You are not going to the gym this week. You may not leave the house. That does not mean your body has to spend twelve straight hours in a chair or on a couch.
The goal is not fitness. The goal is to remind your body that it is still a body, and that it is still yours.
Things that count, that take less than ten minutes, that you can do without leaving the room your loved one is in:
- Standing up and walking from one end of the house to the other. Twice.
- Rolling your shoulders backward, ten times. Then forward, ten times.
- Putting your hands flat on the wall and leaning into it for a slow count of thirty. Your back will thank you.
- Standing on one foot while you brush your teeth. Then the other.
- Stretching your arms over your head and taking three slow breaths.
If you can get outside for a walk, even ten minutes around the block, take it. The combination of movement and daylight is one of the most underrated things available to a tired person.
Your body is doing a lot for you right now. Give it small acknowledgments throughout the day. It will keep showing up.
If this sounds like you
Hearthly keeps a private space that's only yours — a place to set down what you're carrying, notice the heavy days, and breathe for a minute. See the caregiver space →