Be kind

“The first rule of kindness is to be kind to yourself.” – Bryant McGill

Keeping your body healthy is an important for getting through tough times. Caring for your body can help you continue to support your family and community, by giving you energy, boosting your immunity, and making you feel good.

Here are some ideas and resources that can help you keep fit and healthy:

• Get enough sleep: Try some night-time meditation, reading a good book, taking a relaxing bath or changing to fresh bedding so you can get the rest you need.
• Head outdoors: Fresh air really is the best medicine. Tend to your garden, play with your kids or pets, or visit an open walking track. Try to mix up your exercise routine and take in the beautiful sights and scents of Hobart.
• Get creative. Try drawing, learning an instrument, painting, writing or freshening up a room. Check out a tutorial or other inspiration on our Keep Creative and Engaged page.
• Keep moving: Are you missing your usual gym workout or just needing some motivation to keep active? There are some great local fitness activities that can also help you connect with others. Check out Meet Up and Park Run. There are some great ideas for new activities from Women's Sport and Recreation. If you want to stay home there are some great online activities too: take a look at The Body Coach TV and Ready Set Dance on YouTube for activities to keep the whole household moving. Join the Tassie Home2Work Facebook page to receive free exercise and fitness activities, scheduling and inspiration to keep you productive through your work week.
• Eat healthy food. Keep your immunity strong and your mind sharp by eating well. Choose your healthiest comfort foods to help you work through stress, and take the opportunity to cook healthy meals at home.
• DIY pampering: Schedule a foot bath, paint your nails, relax in a warm bath, or ask a loved one for a massage.
• Practice yoga and/or meditation. Try online yoga classes or guided meditation. To take it to the next level, you could set up a tranquil space to help you tune in. You could experiment with mindfulness websites and apps such as:
  • Mindfulness and Mental Health
  • Smiling Mind
  • Insight Timer
  • Smiling Mind
  • Gratefulness
  • The Fabulous
  • The Kindness App

• Now more than ever, it is vital that we all keep connected. Try and create space for other people every day. Even just a wave or a smile to a neighbour can help you feel connected if you are isolating.

“No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted.” – Aesop

Some people in our community are feeling isolated and alone right now. Below are some ideas and resources to help you support others and show you care:

• Offer to do a grocery shop for someone who is unable to go themselves. Throw in that extra treat or two to make them smile.
• Smile or wave at a stranger. You never know the impact it could have. You might be the only person they've seen that day.
• Encourage respect: We know that many in our community are facing increased racism at the moment. Racist behaviour is never okay and it can have devastating impacts. Depending on the situation, there are lots of ways to help. See more here on the Hobart Respects All page.
• Volunteer: Get involved with a community organisation helping the most vulnerable. Volunteering Tasmania can help you connect with a volunteering opportunity that is right for you.
• Support a small business. Buy local, eat out, or grab some takeaway and try buying a voucher to be used at a later date. See Hello Hobart for local business information and tips.
• Pay it forward. A group of Hobart friends have been paying their local café to give coffees to doctors and nurses as they start their shifts – wow! Show your gratitude to your local medical professionals, teachers, grocery store staff or other essential service workers by sending them a take-away or ordering them flowers.
• Be kind to the environment. Maybe start a home composting system, think about reducing your waste and enjoy walking rather than driving. Take the opportunity of living closer to home to have a positive impact on environmental issues.

For some people, working from home has become the new normal. Making sure we create boundaries, both physically and mentally, to allow us to transition from home to work and back is a key part of staying motivated and productive.

Here are a few more tips:

• Create a designated workspace. Make it beautiful with a picture or plant, and keep it tidy.
• Protect your posture. Ensure your desk, chair, computer, screens, mouse, and keyboard meet safety requirements.
• Dress for work each day. Whilst it may be tempting to stay in your pyjamas, doing so can trick your mind into thinking it's relaxation time.
• Take regular breaks to move and get some fresh air. Join the Tassie Home2Work Facebook page that provides free exercise and fitness activities, scheduling and inspiration to keep you productive through your work week.
• Stay connected and communicate regularly with work colleagues. Mix up your communication methods so you aren't always stuck at the screen, such as having a phone meeting whilst walking in the garden.
• Keep a work schedule and make it more structured than normal so that you can keep up productivity in your home environment and keep work and home life separate. Try creating blocks of time for each task, and factor in breaks and home schooling.
• Create and enforce healthy work boundaries. Read more for additional tips from the BBC.