-cooking-means-healthier-eating-theres-an-opportunity-to-change-food-habits-for-good-136881
- https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/farming/2020/06/30/small-farms-growing-as-interest-in-buying-locally-produced-veg-jumps/