With the current landscape creating changes—and challenges—for everything from our day-to-day routines like the way we shop for necessities to employment risks and realities, the need for self-care has never been more important. Finding ways to reduce stress, stay calm and to function at your highest level is no longer a nice-to-have but a necessity. We’ve shortlisted a few of our favorite ways to be good yourself in body, mind and spirit—that will make a little more self-care feel like fun.

1. Learn a New Skill

As Forbes reports, self-care is not just good for you, it’s also good for your productivity. ¹ This means that taking the class you’ve been dreaming about is more than a smart investment and potential side-hustle plan; it’s also a smart self-care strategy. Popular creative-skill outposts like Skillshare and General Assembly are offering free classes and workshops, and many public libraries also provide free access to online learning and professional development resources like Lynda.com.² Or take the most popular class in Yale’s 300+ year history for free, “The Science of Well Being.”³ Whether for work or play, learning something new is a great way to spend this extra time and jumpstart your self-care.

2. Go for Om

While some people still think of meditation as “woo-woo,” science has now shown the power of this practice—and it’s one of self-care’s fastest-growing trends. From training your mind with LeBron James to abundance meditations, this cure-all has been proven to help with everything from anxiety to chronic pain.^{4, 5} YouTube is also a great free resource for not only guided meditations but also meditative music, including the ancient practice of sound healing that uses the vibrations of sound waves for full-body (and mind) relaxation.

3. Consume Happy Content

The age-old adage is right: Laughter really is the best medicine. And in times like these it’s essential to seek out ways to laugh-out-loud, especially when unsettling news can seem all-pervasive. Anything from the latest memes to oh-so-binge-worthy comedy collections from Netflix, taking a moment to stop and be silly can actually be good for your health and your mindset—especially when you watch with friends.^6,7

4. Try a Self-Care Triple Treat

Estimated to be up to 10,000 years old, yoga truly is the triple treat for modern self-care: uniting physical, mental and spiritual practices with each session. From more traditional yoga to the hybrid cardio-boosting Vinyasa flow, many studios are offering free classes right now.⁸ All yoga has the benefit of being great for your immune system, but for an even more powerful punch that will help both body and spirit, try the immunity technology power of Kundalini.⁹

5. Give Back

As Winston Churchill said, “We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.” And there’s no better time than now to give back. People around the globe are sharing whatever talent they have—from scientists offering their bench skills to top DJs streaming live sets from isolation to raise money for charity.^10,11  The added bonus? You’re not only giving back, you’re finding opportunities to meet other people. It may not be IRL, but it’s a beautiful way to stay connected—and to jumpstart your self-care.

Now more than ever, fostering a connection with your whole self across body, mind and spirit is essential, not just for our mental health but for our productivity, too. By taking intentional time for yourself, you’ll have the right mindset to make smart decisions and to take action toward new goals. Make your self-care a regular part of your daily routine, and you’ll find that you’re on track to handle stress with ease and to function at your highest level—no matter what the current market brings.

Brought to you by The Guardian Network ^© 2020. The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America^®, New York, NY

2020-100204 Exp. 4/2022