Given how tumultuous a time it has been for all, we found this podcast with episodes that will lift your spirits. The Happiness Lab podcast is narrated by Dr. Laurie Santos who is a Yale professor who teaches a class called “Psychology and the Good Life.” Through various episodes, Dr. Santos references the latest, relevant scientific research and relates them to everyday experiences and some unusual moments.

In this specific series, she’s curated a variety of content related to coping with the coronavirus. We found a lot of the commentary relatable and useful.

The content specific to coronavirus includes the following:

1. Beat Your Isolation Loneliness
2. Coach Yourself Through a Crisis
3. Rising to a Challenge
4. Calm Can Be Contagious
5. Help Others to Help Yourself
6. Keep Your Relationship Happy
7. Checking in with Susan David
   Susan David is a Psychologist at Harvard Medical School who offers ways to manage fear and panic through healthy strategies that anyone can adopt.
8. Laurie’s Personal Tips

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Though many people generally exercise at home, we know that there are many others who have had to recreate their regular exercise habits during this time of sheltering in place. We polled our Evidation community, and 70% of members who responded said they have been finding new ways to exercise or stay active during the coronavirus pandemic. We then asked our members to share some of their exercise tips, routines, and links to their favorite home workout videos and helpful stretches to inspire others.

Here are a few ways you can exercise at home:

1. If you do not have a home gym set up or any weights, you can find ways to use household items to get a great exercise in.
2. Similarly, instead of buying separate weights to create your own home gym, you can also purchase exercise video games for the whole family to join on the fun.
3. Online videos and streaming sites like YouTube are common places that Achievers are getting exercise routines from. Here’s a list of fitness gyms and studios that are offering free classes.
4. Fitness apps like Fitbit or MyFitnessPal also offer exercise tips for at home workouts and is also an easy way to keep track of your progress as well.
5. Pinterest has been a popular site for inspiration and tips since Achievers are able to pin multiple resources to one place. Here’s an example of the many you can find.
6. Zumba is an exercise-dance program that has been great to do in groups or by yourself. Here’s a resource to do Zumba at home.
7. You can search social media platforms to find inspiring fitness instructors or live exercise sessions. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat are easy places to start!
8. Create your own workout routine or do the alphabet challenge by doing bodyweight exercises that spell out your name. You can start out with your name, your pet’s name, or anyone else in your household!
9. If you’re looking for other ways to get your cardio in, you can try jump rope exercises. It’s a simple, but effective way to increase your heart rate and work out multiple areas.
10. Another helpful exercise is stretching your muscles, it’s a great way to start or end your exercise session.
11. For Achievers who may have limited mobility or who have chronic pain, these exercises and stretches are a great way to keep your body moving.
12. If you’re looking for other ways to improve your flexibility or range of motion, yoga and pilates can be a fun way to stretch your muscles. It’s great for anyone at any difficulty level!
13. Other exercises like barre offer a mixture of isometric holds to increase strength and also improve posture. Barre also requires little to no equipment!
14. Whether you own a regular bike or a stationary bike, biking is one exercise that is easy on the joints and helps reduce stress. Here’s a few tips on how to make biking more fun.
15. Practicing tai chi and breathing exercises offers many benefits for both your mental and physical health. You can stream videos to follow along and do them on your own once you learn the motion.

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We know that together we can always achieve more. That’s why we were glad to hear from so many members when we sent out a poll about self-care tips during coronavirus.

We received over 75,000 responses and decided to consolidate some of the top themes we saw across our community to gauge how Evidation Members were practicing self-care during this time.

Here’s a list of the top 20 activities and suggestions that we saw!

1. Make sure to eat and drink immune boosting food and beverages. For a list of suggestions, check out this article from CNN Health.
   Teaser: Carrots, kale, and apricot are good sources of beta carotene and oranges, strawberries, and broccoli are good sources of Vitamin C.
2. Take the time that you need when possible to squeeze in a nap to get enough rest.
3. Make a morning and evening routine to help create some structure during your day.
4. Watch a comedy show to make sure to create laughter during your day. Check out some of the top stand up comedy shows on Netflix.
5. Create a gratitude list or even download a Gratitude Journal app to document positive things that happen throughout your day.
6. Take out your favorite board game to play with friends or family. Check out a few ideas here!
7. Plant some seeds or work on a gardening project. Watch this YouTube video from Epic Gardening for ideas (including how to use a water bottle to make a container garden)
8. Take a long bath and grab a face mask or two! If you’re feeling adventurous, you can make a natural face mask with ingredients at home.
9. Check out one of these online resources to print out coloring books to take a mini break in the middle of your day.
10. Spend time catching up on reading. If you’re a parent, check out some free content and stories that Audible has made available here.
11. Stretch daily! Here’s a quick yoga video for when you need a mid work-day break.
12. Work towards a goal even if you’re stuck indoors. For example, try a new recipe every week or make it a point to connect via video chat with a friend or family member every few days.
13. Up your podcast game! Check out this list from Esquire on top 2020 podcasts to listen to.
14. Find a class that you can take online! Here’s a list of popular classes from Coursera that are available for free online.
15. For parents — rally kids together to write chalk messages on the sidewalk! We’ve heard about neighborhoods spreading positivity to others through sidewalk chalk messages, and we’re inspired by trending #chalkwalks.
16. Try a crafting project like knitting or crocheting to calm your nerves. Check out this tutorial on how to learn how to knit.
17. Limit your news intake. Try and stay updated, but not inundated with new stories.
18. Be sure to drink lots of water!
19. Have a dance party at home or virtually with co-workers! Our team has a weekly 5-minute dance party.
20. Jump on the jigsaw puzzle bandwagon. Grab a puzzle from your local bookstore.

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We know that this particular time is unnerving and challenging during the coronavirus, so we wanted to share some tips and tricks from our team to help you find some calm throughout your day.

• Connect with your friends and family through virtual lunches or even a happy hour! Regularly check in with your loved ones to see how they’re doing. Video chat can help you feel more connected.
• Download a mindfulness app to get a daily or weekly moment of meditation in! Don’t forget that Stop, Breathe, Think connects to Achievement, so you can continue to track your progress! We were also glad to hear that Headspace has unlocked a series of specially curated content for consumers who have an account called Weathering the Storm. You can preview content here. Mindfulness app Calm has an online portal available that you can check out as well!
• Stuck inside most of the day? Schedule a quick walk or grab some time to be amidst nature. Be careful to maintain social distancing during this break. Don’t forget that if you have a backyard, it can be a quick escape during the day. One of our team members played “I Spy” with her little ones when they did a walk around the neighborhood.
• Take a virtual tour of a museum while you’re staying in. Read about how these 12 famous museums offer tours that you can take from the comfort of your couch.
• Give Bullet Journaling a try to help organize thoughts. Follow this Pinterest board for ideas or prompts. Journaling can be a relaxing way to express how you’re feeling and prompts can help you take the time to reflect.
• Take breaks from reading and viewing the news and grab your favorite book or listen to a good podcast. Check out this list of podcasts for book lovers.
• Livestream music from famous venues like the Metropolitan Opera and keep an eye on Global Citizen on Instagram to hear about live concerts that famous musicians are live streaming for fans.
• Tune in to an online workout! Check out 15 Minute Relaxing Yoga for Anxiety and Stress Relief, 5 Best Chair Cardio Exercises, or this 7 Minute Ab Workout to catch a good healthy break when you’re indoors.

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We’ve all been there — the “new year, new me” mindset where the first few months of the year we quickly shift our habits in order to become a better version of ourselves. However, right as the ball gets rolling, the progress suddenly stops. Why am I not running as far? Why am I not losing any more weight? What am I doing wrong? Here are 5 key points we found that might have you stuck with your health goals (hint: it’s not your fault!)

1. The Inevitable Plateau

According to a Washington post article, once you gain the initial traction, there will be an inevitable plateau. It’s actually part of the journey. You didn’t do anything wrong, but rather you hit a milestone. Once you achieve your small goals, the journey is just beginning!

The plateau is your body’s way of telling you that you may need to switch up your fitness or eating regime to keep your body stimulated and get the most benefits from your efforts! Remember that health does not have an endpoint, it is a journey with a myriad of challenges and achievements that help sustain healthy behaviors.

2. Having grit: make a plan and stick to it!

To overcome the plateau, it’s important to analyze your goals. But first, what are they? Why do you want to achieve these goals? What steps can you take right now to achieve your goals? Having grit shows that you are resilient, able to persevere through tough situations, and keep your eye on the prize.

Remember that your journey towards better health may be nonlinear and may come with obstacles. But it’s important to create a system that works for you and make your goals attainable. According to Plunkett of the Washington Post, “the main difference between an average adult and a high-level athlete isn’t a lack of talent or willpower but rather a lack of a system.” At Achievement, we’re here to help you reach your goals no matter how big or small. Whether it is walking 5,000 steps or 25,000 steps per day, you will be rewarded for your healthy actions!

3. Have someone nudge you — accountability and buddy system

A few health experts like Dr. Arefa Cassoobhoy found that she does better when she shares her health goals with someone else. It’s important to have someone support you and be able to share wins and losses during your health journey. Having someone join you will also hold you accountable to reach your goals, and you may be helping someone else reach theirs! Win-win!

Additionally, digital health trackers are a great way to help hold you accountable to health goals and track your journey. Our in-house research team looked at thousands of individuals using digital health trackers and found a positive association between activity tracking frequency and weight loss. Just one more reason to try out a new health and wellness app for some extra accountability.

4. Rethink, don’t sink.

Perspective is key — making healthy choices shouldn’t be seen as a chore, but more of making everyday incremental investments to be a better version of yourself. Instead of having the same routine for months straight, mix it up. Try a new exercise, mix up your sleep routine, or try adding daily meditation to your day to see what works for you. This will stimulate more progression and get you out of the plateau sooner.

If you dislike running, try substituting running for something that still keeps your heart going like swimming. If you dislike eating certain foods, try substituting those foods with other ones you like that offer the same nutrition. Your health journey is not a race to the finish line — remember that this journey is about learning and creating the best version of yourself.

Cultivating confidence and finding the reasons behind your goals will help motivate you through the journey. PennState Extension Educator Lynn James stated building confidence, praise, and support are key factors in motivating you to reach your health goals. Furthermore, take time to thank your body. Akin to health expert Samantha Heller, a registered dietitian and exercise physiologist, shares that your body is working 24/7 to keep you alive; therefore, we should appreciate our body and hone in on practicing positive body image.

5. Pat yourself on the back: reward yourself.

Lastly, recognize that you are making strides and meeting milestones in your journey. For all the hard work you put in, you deserve to treat yourself! Through the Achievement app, you can connect and earn points for cash for your hard work! Woo-hoo! Our research team notes how incentives can help form habits. In this case, we want to reward you for the healthy actions you take to form healthy habits.

You can make a reward system that best suits your lifestyle, such as going to the movies or going out with your loved ones after completing your week’s workout. If you have been diligent in preparing your meals and enjoy making your own meals and drinks, use your Achievement reward to treat yourself to buying the nice blender that you wanted for your smoothies or slow cooker for your weekly meals. If you have been sticking to your exercise routine, use your rest day to spend some time hanging out with your family or friends and share your journey with them.

At Achievement, we strive to support you along your health journey and make it enjoyable. We hope that these key points and tips will give you the boost you needed to carry on and continue to progress. Was there something that we missed that made it on your motivator list? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

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