routine

Jun

2021

The 10-Step Korean Beauty Regimen

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Do you have a favorite Kpop Idol? Are you a fan of Korean Dramas? If you are, you probably noticed by now that Koreans have one of the best skins in the world. It can be genetic or possibly because of their diets. But the main reason is that they take their skin care very seriously. So serious in fact that they follow an extensive 10-step Korean Beauty Regimen. And it’s not just the women, the same is true with men. In fact, the Korean beauty product industry is included in the top 10 in the world.

So, if you want to achieve a younger, brighter and flawless looking skin; you may want to integrate their 10-step morning and evening beauty regimen into your lifestyle.

1.CLEANSE

AM: Water Only

The first thing that they do upon waking up is to wash their face with water. No soap, no cleanser, just plain water. The purpose is to keep the face hydrated and to remove dirts and impurities that were accumulated during sleep.

At night, instead of plain water, the Koreans follow a two-step cleansing process:

PM: Double Cleanse

a. Oil Cleanser

The first step is to remove make-up by using an oil cleanser. An oil cleanser removes not only the make-up but also excess oil, sebums and pollution that were accumulated in your face the whole day. Use circular motion when cleansing your face.

b. Water-Based Cleanser

Water-based cleansers remove water-based impurities that were not removed by the oil cleanser such as sweat and dirt. Just like the oil cleanser, use circular motion when cleansing your face.

2. EXFOLIATE

Exfoliator

Exfoliation removes dead skin cells that are clogging the skin. That is why regular exfoliation is needed to prevent build up of dead cells that may clog your pores resulting in break outs. However, daily exfoliation can cause dryness and irritation. It is recommended that you exfoliate your skin not more than three times a week.

3. TONE

Toner

A toner is used for extra-cleansing to remove remaining dirt, oil and make-up. It shrinks your pores, reducing the risks of dirt and other impurities from penetrating your skin adding an extra layer of protection to your skin. It also restores the PH balance of your skin. Use a cotton pad and swipe and pat it gently onto your skin.

4. ESSENCE

Essence

For Koreans, essence is probably the most important part of their Korean skin regimen. Essence is used after a toner to add another layer of hydration to the skin. It is a little creamier compared to a toner. Although both toner and essence serves as hydration for the skin, a toner’s primary purpose is to remove the remaining impurities while an essence primes the skin for better absorption of serum and creams. It also contains anti-aging and complexion-enhancing ingredients. It is designed to penetrate deeper into the skin. Apply it by placing little drops into your palms and patting them gently onto your face.

5. TREATMENT

Serum, Ampules and Other Treatments

This varies per individual. You can apply it or you can totally skip it. It all depends on the condition and the requirement of your skin. For others, it can be an acne treatment for pimples, whiteheads and blackheads. It can be a treatment to remove redness, brown spots or pigmentation. It can be for skin rejuvenation or anti-aging treatment. Again, it all depends on your skin. Just apply it directly to the concern areas.

6. MASK

Face Mask

The purpose of a face mask is to expose your skin to prolonged contact with moisture and whatever nutrients that your skin needs. Just like the treatment, use a mask containing nutrients that your skin needs. Leave it on your skin for 20 minutes. Do this twice a week.

7. EMULSION

Emulsion

Emulsions are water-based thus they are lighter than creams and less concentrated than serums or treatments. Its main purpose is to lock the skin moisture. It hydrates and seals the essence, treatment and mask that you just put in your skin, reinforcing their benefits.

8. EYE CARE

Eye Cream

The purpose of eye creams is to prevent or lessen fine lines and dark circles around your eyes. When applying eye cream, remember that the skin around your eyes is the thinnest and most sensitive part of your skin. So, apply it as gently as possible.

9. MOISTURIZE

Cream

Moisturizers keep your skin hydrated and prevent dryness and itchiness. Apply daily both in the morning and at night. Pat it on your face and on your neck.

10. SUNBLOCK

Sunscreen

Put sunscreen in the morning. It will protect your face from the harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun. It is recommended that you use sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.

For Koreans, instead of a simple sunblock, they replace this last step with a BB cream. BB cream stands for beauty balm or blemish balm. It serves as a foundation, primer, sunblock and even moisturizer. It is not too heavy like the regular foundation but it works like it. BB creams also help cover lines and scars and give glow to the skin. It helps you achieve the no makeup look. That’s why both Korean men and women use it. It also contains the SPF needed to protect your skin.

First Published in Pinoy Smart Living on 21.04.2019

Feature Photo by Jess @ Harper Sunday from Pexels

Apr

2021

Bad Habits That You Need to Quit Right Now

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Do you have bad habits that you need to quit right now? We may not realize it, but we might have bad habits that will have negative consequences for us in the long run. That’s why it’s good for us to stop them right now and replace them with better habits instead.

You don’t have to be too hard on yourself. Try improving yourself one habit at a time. First, you need to identify what habits you need to change as soon as possible.

1. Going to Bed Late

Not everyone is a morning person but everyone should be getting their daily dose of sleep hours. Adults need at least 7-8 hours of sleep at night to allow the body to heal and repair itself. Hitting the snooze button first thing in the morning is not the best way to start the day. Being awake late into the night is one of the most common bad habits that you should quit right away.

Lack of sleep can make you groggy and cranky the next day. It also causes dark eye bags, acne breakouts, dull skin and may even lead to excessive hair fall and other medical issues. More importantly, lack of sleep will make it more difficult for you to start the morning in the right mood.

2. Not Hydrating Properly

Some of us may experience a headache as we work in front of the computer. Most of the time, this is because we don’t drink enough water. The recommended 8 glasses a day also includes your intake of other liquids such as tea, coffee, fruit juice and soups.

Drinking more water helps our body to detoxify. So avoid sugary drinks and opt for lemon water or tea instead. Too much sugar in sodas and sweetened juice drinks is also unhealthy. Feeling hungry? Try drinking a glass of water first. If the hunger pang disappears, it only means you are not drinking enough water.

3. Not Having Set Meal Times

Forgetting to eat because you are inspired or in the flow is good for your work but it can be bad for your stomach and overall health. It can give you a headache as your blood sugar fluctuates. People have collapsed because they forgot to eat both breakfast and lunch. In the long run, this can lead to stomach ulcers which will need medical treatment.

Not scheduling set meal times can also lead to over-eating when you can’t stand your hunger pangs anymore. You may find yourself eating too fast to chew your food which can lead to digestive issues. You may end up craving for and bingeing on sweets, salty or oily foods that are unhealthy for you. This in turn can lead to undesirable weight gain. Preparing your meals ahead of time can help you change this habit.

4. Being a Couch Potato

Sitting for work most of the day can lead to bad posture as well as other physical issues. If you’re sitting most of the time due to binge-watching on your TV or social media addiction; then this is one of the bad habits that you should definitely quit right away.

Get into the habit of moving your body regularly. Take breaks in between work to stand up and stretch. It would be ideal if you can integrate exercise into your morning routine. Exercising helps us detoxify, boost our mood and lift our energy levels. If you stay at home most of the time, doing regular house chores or just dancing to your favorite music is a good way to keep moving.

5. Worrying Too Much

We all have concerns that we can’t easily set aside. However, constantly worrying about them is not helpful and will only stress us out. It is better to communicate your concerns with other people so you can vent out that negative vibe. But don’t dwell on them too much. Take the necessary precautions and do your best.

Most of us worry about “what if’s” and obstacles to our goals that will lead us to failure. In most scenarios, our worries are mostly imaginary. If we do our best to avoid them; they may never happen anyway. So instead of worrying, make a plan and follow it; making adjustments along the way. Keep looking forward to positive “what if’s” instead of the negative scenarios.

Accept that not all our bad habits were intentional choices. Sometimes, we developed them in response to certain life circumstances. We all have our share of bad days and bad choices. As long as we recognize them as such; then we are able to change them and start to reset our health. Replacing bad habits with new ones can be a challenge but the results can be rewarding.

There are many more bad habits that we may have acquired though the years. What other bad habits do you have that you need to quit right now?

Feature Image: Original Photo by Sammy Williams on Unsplash.

Nov

2020

5 All Natural Beauty Tips for Your Beauty Routine

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Refresh your glow with these 5 all natural beauty tips for your beauty routine. Taking care of our physical appearance is part of our daily routine. Looking good helps us to feel good and a healthy glow always boosts our confidence. When it comes to maintaining our heathy glow, what we put unto our skin is just as important as what we eat. Natural ingredients can give you more benefits than chemically-laden products.

If you are already starting or maintaining a healthy diet, then incorporating these all natural beauty tips into your daily routine should help you boost and maintain your natural, healthy glow.

The great thing about using natural products is that most of the ingredients can already be found in your kitchen or easily found in your supermarket or grocery store. Here are some of them that you can DIY.

1. Apple Cider Vinegar Clarifying Shampoo

Commercial shampoos usually have chemicals that can cause build-up in your scalp. Eliminate build-up by mixing 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar (ACV) with 1 cup of water and using this as your shampoo.

Do this regularly to eliminate build-up which may cause dandruff. You can follow this with your regular conditioner or use a DIY natural conditioner. Make this all natural beauty routine a regular habit to maintain healthy hair and scalp.

2. Coconut Oil Deep Conditioning Treatment

Get super soft hair with coconut oil. Massage a small amount of coconut oil unto your scalp and work it through your hair. Leave it on for at least 30 minutes and rinse with warm water. For better results, wrap a warm towel around your head to deeply condition your hair and scalp.

Don’t put too much coconut oil as it will be hard to rinse out and you might end up with greasy, limp hair instead. You can rinse it out with your regular, commercial shampoo but it’s better to just use water and blow dry your hair afterwards for a soft, shiny mane.

You can also use coconut oil to condition the ends of your hair to prevent split ends.

3. Castor Oil for Longer Lashes and Thicker Brows

If you’re suffering from thin brows and brittle lashes, then castor oil is your hero. Since castor oil has a thick consistency, dilute it with a carrier oil like jojoba oil, almond oil, sunflower oil or coconut oil. This all natural beauty routine is the secret to healthy-looking brows and lashes.

Mix half castor oil and half carrier oil in an amber bottle and use a clean mascara wand to apply the solution to your brow and lashes at night. You’ll wake up with greasy eye brows and lashes but your sparsely-haired brows will be fuller and your lashes will be thicker and longer with regular application.

4. Olive Oil Nail Treatment

This is a simple process. Just put some olive oil into a small bowl. Dip your fingertips in it and soak your nails for at least 5 minutes. Wipe clean with a tissue or small towel and admire your pretty fingers.

So you don’t waste the oil, instead of wiping away, massage the oil into your fingers, palms and back of your hands to moisturise your hard-working hands. Or do this beauty treatment with a buddy so you can massage each other’s hands after.

5. Chilled Tea Bags for Tired, Puffy Eyes

Do your eyes tell the whole world that you had a late night out yesterday? Just steep 2 green, black or chamomile tea bags in hot water for less than a minute. Remove the tea bags from the hot water, place them in a small container and chill in the refrigerator. This all natural beauty routine is a handy solution for late movie nights.

Once chilled, place 1 tea bag over each closed eyelid and leave on for 5 to 15 minutes. This will freshen up your eyes and reduce puffiness so you look like you had a good night’s sleep instead of a hangover. You can drink the water where you boiled the tea bags to help cure your hangover.

As you can see, these quick beauty tips are easy to do and some can even replace your commercial beauty products. Aside from these uses, each ingredient on this list has other applications for maintaining your natural beauty. For example, you can use these oils as moisturiser and ACV can also be used as a toner to cleanse your face.

Have you tried any of these natural beauty tips? How did it work for you?

Updated. First published on Pinoy Smart Living on 2019.09.11.
Featured Image: Original Photo by Chelsea shapouri on Unsplash.

Oct

2020

Lessons Learned from COVID-19

Reading Time: 4 minutes

The COVID-19 pandemic took everyone by surprise. No one was fully ready despite numerous warnings from scientists for a possible pandemic for decades now. Moreover, a lot of people dismissed it as an isolated case that would probably be contained in one area, just what happened in the past with the SARS, bird flus and swine flus. But the inevitable happened. The virus spread from Asia to Europe and to the Americas at a very rapid pace. And soon, everyone on the planet just woke up to a whole new world. As of this writing, more than 35 million people around the world has already been infected with over a million deaths. We can no longer undo the past but now is the time to learn the lessons from the devastating experience. As we look forward to reliving our life again in the new normal, here are lessons learned from Covid-19.

1.Health is Wealth.

People don’t generally take care of their wealth especially when young. it is common knowledge that health is the most important thing in life. Yet people only starts thinking about their health when there is already some form of illness or disease. This is because it is hard to resist unhealthy eating habits and behaviors. The pandemic reminded us to take care of our health.

In New York state, more than 80% of the total Covid-19 deaths have underlying illnesses.

Covid-19 has been dubbed as a ‘lifestyle virus’. This is because a great majority of those hospitalized, with severe symptoms and those who died have underlying illnesses. And these underlying illness are mostly lifestyle illnesses, or those illnesses associated with a person’s lifestyle. Hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, obesity and cancer are some of the lifestyle illnesses.

If we want to survive this health crisis, it is now time to rethink and change our lifestyle. Develop habits that will improve our immune system so our body can naturally be able to combat viruses and other illnesses.

2. Proper Hygiene

Good personal hygiene is the best way to protect yourself from the virus. A simple act as washing your hands with soap and water can be a life-saving action. Not only does it protects you, it also protects others. The practice of good personal hygiene can prevent you from spreading the virus to others.

3. Importance of an Emergency Fund

Because of Covid 19, many people faced reduced hours while some even lost their jobs and businesses. Unfortunately, not all people from around the world received government aid. The pandemic is not simply just a health crisis, it is also a very challenging time financially for most people. Just imagine what happened to those families who do not have an emergency fund set aside.

Going forward, now is the time to seriously consider setting aside a portion of your future income as an emergency fund. The rule of thumb is to save at least 10% of your income a month. The money jar budgeting system is the best guide on how to budget to ensure that you are ready for the next emergency.

4.Importance of Diversification

If you are a stock market investor, you probably watched in horror as the market dropped significantly. Investing in one company or one industry alone would have hit you badly especially if that industry has been greatly hit. Examples of such industries are airlines, tourism and hospitality. But if your portfolio is diversified, like you also have investments in health care or consumer goods, then you have minimized your losses. The market is very volatile and unpredictable. Diversification is the only way to manage risk.

Diversification is also applicable to all kinds of investments from real estate to businesses. For example, you invested all your money in a restaurant chain. And that restaurant closed down because of the lockdown. Another example is what you invested all your money on real estate rental properties. And because of the pandemic, the tenants all left leaving you with no income. And worse, you still have to pay mortgages for the properties. With diversification, all these scenarios could have been prevented. Always remember to not put all your eggs in one basket.

5. Having People and Healthy Relationships

Ever since the outbreak, most people have been spending their time at home. This is the perfect opportunity to spend more time with family and loved ones. It is ideal for those people who have healthy relationships with people close to them. But what about those people who have not so good relationships with their family? Being trapped at home for months with people that you cannot stand and fight with can be a nightmare.

It is the same thing for people who live alone because they don’t have living social interactions with others. In a study done by Martina Luchetti from the Florida State University College of Medicine, they found out that living alone increase the feelings of loneliness.

6. Respecting Other’s Personal Space

Respecting other people’s space is one thing that we normally taken for granted. With Covid-19, we learned how to respect other people’s space. When someone goes near us, we feel uncomfortable. In the same way that they feel uncomfortable too if we get near them. That’s why we become conscious of our space and other people’s space.

7.Having Goals and A Routine

Having daily goals and a routine is good for your mental health. Goals will give you something to look forward to. Instead of dwelling on the uncertainties of the now, your focus shifts to a dream of a better tomorrow. A routine on the other hand is a good way to combat boredom. It is also an effective way to make you feel in control during times of great stress. It will keep you busy and takes your mind off things.

8. Importance of Gratitude

With all the negative things happening around, it is so easy to fall prey into negative thinking. Instead of reading the news or opening your social media account, why not start your day with gratitude. Gratitude shifts thinking away from the negative and into the positive. Instead, gratitude makes you focus on your blessings.

How about you? What lessons have you learned from this whole Covid experience?

Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

Aug

2020

The 15-Minute Cleaning Routine

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Having to do a general house cleaning can take the whole day or the whole weekend. The daily 15-minute cleaning routine is a great way to keep your home looking clean every day. It reduces the time it takes to clean and organize the whole house. This means you’ll have less chores and more time for leisure on the weekends.

There are plenty of things you can do in 15 minutes to keep the house looking clean. Pick 3 things that you can do and spend 15 minutes to accomplish these tasks. You can do different tasks for each day of the week to keep dirt and clutter at bay in all parts of the house.

You can maintain the cleanliness of your home just by picking up things immediately and putting items back where they should be kept.

Here are some of the other tasks that you can include for the 15-minute cleaning routine for own home.

Make beds
Fold laundry
Dust furniture
Wipe down kitchen counters and table
Wash dishes
Clean kitchen sink
Vacuum, mop and/or sweep floors
Clean bathroom sink or toilet
Clean up clutter
Sort out junk mail
Take out the garbage

Lauch Challenge

To help you create the 15-minute cleaning routine for own house, ask yourself these questions. This will help you come up with the top 3 tasks in your own list.

What really bugs me at home if it’s not cleaned/taken care of daily?
Which area at home gets messy really fast?
What small tasks can I do daily for just 5-10 minutes? Choose a small task that will make a big difference.
What am I already doing daily that helps keep my home clean?
What tasks can I delegate to my kids/spouse/relatives that they can do daily to help keep the home clean?

Assign your household members to help with certain taks. Don’t forget to smile while you explain to them the benefits of doing these tasks daily. Here are some tasks you can have them do.

Have everyone put their beds in order upon waking up.
Assign a time for kids to pick-up their toys and store them.
Ask kids to prepare what they want to wear to school the next day.
Have a schedule for washing clothes for each member of the family.

The good thing about the 15-minute cleaning routine is that you don’t get overwhelmed with the thought of cleaning and organizing clutter over the weekend. Doing small tasks throughout the week or throughout the day, will help to make your weekends less stressful from the thought of cleaning everything in just one day.

Updated. First published on Pinoy Smart Living on 2019.03.18.
Feature Image: Original Photo by Volha Flaxeco on Unsplash.

May

2020

5 Daily Health Habits to Remember

Reading Time: 4 minutes

We have been told since we were children that we should take care of our health. Most of us tend to prioritize our job responsibilities first and make time for other people in our lives second. We forget to focus on our own health and well-being. We don’t even have health habits in our daily To Do list.

In order to live a well-balanced life, we should practice daily health habits. These enable us to keep our selves healthy and active so we can have the energy to face life’s challenges. Being healthy also allows us to be fully present when interacting with the important people in our lives.

Here are 5 daily health habits that you can practise to maintain balance in your life.

Drink your water, lots of it

It is a healthy habit to drink water as soon as you wake up. Drink at least a cup or a glass, if you can, to start your day. This habit helps your body to activate its functions and get ready to work. Think of water as the oil that will jumpstart your engines. This means that whatever food (your body’s fuel) you eat will be properly processed by your body.

Also, make sure to drink your water throughout the day. Drink a glass of water at least 30 minutes before each meal. You can also do this before your snack to ensure that you get your recommended daily water intake. This also helps you feel fuller faster, so you don’t end up eating more than you should.

If you are trying to lose weight, drink water first when you feel a food craving. This should help you curb your craving to eat more than you should. Don’t worry too much if you have to go to the toilet more than usual. Drinking your water means cleaning your body internally so don’t hesitate to flush out those toxins.

Eat healthy and healthier

It is common sense to eat healthy for a healthier body. However, most of us associate this health habit only with athletes and beauty queens or for losing weight. We should take responsibility for our own health by being mindful of what we eat and put into our bodies.

Don’t be apologetic about eating your greens and fruits. Don’t feel shy when you go for a salad instead of the regular meaty items on the menu. Choose to drink just plain water or a fresh fruit juice instead of soda. You may be criticized or ridiculed by your friends and colleagues; but keep in mind that you are only looking out for your health.

Try eating at least one healthy meal each day. When you’re ready, go for 2 healthy meals. Do this until you are finally able to make healthier choices for all your meals and snacks.

Don’t stay still (for too long), keep moving

This doesn’t mean you absolutely need to go to the gym to get your sweat on. You can do simple, at-home exercises to start integrating movement as part of your daily health habit.

Deciding to take a walk instead of riding the tricycle and taking the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator. These are some simple ways you can keep moving throughout the day.

Even on your office chair, you can do some stretching exercises from time-to-time while seated. You can also walk around the office and chat up some colleagues while you do so. Or you can walk outside the office building as a break from sitting for several hours. Check first if this last one is OK with your HR department. You can dance a bit, stretch while your standing as you print, or wait in line at the water cooler.

You can always choose to exercise in the morning before going to work or in the evening before your dinner.

Allow yourself some “Me Time”

During the day, take at least 10-20 minutes to have some time alone. Whether you spend this in meditation or doing something creative; such as doodling or writing on your diary or journal, is your choice entirely.

You can also use this time to visualize your goals to reaffirm them to yourself. Spend this time contemplating the things that you are grateful for in your life. You can spend this time in prayer. You can spend this time to contemplate and reflect about your day or to think about your important plans.

The important thing is to be alone, with yourself, with your thoughts. Focus your attention on yourself for this duration of time.

Get your regular dose of sleep

Going on overtime might seem financially rewarding, but you won’t be as productive the next day.

Ideally, you should sleep not later than 10PM. Research has shown that your body repairs itself from 10PM to 3AM in the morning; so you should be sound asleep during these times.

Better sleep means better waking times and a brighter start to your day. You can schedule “Me Time” in the early hours of the morning, and at the end of the day.

As you integrate these daily health habits, you will notice and feel the difference in the days to come. You will feel lighter, have clearer thinking, can concentrate better and become more productive. You can also start taking steps to ensure your health in the 6 dimensions of wellness in your life.

Most of us don’t take our health seriously. We tend to think that only athletes and celebrities should be strictly following diets and exercising; because it is their job to look good. Shouldn’t we be responsible for keeping ourselves healthy? Wouldn’t you want to feel and look good too?

Take your health seriously so you can enjoy your daily activities more fully and with more focus. You can slowly integrate these morning habits to help you achieve your goals.

Updated. First published in Pinoy Smart Living 12.03.2018.
Feature Image: Original Photo by THE 5TH on Unsplash.

Apr

2020

How to Help Kids Manage Lockdown Stress

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Most government around the world resorted to lockdown to protect its citizens from getting infected with the virus. Although such measures protected your physical health, it gave rise to a different kind of health issue; that is mental health. Mental health is crucial to our overall well-being. It affects our thoughts, emotions and behavior. A study done at the University of Adelaide showed evidence that the one-month confinement measures did affect the people’s mental health. But it is not just the adults who are affected, new data from Hubei shows that children also showed depression and anxiety symptoms. The challenge now for parents is how to help kids manage lockdown stress.

Children are creatures of habits. They take comfort in what is familiar. Children are used to going to school everyday. Now, they are forced to stay at home. The routine had stopped. And this causes confusion. Then, they are restricted to stay inside the house together with parents who are also trying to cope with their own stress, fears and anxiety. So, children take on cues from their parents on how to react to the situation. They know if parents are worried. At the same time, they are trying to understand how the world has changed.

Parents need to take this matter seriously and handle it with care because according to the World Health Organization, most mental health issues of adults begin in childhood. Even if we all go back to normal after the world discovered the vaccine, psychological damages won’t easily go away. This can lead to anger issues, depression, addiction and even suicide if left unchecked.

As parents, here are things that you can do to help your children manage lockdown stress:

1. Keep a Routine

Rather than doing things different everyday, it is better to keep a routine. On school days, there are study time, meal time, play time, TV time and nap time. Continue doing these activities at the same time that they are used to. The study time can further be divided into Math time, Reading time, Art time, etc. You can make use of technology to continue their learning. If content material is not available from their school, there are still tons of available information online.

2. Teach Them the Importance of Hygiene Using Their Own Language

Instead of forcing them to follow you or scaring them that they are going to die if they get the virus; teach them the importance of basic hygiene in a language that they do understand. For example, you can make them watch the Sesame Street Coronavirus special and let Elmo teach them about proper hand washing and use of face mask.

3. Encourage Them To Talk with Friends

Encourage your children especially your teenagers to do group teleconferencing online to stay in touch with their friends . At this point in time, the support and encouragement of friends will do wonders to their mental health. Just make sure that they are really talking with their friends and not some random strangers that they met online.

4. Talk and Play with Your Children

For most children, love is synonymous with time. Now is the perfect time for you to make up for lost time with your children. More than ever, they need your love, support, kindness and strength to help them go trough these tough times. Spend time with them. Play with them. Do activities together like art works, cooking, and baking. You can play board games or video games as family. You can even binge-watch movies with your kids.

Take advantage of the time to get to know and establish an open communication with your teenagers. Establish a connection by knowing about their interests, hobbies, their friends and their dreams. Listen to their music, stories, thoughts and concerns. Do things together. Try not to judge and refrain from controlling them.

5. Create Family Goals

Family goal setting will shift the focus of the whole family from the problems of today to the hope of a better tomorrow. Family goals will make the family closer to one another. It gives you something to look forward to in the future. It is the perfect venue for both parents and children to voice out their opinions, dreams and preferences. Open communication is established. Accountability, responsibility, commitment and group support are also encouraged.

Feature Image by Lisa runnels from Pixabay Images

Apr

2020

Lockdown and Mental Health: How to Cope with Stress, Fear and Anxiety

Reading Time: 2 minutes

We are in the midst of global pandemic with billions of people under some form of lockdown, with no end in sight as cases around the world continue to grow. Experts are saying that we are going to be in it for the long haul unless they find a vaccine soon. As people around the world are forced to stay indoors, there is now a growing concern about the people’s mental health. During this lockdown, it is important to know how to cope with stress, fear and anxiety to prevent mental health deterioration.

The Lancet, one of the world’s oldest general medical journal published a study on the negative psychological impact of the quarantine such as anger, confusion, fear, anxiety, loneliness and stress. Hans Kluge, the director of the European branch of the World Health Organization (WHO) urged countries to prepare medical services for mental health.

During this time, it is important for your general well-being that you be able to handle the stress. Here are ways address your mental health issues and cope up with the fear, stress and anxiety that this lockdown has caused:

1. Keep Yourself Healthy

The COVID-19 has no cure yet. Scientists all over the world are searching for possible treatments. What hospitals are doing right now are just providing comfort and alleviating symptoms by trying some western and traditional remedies. What you can do aside from proper hand-washing and social distancing is to take care of your body by boosting your immune system. Boosting your immune system is the best way to combat diseases. Doing things like exercise, getting enough sleep, eating the right kind of foods and drinking enough water can keep your body healthy. This will make a big difference on how you feel and will help lessen your fears.

2. Maintain a Regular Routine

A daily routine can help you cope up with stress because you know exactly what to do and what to expect in your day. It reduces stress because everything becomes automatic. Your body will remember what you need to do because it becomes a habit.

3. Stay Connected

Humans are social beings. A strong positive social support can help you go through this storm. Don’t just watch TV or play video games the whole day. You need to also connect with others. Spend quality time and have meaningful conversations with people living with you. Take advantage of technology. Stay in touch with your friends, make a video call.

4. Restrict Media Exposure

It is totally understandable that you want to stay updated with what is happening around you during these troubled times. However, too much of anything can be quite overwhelming especially if it is negative news. Restrict media exposure. Listen and read credible sources only. Don’t just read and believe everything.

5. Do something productive

Make use of your idle time by doing something productive. Is there anything that you have been wanting to do but cannot because you just didn’t have the time? Now is the perfect time to do it. You can play with your children, organize your wardrobe or you can declutter your home. You can read a book, learn a new skill or improve your expertise. The possibilities are endless.

6. Practice Gratitude

The practice of gratitude during difficult times is the best way to cope with fear and anxiety. Gratitude has the power to heal. It gives you hope and diverts your focus from the negative to the positive things in your life. It makes you feel blessed. Looking at things differently can affect the direction of your life. So, start a gratitude journal now.

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