Adding Sunshine to Your Day
SIMMI UPPALADADIUM, ‘18
WITH SUMMER AROUND THE CORNER, SIMMI UPPALADADIUM SHARES SOME OF THE THINGS THAT BRIGHTEN HER DAYS. A RECENT NEW YORK UNIVERSITY GRADUATE, SIMMI ISN’T LOSING HER SUNSHINE EVEN AS SHE SPENDS HER DAYS INDOORS ADJUSTING TO FULL-TIME REMOTE WORK.
It’s no surprise that most of us have been spending countless hours at home and the days have been blending into each other.
If you are a senior in college who just had your graduation replaced with a virtual ceremony, I’m right there with you. Many students are in the midst of studying for their online final exams right now and the overwhelming pressure of school has followed them home.
I started working full-time in February, just three weeks before life changed as we know it. I made the decision to start working early because I knew I’d be done with classes in December, but I was looking forward to a formal graduation ceremony in May and one last full celebration with my friends. By the end of March, it became clear that an in-person commencement would not be feasible, and I left New York to stay with my family in New Jersey.
The structured day of waking up, exercising, going to work, and then coming home for dinner quickly evaporated. There is an underlying, internal pressure to be constantly working or “on” all the time. The lack of physical separation of home and office space means that even when you’re sitting at your desk working, your mind is drifting to what you’re going to cook later. Or, when you’re watching a movie, you’re stressing about your stress for work – yes, it’s a thing.
Taking mental health days from work was necessary when things were “normal” and it is just as important now. Create that separation between school or your job and your personal time. Always being logged on, constantly thinking about the next assignment due date or exam, or checking your email at all hours will only induce more stress. If you don’t have whole days you can take off, carve out whatever time you can in a day just for yourself.
Here’s a couple of ways I’ve been taking little mental health breaks during my time at home:
Taking quick 10 - 15 minute walks outside around my neighborhood. It helps wake me up from my afternoon slump and helps me get those steps in! I realize not everyone is able to leave their house and might still be in a highly affected city, but at least pop open a window, turn on some music, and walk around in your room! I’ve been using Strava to log my runs and other exercises, which is a fun way to see physical activity over time.
Teaching virtual workout classes on weekends. This helps me stay physically active and stay connected with people. I get to share my love for fitness with others and bring some sweaty smiles to their faces!
Leaving my phone in a different room, out of reach, or completely turned off. Sometimes we just need to get away from being so connected and appreciate what is right in front of us. This is especially true when enjoying a meal or spending time with loved ones.
Practicing headstands
You weren’t expecting that one, were you?
I saw one of my friends do one and got it in my head that this was SO COOL and I just had to try it.
4 weeks later and I can finally do one! It was a small personal goal, just for me, and made me happy every time I made a little bit of progress.
Find something that you want to work on, just for you.
Facetiming friends. Quick check-ins with your friends who might be across the country will no doubt put a smile on your face and theirs.
Baking!
Okay, no surprise there. You have baked banana bread at least once by now. I’ve been trying to replace the ingredients in common recipes with “healthier” alternatives, like these recipes for my favorite shortbread cookies and secretly healthy pancakes, at @healthyhipsterx.
The NY Times Mini Crossword. 3 minutes of my day (sometimes 1.5 minutes if I’m really good) go towards this. Short and sweet but so much fun.
Don’t forget that it’s okay to disconnect. It’s okay to just take some time for yourself. Stay healthy, stay happy, and add some sunshine to your day!
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