When a crisis strikes, we often don’t know what to do let alone how to react. This is because for most of us, we aren’t prepared for a crisis, so when it happens, we automatically go into panic mode.
Trust me, I use to be one of those people until I learned how to plan for a crisis before it even happened. Or as I like to put it, how to plan for the anticipation of a crisis, even if you never experience one.
While we all hope to never have to live through a crisis that completely shifts our way of living, the reality is that we can’t guarantee ourselves that safety. Therefore, it’s best to be prepared mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually should a crisis ever happen.
Being prepared can help eliminate a lot of stress and anxiety, and can help you maintain some level of normalcy from your everyday life that you can incorporate into your crisis life.
While I cannot provide you with the best tips to help you prepare for a crisis, I can provide you with some tips on how to stay healthy from the inside out during a crisis. Just like preparing for food, shelter, and safety during a crisis you want to prepare for your mental, physical, and emotional well-being as well.
While the event of a crisis happening can’t be anticipated, the way in which you may behave can be. The best way to stay healthy during a crisis is to be consistent in the practices you engage in daily that help you maintain stability in your health and wellness routine.
This is going to help strengthen your mental, physical, and emotional health, which is going to make sticking to your health and wellness goals while experiencing a crisis more manageable.
Which is what we are going to dive deep into today.
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Taking care of your mental, physical, and emotional health during a crisis is just as important as ensuring that you have an emergency fund and a place to live. When a crisis happens, it can take a toll on these three areas of your health.
That’s why it’s important to create a daily wellness routine that can easily be implemented under any circumstances. Here are some tips that can help you stay healthy during hard times.
Tip #1: Make healthier food choices
The easiest thing you can do for yourself during a crisis is make healthier food choices. If a goal of yours has been to have a much healthier diet, now would be the time to actually start working towards that goal. When a crisis hits one thing most people stock up on is food.
This often times can cause grocery stores to have less food stocked up in stores for you to be able to have. As frustrating as this can be don’t let it be a reason you jump ship on your health goals and make takeout food your new go-to meals for the day. Instead, take a look at what is available in your grocery store and adjust as necessary.
There are plenty of healthy foods that you can fuel your body with. You can never go wrong with fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as nuts, and white meat if possible. Take this time to curb a lot of your bad eating habits and adopt healthier ones.
This includes eating between a specific time frame a day, snacking on healthier choices such as nuts and fruits, and intentionally preparing your meals for the day.
Tip #2: Drink plenty of water
I preach this all the time and it’s only because I know that is has so many positive benefits for our health. Water is not the best tasting drink but honestly, it’s the best drink that we can give ourselves daily. If you don’t drink a lot of water currently now would be the time to make this a habit.
When a crisis hits chances are all the bottled water in the store is going to be one of the first things to go. Filtered water is great but faucet (tap) water will do the trick just fine (if it’s clean and safe for you to drink). Instead of rushing to the store to stock up on water create a habit of drinking plenty of water with the resources you have in your own home.
Adopting this tactic can save you greatly in the long run because it’s not a problem you will find yourself facing when a crisis happens.
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Tip #3: Create a sleeping schedule
Sleep is so important on a daily basis and even more so during a crisis. Often times we can become easily overwhelmed with everything that is happening in the world that we forget to rest. While sleep may not sound like the answer the reality is it’s the best answer for remaining healthy during this hard time.
Even when you’re not tired still follow through with your bedtime routine, and lay down to rest as if you are going to sleep. Staying consistent with any routine that you have is going to be key for your mental and emotional health during a crisis.
This is because despite what may be happening in the world, you’re still managing the things that are within your control. Sleep can help with this by preventing you from feeling exhausted and overwhelmed with having to make adjusts in your daily schedule.
Tip #4: Schedule me time
It’s so important to make sure that you are taking time for yourself. When a crisis hits most families are probably wanting to stay close to each another so that they are able to better lookout for one another. While this seems like a great idea it can take a toll on you mentally and emotionally.
To avoid experiencing a mental or emotional breakdown it’s important to carve out time for yourself. Whether this is part of your self-care routine or something you schedule in daily, make time for yourself. You also want to make sure that the time you are taking for yourself is time spent by yourself.
When we’re surrounded by people all the time it can be hard to hear our own voice, take up our own space, and clear our head of thoughts. When we don’t allow ourselves time to process and reflect everything that is happening it all just piles up.
This is what leads to a mental or emotional breakdown. Avoid it by taking that time to care for yourself so that you can better be present for others.
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Tip #5: Get creative with exercise
One of the most important things to do during a crisis is to stay on top of your daily exercise. If you’re not able to go to the gym take advantage of the space that you have at home. There are so many ways you can exercise at home without the assistance of gym equipment.
You can use the stairs, your bed, the floor, the dining room chairs, cups or water bottles in your house, and even your daily chores as a way to get in a good workout. If these are not options that you want to take advantage of there are still other ways you can exercise at home.
This includes following along to workout videos on YouTube or on apps that are created specifically for at home workouts. There’s also the option to take a walk in your neighborhood, use the outside environment to your advantage such as the playground, and so much more.
A crisis shouldn’t stop you from taking care of yourself physically. Instead, you should view it as an opportunity to get creative in the way that you initiate your daily workouts.
Tip #6: Take breaks from social media
When a crisis hits, one thing we all want to do is stay informed. While this is great it can also be harmful. Taking in too much information about what is happening during a crisis can cause us to become extremely overwhelmed with fear of the unknown.
To avoid this, take breaks from social media and the news. Schedule times for when you will check in and see any new developments with a story.
For example, during the Covid-19 pandemic I made a conscious decision to be updated about anything new happening with the virus in the morning while eating breakfast. Afterwards, I intentionally chose to reframe from looking further into it for the rest of the day.
Taking an approach such as this can help you stay present in the moment and connected with everything that is happening in the now.
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Tip #7: Create a wellness vision
This is something that I love to do every 2-3 months. A wellness vision is a detailed description of goals that you want to achieve for yourself within a specific amount of time. This can include goals related to your health, your wellness, family relationships, exercise goals, and much more.
During a crisis your initial reaction may be to react (freak out) and panic (no longer plan until further notice). Do not let this be your initial reaction. Instead, make it your intention to create a plan for something that you can start working towards now.
This will not only help keep you distracted from everything that is happening during the crisis, but it will also keep you busy by giving you something meaningful to work towards.
Tip #8: Participate in various at home activities
During a crisis there may be a limitation to all the things that you can do outside of your home. This includes being able to go to the mall, kill time in your favorite store, go shopping, go the movies, and much more. While this may seem like a bummer it doesn’t have to be.
Instead, take advantage of the time you will be spending at home to connect more with your family. One thing my family and I like to do at home is play Monopoly. You too can play a game of Monopoly with your family and easily kill about 2 hours of the day.
There are tons of board games you can play with your family such as Sorry, Chess, Checkers, Risk, Heads Up, and so much more. You can even play card games such as Speed or Go-fish. Games are a great way to go that allows for the whole family to be a part of.
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Tip #9: Connect with others
During a crisis we want to know that those we love and care about are ok. This is the perfect opportunity to check in with loved ones that may not be close in proximity to you, as well as friends that you have not spoken to in a while.
This can help to relieve yourself of fear and anxiety, and bring reassurance that those close to you are coping with the crisis well. This also provides the opportunity to strengthen the relationship that you have with someone.
This is because you will have more time on your hand to check in with others and actually spend quality time with them. Even if it’s only virtually or over the phone.
Tip #10: Practice self-care religiously
Lastly, practice self-care.
While you should be practicing self-care daily the reality is that sometimes life gets in the way and we’re not able to. However, when a crisis hits there is no better time to make yourself a priority then the time that you will be spending at home.
Self-care ensures that we are checking in with ourselves constantly, it helps us better connect with others, it brings greater awareness to our thoughts and emotions, and it rejuvenates us in ways that other activities may not.
During a crisis there will be a lot of emotions that you will be experiencing. The best way to manage all those emotions so that you can stay healthy and sane is by practicing self-care daily, and on some days more than once in a day.
Conclusion
While we hope to never have to experience a crisis that completely uproots our life, we can’t control all the things that will happen during our time on Earth. Sometimes a crisis will happen, big or small, and we need to be prepared for it.
Not just financially but also in regards to our mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health.
These are just a few ways you can prepare yourself to remain healthy physically, mentally, and emotionally during a crisis. What ideas do you have?
-Xo
Kimora