7 wellbeing tips for maintaining balance during COVID-19

The past few weeks have been unsettling for most of us but one thing's for sure, whether you're a key worker or staying at home self-isolating, we're all in this together.

Given many of us are also working from home, we wanted to share our best advice for maintaining balance and looking after your wellbeing.

1. Eat well and stay healthy

It goes without saying, try to eat a healthy diet. We started Mindful Chef with one mission to make healthy eating easy and at this time we know it’s more important than ever that we provide you with everything you need to prepare a delicious, healthy meal. From our fresh recipe boxes to our nutritious frozen meals and smoothie pouches, we're here to help.

2. Cook to unwind

Immerse yourself in the cooking process and be mindful of each step and ingredients - this can provide a much-needed distraction from everyday pressures. Also use this time as a chance to play around with staple ingredients like black beans, chickpeas and rice. Looking for inspiration? You can browse 1000+ of our healthy, delicious recipes here.

3. Try meditating

It's okay if you're feeling worried, you are not alone, as there's a lot of uncertainty at the moment. It might help to take time each day - morning or evening - to try meditating. Headspace is offering a lot of free guided meditations. Give them a try and see how you get on.

4. Keep moving

If you're able too, take time at lunch or first thing in the morning to go for a walk or run outside. If you can't leave the house, there are lots of workouts online that you can do with no gym equipment to get those feel-good endorphins going. Check to see if your gym is hosting any online classes. We've found a lot of great workouts on social media like IGTV videos from The Foundry trainer Laura and yoga videos coming soon from Level Six.

5. Get talking

It's amazing to see at this challenging time more households are sitting down and eating together at mealtimes. Social-isolation doesn't have to be lonely, there are loads of amazing apps out there that mean you can eat together virtually too - why not give a digital dinner party a go?

It's also a great idea to schedule regular check-ins with your manager and team, as it helps you prioritise your workload and keep productivity from slipping.

6. Go green

Love the space you're in. Nature is good for our health and happiness, so why not add some plant life to your home. House plants can help purify the air, as well as create a calm atmosphere, promoting relaxation and focus. We're a big fan of Patch Plants or opt for a beautiful bouquet from our friends at Freddie's Flowers.

7. Take breaks

So, you're suddenly working from home. You miss the office environment, catch-ups with your colleagues and the coffee machine. It's important to take time away from your work (and even have your usual tea breaks). It might even be useful to schedule in 15-minute breaks into your day to give your mind (and eyes) some rest and help establish some routine. Not sure what to do in your breaks? You could use the time to listen to podcasts like this one we recorded with Fearne Cotton a couple of weeks back, water your new houseplants (see above!) and catch-up with friends and family.

The Mindful Chef team are here to help, hopefully, these tips are useful but if there is anything else we can do please let us know. You might also like to join our secret customer community and connect with other likeminded customers. Take care.