Saturday morning, ten o’clock. The sun is shining, the air is just the right amount of crisp with the promise of warmth later on, and I have no plans for the entire day.
It’s also early April, 2020.
And aside from my once-every-two-weeks trip to the grocery store, I haven’t interacted with another human in-person for days or actually been anywhere. Unlike when I lived in major cities, I no longer live in a neighborhood that’s easy walking distance to shops, restaurants, parks, or other attractions.
So I fill a travel mug with coffee, put on some shoes, and head outside.
Forming new habits during the pandemic
During the pandemic, I started changing some of my habits for the better, and the coffee walk–now two and a half years later–is one that’s stuck.
Mind you, walking with coffee was not a new concept for me. I frequently went on walks with coffee in hand when I lived in New York, Boston, and even Vienna (where, as far as I’m aware, “coffee to go” only started becoming a thing in more recent years). But for each of those walks, I was usually on my way to someplace else. A walk with no actual destination in mind, just a spin around my neighborhood, was different.
But I’d asked myself how I could turn a simple walk around the neighborhood into more of a special treat. And the answer was “bring coffee.”
It was something to look forward to, something I knew I could do on weekend mornings or even during the week on my lunch breaks while working from home. I felt not only refreshed, but also like I was doing something fun just for me.
How did the “coffee walk” help me?
I’m not talking about a revolutionary concept here. I mean, I was walking. With coffee. Really, it’s not that exciting. But in the world of Spring 2020, it was exactly the type of little thing to look forward to that I needed.
After said coffee walk, I’d head home and spend time on the porch curled up with a book or working on my own writing, or (if it started raining, as it often does during spring in the mountains), put on a cozy show or movie.
It was a simple way to break up my day, to make me feel like I’d gone “out” to do something even while stuck at home. And, if I was tired and didn’t feel like going to somewhere else outdoors where I could walk around (which would have required me to drive somewhere), I could step outside my front door for some simple self-care.
Other simple self-care measures
While the coffee walk was a fun recharge to look forward to, and a way to get out of the house that required little effort, it wasn’t the only measure I took to take care of myself. Here’s a short list of small things that I’d like to share in the hopes that they strike inspiration for others’ everyday lives, pandemic or not:
- Immediately stepping outside after the workday ended at 5:00 to either rest on the porch or go for a walk
- Identifying and cutting out foods that don’t help my ultra-sensitive skin (I’m already a vegetarian, but I cut out dairy as much as possible, and it was easier than expected!)
- Waking up a bit earlier to write (or to read and enjoy a slow, relaxing morning before work)
- Reminding myself to breathe (sometimes with the help of meditation apps!)
- Listening to podcast episodes while cleaning the house, doing laundry, or doing dishes (it definitely makes all of these activities more enjoyable!)
- Creating a Sunday evening routine to help chase away the Sunday scaries
All of these activities have two things in common: 1) they are small steps geared toward improving my own well-being, and 2) they are easy to incorporate–and keep–in my routine. Along with the “coffee walk,” they not only helped me during the pandemic, but have been great additions to my day-to-day life in general.
Image: Pixabay, Alexas_Fotos
