Whether you’ve spent the lockdown months hibernating in your pyjamas, or turned the extra time into a new set of goals and ventures, come April 12th, we will all be presented with the same set of challenges. Gympass, the world’s leading corporate wellbeing platform, has asked its experts to share the healthy habits we can all adopt, to ensure we take care of our health and wellbeing, as the restrictions ease.
Listen to your body
Approximately 9 million of us will be itching to return to the gym come 12th April, but don’t fall foul of overtraining in your excitement. We can’t expect to be able to achieve exactly what we did before and whilst it’s good to push yourself a little, it’s really important to listen to your body and ease back in gently. “Do your research and if possible, sign up to see a PT (virtually or when gyms open) so that they can help you find the most sustainable route back to health and fitness” suggests Gympass PT, Lewis Paris.
Stress free socialising
As we transition from seeing only our own household to our whole network of friends, family, colleagues and acquaintances, it’s no wonder many of us are already getting social anxiety just thinking about it. Don’t put yourself under pressure to attend engagements, take your time and socialise on your own schedule. Maintain that good yin-yang balance you achieved during lockdown with daily meditation and mindfulness using apps Gympass partner apps such as Calm and Synctuition.
Meal Prep
Stepping from your home office to the fridge has made lunchtimes easier than ever, but as we go back to the office it’s time to remember packed lunches once again. “Consider setting aside time for batch prep, getting all your meals for the week organised in one go,” suggests Gympass PT Lewis Paris, “I recommend Meal Prep Pro to my clients because it creates your menu, taking into account your nutrition goals, and it even creates a handy shopping list for all the ingredients you need.”
Budget
Although lockdown has brought its own financial pressures to many, it has at least been fairly easy to budget. “As we emerge back into a world with fewer restrictions, it stands to reason that our spending on leisure activities, holidays and general socialising will increase. It’s not the done thing to talk about money or ask for help, but as a major stress factor, it’s important to seek financial help where you need it. Setting a weekly or monthly budget for your leisure time will ensure you stay in good financial health.” says Samuel Lathey, from financial health app Bippit.
Stay off the cigarettes
Lockdown saw the highest number of people quit smoking in over a decade with more than a million people giving up the habit[1]. But as we start to put ourselves in more social situations, where we would previously have reached for a cigarette, or find ourselves around other smokers, the desire to start again may increase.
Emilio Goldenhersch, Chief Science Officer and co-founder of smoking cessation app MindCotine recommends mindfulness to cope with cravings; “This helps with becoming more aware of the automatic behaviour you may feel triggered by something (internal emotion or external cue) – smoking – reward (positive or negative feeling). Mindfulness works in the middle of it all. You can learn how to recognise the triggers, be ready to feel the associated behaviour (smoking) and learn how to respond differently by distinguishing the established set of rewards.”
Work/life balance
WFH has made it much easier to maintain a positive work life balance but as we go back to the office and return to commuting, try to carry on your positive habits. Be aware of the extra time being added back into your day and don’t over commit to additional personal, social or work engagements. Ensure that there’s always time for you in your day. If you can’t make it to the gym or a wellness session, don’t worry, book a 30 min session with one of Gympass’ online PTs, Pilates and yoga instructors or Wellness coaches.
