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Needless to say, this has been a stressful time for millions of households across the country. Along with health and financial stresses, you may find that the COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed your everyday routine.

And if your family is self-isolating or under another lockdown order right now, you may be looking for ways to battle the tension that naturally emerges when family members are stressed out and uncertain about the future. Consider these budget-friendly methods for alleviating tension in your household — from enhancing your fitness routine with gear from Elite Fitness Essentials to establishing family movie nights:

Take Time for Yourself

First of all, you must take care of your own health and well-being. Otherwise, you won’t be able to care for the loved ones around you. In essence, self-care means doing activities that help to promote your physical, mental, and emotional wellness. Make time to practice self-care each day, in one way or another, and it will go a long way in helping you (and your family) stay healthy and happy during these difficult times. And it doesn’t have to cost a lot of money.

Try to find an exercise routine that works well for you. If you find something you enjoy doing with other members of your household, even better. Regular exercise is essential to your physical, mental, and emotional well-being, and it comes with a lot of short-term and long-term benefits. Whether it’s practicing yoga with yoga props (which you can get for a discounted price at Elite Fitness Essentials), going for a run in the neighborhood, or doing family HIIT workouts in the backyard, try to stay active at least four days a week.

Also, make sure you’re getting the rest you need. Schedule your life to where you get at least seven hours of sleep each night. And find relaxing activities that you can do on a weekly basis. Maybe this means picking up a new hobby, using your bathroom as a spa, getting out of town for the weekend, or doing anything else that helps you and your loved ones to unwind and de-stress.

Eating a healthy diet is also essential, and you can make this easier by setting aside a couple of hours each week to meal prep. For instance, if you meal prep on Sunday, you can have delicious, healthy lunches and/or dinners readily available throughout the entire week. This also happens to be a much cheaper option than dining out or getting takeout regularly!

Find Deals

Did you know that shopping can be a form of self-care? There’s just something about retail therapy that can ease the stress in your life. And by using deal sites, you can score some great prices on a variety of clothing and other items. For example, if you like Lululemon, be sure to use online promo codes and coupons at checkout to further your savings on that awesome outfit.

Try New Family Activities

Another way to ease household tension is to create new family routines that involve budget-friendly activities everyone can enjoy. Start a new hobby like cooking, scrapbooking, or learning a new language. Get outdoors to go hiking, camping, or birdwatching. Create a weekly family movie night or game night. Just find things that can help all of you unwind and enjoy being together — you’ll find that most of the best ones are free.

Establish Work Routines

If you’re working from home while self-isolating with your family, you must have a solid routine in place. Otherwise, you’re asking for excessive stress and tension. Figure out when your kids need to do school work, consider what hours of the day you are most productive, and figure out how to find harmony between the two. And be sure to make room for fun family activities and self-care. Having the right schedule in place will allow you to be more productive in your work, which will help you bring in more money in the long term.

You can start taking budget-friendly steps today that will help to alleviate some of the tension your household has been dealing with. Remember to practice self-care, use coupons when shopping, schedule fun family activities, and create effective work routines. You’ll quickly notice how much healthier and happier you and your family members feel.