Tips and Recommendations while Social-Distancing During Coronavirus
Hello friends! I hope that you are somewhere safe and in good health while you are reading this. Given everything that is currently going on in our world, I have been extremely active on my email distribution sending over all sorts of tips and recommendations. If you are not subscribed, do so here! While I’ve found these to be incredibly helpful (and I’ve fortunately heard from a large amount of you that you do too), I figured I should also put this information somewhere more permanent for everyone to reference.
Given that we are all at home and doing our best to practice social-distancing, I have put together a list of different recommendations to assist you as much as possible. Below you will find organized sections: entertainment (with recommended TV shows, movies, podcasts, and books), workouts (my favorite online streaming services), food (a list of my essential pantry items and some great FF recipes to make during this time), and working from home (my top ten tips for the transition and my daily schedule).
Please let me know if there is anything else you are looking for during this time as I am trying to use my platform to help as many as possible. If you, like me, are looking for ways to make an impact during this pandemic, please reference my blog post here for an incredibly lengthy and detailed list of ways to give back.
ENTERTAINMENT
To help keep us all entertained during these social-distancing times, I’ve created lists of TV shows (both my favorites and those recommended), movies, books, and podcasts.
Podcasts that I’m currently loving:
Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard, which you all know by now is my absolute favorite podcast on earth (yes, even above my own). He finds people who are vulnerable and honest about their struggles and shortcomings and explores their stories
Work in Progress with Sophia Bush features frank, funny, personal, professional, and sometimes even political conversations with people who inspire her on how they’ve gotten to where they are and where they think they’re still going
Diet Starts Tomorrow with Betches co-founders Aleen & Sami, featuring all things wellness, weight loss, mental health and fitness from the no-bullshit perspective of real women who understand the struggle
Pardon My Take by Barstool Sports is the loudest and most correct sports take in the history of the spoken world
Just The Good Stuff with Rachel Mansfield where she chats with various CEOs and founders, wellness experts, industry leaders, best-selling authors and many more to share their inspiring stories with us on how they got to where they are today
Be Well By Kelly with Kelly Leveque and some of her favorite people to give you all the good stuff about nutrition
The Goop Podcast with Gwyneth Paltrow and Elise Loehnen who chat with leading thinkers, culture changers, and industry disruptors
Second Life with Who What Wear co-founder, Hillary Kerr, where she chronicles the career changes that come at any age
How I Built This with Guy Raz where he dives into the stories behind some of the world’s best known companies
Press Send with Chinae Alexander where she fields your questions and brings her trademark honesty to the issues that we all actually care about
WORKOUTS
As much as I love my in-class workouts, that is absolutely not an option right now. Since we are all at home and still looking for ways to move, I put together this condensed list of some of my favorite streaming services. Also, I want you all to remember that while we are being shown an endless amount of at-home workout options, that does not mean we need to be cruel to ourselves and constantly obsess over moving our bodies. I talk more about that in this Instagram post here.
Dancebody Live: everything I love about the NY based studio in the comfort of your own home! They offer their classic dance classes or sculpt series, both of which are guaranteed to get you sweating
Melissa Wood Health: “long lean lines anywhere, anytime”. 15-50+ minute flows that focus on specific body groups or full body exercises. An awesome low intensity option.
Classpass Live: wide variety of on-demand workouts from the app I love so much and use daily to book my in-studio classes. Use that link for a two week free trial
The Class by Taryn Toomey Digital Studio: an immersive and intense workout unlike any other is now offering live streaming from their Tribeca studio and a current free trial
Obe Fitness: live and on-demand workout classes at home with a ton of variety
LYT Yoga: online yoga classes with my friend and yoga guru, Lara Heimann
POPSUGAR Fitness: free youtube workouts with a wide variety of options
Sweat with Kayla Itsines: an amazing app that will get you sweating in under 28 minutes
Peloton: something I’m seriously wishing my parents had right now. The best at-home cycling option out there that has now incorporated other forms of workouts (yoga, stretching, abs, etc). I personally love Cody and Ally!
FOOD
I know there has been a lot of hysteria regarding grocery shopping in these times, but I am not here to build on that energy. I am, however, happy to help provide some recommendations of items I personally purchased for our house.
Emmy’s Organics: gluten-free coconut-based cookies created by my friend Samantha Abrams and are absolutely delicious
Simple Mills: one of my go-to pantry staples for all things gluten-free. They have the most delicious almond flour bars, crackers, baking mixes, and so much more
Liquid IV: it is incredibly important to stay hydrated at this time, so I am relying on my go-to hydration assistant. Use code freckledfoodie for 20% off their website
Elmhurst: my favorite shelf-stable nut milk. Their unsweetened almond and cashew milks are an everyday staple in my life. Use code freckledfoodie20 for 20% off their website
Dry Farm Wines: wine is essential to be stocked up on right now in my opinion! This is the organic, bio-dynamic, and sulfite-free wine that I rely on to guarantee no headache or hangover. Use this link for an additional bottle at just $0.99
Daily Harvest: always helpful to have a freezer stocked with easy to make smoothies, oats, chia bowls, and savory sides. Our freezer is packed and has become a lunchtime staple. Use code freckledfoodie for 3 free cups
ButcherBox: with the mayhem that the grocery stores have turned into, I’m relying on my frozen beef, pork, and chicken that I already have on hand. They deliver delicious and grass-fed, organic, free-range meats.
Now that you have my recommended pantry and freezer items to purchase, here are a few of my recipes that rely heavily on pantry items.
WORKING FROM HOME
As someone who transitioned from the corporate world to working from home almost two years ago, I am fortunate to be in a place where this has not directly impacted my daily workflow. However, because this transition was so recent, I have not forgotten how difficult the beginning period was. I personally struggled a lot with being responsible to create my own structure, feeling isolated in my apartment without a team, and relying on myself to stay focused. If you are feeling any of these emotions, or anything else towards the idea of working from home, remember that it is normal! And, of course, you are not alone. To help in any way I possibly can, I've put together some tips I've learned to have helped.
Set up a morning routine and stick to it. Whether It Is a 15 minute meditation, journaling, or a workout. It Is helpful to set this type of structure.
Get dressed In "real" clothes. As wonderful as the Idea of doing work In your pajamas Is, this separates the "I'm working" from the "I'm lounging". If you would normally wear makeup, apply some of that too!
If possible, designate a space In your home as your "office". For me, this Is our kitchen Island or table. No matter the space, have It be the place that when you sit there, you are doing work
Calendar block and stick to the times. I like to set certain blocks of time for work and then reward myself with 15-20 minutes of something non-work related
Stay active! Every two hours or so remember to get up and walk around your house
Designate meal times and stick to them. If possible, give yourself a break from work to enjoy your meals.
Eat intentionally. Whether that applies to your meals or snacks, be present while you are eating the food and aware of every bite
Limit distractions. If your phone is something that easily distracts you, don’t keep it at your designated work space. No matter the distraction, find a way to remove it from easily being accessed
Make your home a place you’d want to work. Set the tone! Light a candle, get some flowers, play some music, whatever it takes. Make your home a place you want to work. This is the one time you get to control the aesthetic of your office.
Make time for socialization. It can be incredibly lonely working from home, especially when you are used to working in a communal space, so take some time to interact with others. I highly recommend facetime!
Also, to help with anyone in need of some form of structure, here is my typical daily schedule…
