Guys, I hit my pandemic wall a couple of weeks ago and I’ve been struggling. Winter is always hard for me and this year has been extra difficult for obvious reasons. But I’m not here to complain because I know that I have it so much better than many. Instead, I wanted to share a couple of things that have helped slowly but surely get me back on my feet.
5 Things That Are Making Pandemic Life Easier
Melissa Wood Health workouts
I’m three weeks deep into the Melissa Wood Health app and I love it. I wish I had started it sooner, earlier in the fall. It’s a yoga/pilates workout app by Melissa Wood. I’ve heard about her and her workouts on and off over the past several years but for whatever reason, I finally checked out her site and did the app free trial at the end of January and now I’m hooked.
There is a big back catalog of workouts to choose from but she also creates a schedule that auto-populates in the app each week which makes it super easy to follow. I’ve been loving it and have only missed one day so far. It is very low impact and a majority of the videos are 30 minutes or less, which is exactly what I need for my current headspace.
Fleece-lined rain boots
I saw these on another mom back in January and she sold me on them. They are exactly what I needed for Seattle winter weather. The rainboots for the wet but the added faux fur lining for the cold. These are my grab and go shoes for playing outside, walking to the mailbox, and trips to the playground. It seems like a silly little thing but they really have made life just a little easier.
Sizing note if you’re interested in getting a pair for yourself. These boots only come in full sizes. I’m a true 7.5 so I ordered both the size 7 and 8 to test them. I ended up keeping the size 8 although they are too big. The size 7s were just too tight and that was with thin socks. So long story, size up if you’re in between sizes.
Leaning into Leggings
I’ve always always always been a leggings-aren’t-pants person. Those days are officially over.
I’m home all day and I want to be comfortable and warm. So I turn to leggings. It’s also a method that mentally tricks me into working out and moving my body all day long. In the morning I’ll change from pajamas into workout clothes, do my MWH yoga workout, then slip this tunic sweater on top and just go about my day. These are the leggings I’ve been liking the most for winter pandemic life. They are like Lululemon but warmer and way cheaper.
Fewer Toys for Teddy
It seems counterintuitive but having fewer toys available has been good for both Teddy and for me. Before he would just dump entire bins of toys on the ground, sort through to find the one thing he wanted, then move on to the next mess. Now Ted plays for a longer period of time with the select toys I have available for him. I have less mess to look at and clean up throughout the day. It’s a win-win.
I read about this technique from Blair’s blog, which you can find here. Otherwise, I think it’s just known as the Montessori method.
Tackling Home Improvement Projects
I’ve been patching and painting all the trim in our house over the past week or so. I also touched up the chipping paint from our kitchen cabinets. These are small home projects that give me both instant gratification and a really big sense of accomplishment. The chipped paint in our kitchen has been an eyesore for months and I was able to fix it in one afternoon’s worth of naptime.
I can’t recommend this enough. It was a giant boost to my morale. I think being home with a toddler can feel like you’re on a hamster wheel: making meals/snacks, do laundry, clean up messes, repeat. These are projects with set steps that, once accomplished, are just done. I really feel like I actually accomplish something on the days when I work on these little tasks.
There you have a small list of things that have been helping me cope over the past month or so. I hope that all of you are holding up as well.
xo – Ana Luiza
