First Gen American asks:
What are some positive habits you’ve been able to implement in your life since the pandemic began?
This is a good question for the new year, eh?
Exercise, I guess.
I’m better able to work from home now– home computer isn’t just for goofing off.
Not sure what else…
Grumpy Nation, what positive habits have you been able to implement in the past few years?
Grumpy Rumblings (of the formerly untenured) 
January 13, 2023 at 6:10 am
I got into the habit during the pandemic of drinking a lot less alcohol than had been my prior practice. This habit is still in place, altho not as intently at times… 😹 😹 😹
January 13, 2023 at 6:25 am
I’m also exercising regularly, but yeah, that’s about it.
January 13, 2023 at 9:40 am
Exercise for me, too. In addition to my regular exercise routine, my best friend and I started doing a 5-mile walk every Sunday morning and we’ve kept it up. So good for my mental and physical health! Also I started drinking more liquid during the day. I got a kidney stone a few years ago from just being chronically dehydrated. I hate drinking water, so I’ve made a real effort to drink more tea–black in the morning and herbal in the evening. It was easier to get that done during the pandemic but I’ve mostly managed to keep it up since being out and about more.
January 13, 2023 at 10:12 am
Walking with a friend in for exercise/socialization/nature.
Jigsaw puzzles–I find them very meditative and working on them at night helps me to relax/sleep.
Keeping a better-stocked pantry.
January 13, 2023 at 11:18 am
Weightlifting, which has been great for strength building versus the very cardio heavy exercise I used to do. Also have gotten back into reading the past couple months.
January 13, 2023 at 11:44 am
Hmmm. I’ve gotten in the habit of working from basically anywhere, not meaning I work constantly but rather will take a comfortable chair and go work in the woods, or whatever (when I want to). Makes me happy! I probably bike more than I used to, but that reflects a move that wasn’t pandemic related, and other members of the household getting e-bikes (I already had one). I have different dog routines, but that reflects a new (since pandemic) dog! And some different kid routines too, but he’s 3 years older at an age where 3 years makes a big difference. I’m trying to re-incorporate in-person volunteering into my activities.
January 13, 2023 at 3:35 pm
Wearing masks in public! I was planning to always wear masks out when I was sick, but I’m still just always wearing them. For example, right now there’s a virus trifecta attacking our country. Friends who have escaped covid the whole time got it this winter. I’ve still been lucky.
It took me most of last year, but I’m finally using my bullet journal regularly. It’s the world’s ugliest and most boring bullet journal, but it helps me.
And, this year so far I’ve walked at least my little 1.25-mile neighborhood walk every day and done at least one set of calisthenics. I think the every-single-day thing has helped me stay on task, and the tiny-minimum thing has helped me actually do it even at the end of the day when I just want to be done with the day. Extra motivation for this one came from the Rebel Badge Club, a UK-based group for people who work on the founder’s adult merit badges.
January 13, 2023 at 4:36 pm
Oh how did I forget masks!!! And not going out when sick! Not getting sick much has been great too.
January 13, 2023 at 6:29 pm
Thank you for mentioning the Rebel Badge idea! I’m at loose ends right now and that could be just the thing to try. There’s a local to me meetup group so it could be fun.
January 13, 2023 at 8:29 pm
Wow, nice!
January 13, 2023 at 5:54 pm
I do a lot more yoga on my own (every weekday morning) and have managed to get into the habit of running outside (vs on a treadmill) which can be very convenient. My DH and I have also gotten into taking walks together around the neighborhood. And when it’s warm enough I use our balcony a LOT more than I ever used to do. Also masking, and not going in to work sick.
January 13, 2023 at 10:20 pm
Since the pandemic: brain therapy and all the work that goes into making that mean something/affect my life instead of just going in one ear and out the other.
Also masking everywhere. Avoiding large gatherings is good for my soul anyway so that’s just a bonus. Respecting my physical limitations as they need rather than forcing myself to do everything no matter how terrible I feel, or how much worse I’ll feel later.
Not a lot of things but a few impactful things.
January 14, 2023 at 5:26 am
Very important!
January 14, 2023 at 3:50 am
We eat out a lot less than pre pandemic. I do a lot more hand washing but that is more because I’m doing a lot of bathroom caregiving for a LO. Both items have seemed to prevent illness despite not mask wearing in public anymore. I used to get sick constantly. The screen time has increased too much for the whole household though.
January 14, 2023 at 5:25 am
I use hand sanitizer a lot more now. I already avoided touching bathroom door knobs directly but now I have hand sanitizer with me when I can’t wash my hands.
We’ve also been doing grocery pickup instead of shopping though I’m not sure if that’s a good habit or just a new habit.
January 14, 2023 at 10:10 am
Not exactly a habit, but I’d say that I got a lot more intentional about educating my kid myself. She’s now extremely ahead of what her grade is doing in school, to the point at which I look at school as more for social/emotional and home as where she’s still actually being challenged and learning new things.
We cut our rec center membership (stopped because of lockdowns, now insufficient swim instructors and insufficient lifeguards for it to be worth it). We almost never go to coffee shops or eat out. We occasionally do restaurant orders for pickup. We go fewer places in general, whether it’s day-to-day outings, driving to attractions/family, or plane trips. There is no easy, assumed sure-let’s-do, sure-let’s-plan for big or small things, so expenditures are down.
I do grocery shopping almost entirely via pickup now, which means that I don’t have to carve out store-visit time and only buy things that are on a list.
I have to admit that I don’t look at any of these without mixed feelings. They are good. I know they are, and–especially for kid-education–I wouldn’t want the alternative. It’s just that for each one, it’s a good with tarnish on it.
January 14, 2023 at 10:19 am
DC2 got really good at entertaining hirself.
I buy plenty of stuff not on the list via grocery shopping… very good at window shopping groceries online. We’ve even tried new fruits!