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Health & Home Home Improvement Wellness

Spring Clean Your Life: How to Do it in Just 30 Days

More critical than cleaning your home this spring is to clean your life: de-clutter, let go, and replenish the good that you’ve lost over time. A detoxed, cleaner, lighter, and healthier heart and soul is highly beneficial for a better life.

Here is how you can do it all in just thirty days:

First Week

Begin the first week by prioritizing good health. Swap out unhealthy food items from your diet for whole foods and organic ingredients. Next, assess your financial status and eliminate all unnecessary and unfruitful expenses.

If you haven’t started working out, build a routine immediately and choose exercises you enjoy comfortably. Then, reorganize and clear your pantry.

Second Week

Check your emotional status and let go of emotional baggage that is weighing you down. Clean and transform your shower, try to stop complaining, and look at things more optimistically. Keep your finances on track, too, while reducing all unnecessary spending.

At this point, it would be good to survey your bank statements and cancel the recurring charges you don’t use regularly. Focusing on your financial security is as essential as prioritizing your health.

Quit social media channels that don’t make you feel good anymore or cause jealousy, frustration, and ungratefulness. Reorganize your closet, donate old clothes and also build a good bedtime routine.

Third Week

The point of spring cleaning your life is to let go of all the negativity that ruins the quality of your life. Bitter and negative emotions are prime examples, and in the third week, you must make an action plan for letting go of stress, anger, and loneliness from within.

Just as you’re letting all the emotional junk flush out of your system, simultaneously keep clearing the junk from your drawers as well. Start focusing on healthy home food and invest more effort into meal preps for the week ahead.

When you’re eating well and feeling healthy emotionally, too, life seems to feel a lot better. In case your mind is unable to let go of its burdens, try penning your emotions down onto paper. The therapy might help.

Fourth Week

Now is the time to give your relationships an overhaul. It’s time to categorize your people into relationships you want to continue and enjoy and break out of toxic burdensome and feel like an emotional trap. If it takes reducing your circle to keep only the good ones in life, then go ahead and do it.

Also, take your exercising regime a level higher this week. Go for sweaty cardio and steam showers after, deep clean your rooms, fill free time with stimulating hobbies and improve your skincare routine. By now, you have undoubtedly saved enough to invest in non-toxic and beneficial skincare products.

Start converting some areas of your home into tech-free spaces, filling them with indoor plants and greenery instead. Spread a purifying vibe across your home this week.

Final Thoughts

With our clear and precise guide, you can spring clean your life quite effectively in just thirty days. From feeling accessible emotionally to living in a clutter-free, green home, you’ll love every aspect of your non-toxic and reorganized life.

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Health & Home Wellness

Maximize Your Workouts With These 7 Secrets

When we invest precious time from our hectic lives into a workout regimen, we expect the most out of it. But is time enough of an investment to maximize your workouts? We think not.

You need a few more essential elements to get the best out of your sessions. Here are a few secrets from a personal trainer.

1. Outline Your Goal

When you’ve decided to adopt an exercise regime, you need to build a final goal to motivate you through the journey. Otherwise, you will work out aimlessly in the absence of a health or wellness goal. You will also lack drive.

A goal will motivate you to test your limits and not break your workout commitment on even the busiest days and most arduous exercises.

2. Assess Your Medical History

Before you form a fitness plan, it is best to understand your body’s needs. Assessing your health history will help you identify your goals and your limits. After all, a fitness program’s ultimate goal is to fine-tune your body and get you in optimal health.

3. Warm-up

Never underestimate the effect of a dynamic warm-up. It prepares your body for performing its best during the exercise sessions while reducing your risk of injuries. Warming up is essential to maximize your workouts because it ensures sufficient oxygen for the muscles and increased flexibility to prevent injuries.

4. Go for Variety

Instead of sticking to a rigid workout routine, it is better to develop a flow of exercises for the week. When you add variety, you find your workouts more fun and reduce putting continuous strain on your muscles at a certain angle.

A combination of strength training, high-intensity cardio, and barre classes for your muscles is the best regime.

5. Purposeful Eating

Once you get rolling at the gym, remember your fitness efforts must continue everywhere beyond the gym too. Whenever you’re preparing your meals, most significantly, though, ensure that each food contains a significant nutritional value.

Whatever you consume must serve a substantial nutritional purpose for the body, converting into fuel for your workouts.

6. Form Focus

It is crucial to focus on your form if you wish to maximize your workouts. The extra energy from the proper form helps you give the extra push while ensuring that your movement is beneficial. With improper form, you are more prone to injuries because you tend to target more unintended muscles.

With good form, you jump higher, run faster, push harder and be more agile.

Final Thoughts

To maximize your workouts, you need to perfect many other elements than just devoting time to the gym. From conscious, purposeful eating to coordinating your muscle and mind connection, it takes more than one ingredient to achieve your fitness goals.

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Career Career & Education Health & Home Recreation & Leisure

Lunch Break Ideas that Will Make Your Day Better

You may have made an ideal early morning routine for yourself, considering how it needs to gear you up for the day at work. But what about the rest of the day after your lunch break? Doesn’t it deserve to be unique and worthwhile too?

Of course, it does, and we have ideas of things to do on your lunch break to spruce up the rest of your day.

1.    Play Time

Yes, it’s not just for students. Rather, adults working in offices can do with some playtime too. Try playing dumb charade during lunch break with your colleagues, or just put on some music in the cafeteria (if you can) and encourage your colleagues to shake a leg with you.

The rest of your day is sure to brighten up automatically.

2.    A mid-day Stroll

Why not combine lunch with a stroll afterward? Encourage as many as you can to join in. A walk outside will relax everyone’s bunched muscles and brains and let some of the stress out. The light activity will also energize you for the rest of the day.

3.    Lunch Roulette

This is a great way to expand your networking at work. Lunch roulette is a game wherein you invite someone you’d like to know to grab lunch with you. This is an excellent way of making friends with someone you could never start a conversation with, even though you’d sat across from them for months.

4.    Look Up Recipes to try

If you’re a good cook, whipping up recipes for dinner is a sure way to spend the day in optimistic anticipation. You could look up recipes at lunch break and make plans for a special dinner in the evening for the family or even for yourself only. Food never fails to delight.

5.    Call Your Best friend

If your best friend has the skills to brighten up any conversation, then a chat over the phone with them during your lunch break is a great idea. It would surely put you in a good mood for the rest of the day.

6.    Make Plans

Work friends have a charm of their own and partying with them is a lot of fun too. Use your lunch break to make a dull day sound a lot better by planning an outing, a movie night, dinner, or getting together at home with them. It will put you all in a festive mood.

7.    Take a Power Nap

Power naps have endless benefits, and no one needs scientific evidence to believe them. Napping at any time refreshes and reenergizes you, gearing up for more activities for the rest of the day. Besides, a bit of rest in the second half of the day is good for your health too. It helps your body regulate some processes while improving your memory as well.

8.    Work out

If you can manage a late lunch break, you can make the most of this opportunity by fitting in some workout. Your physical performance is at the peak between 3 pm to 6 pm, and the risk of injuries even lower. Plus, your lungs perform optimally, too, so it would be great to exercise at this time.

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Health & Home Wellness

At-Home Wellness Treatments – 6 I Tried and loved

From saving you tons of money to keeping you safe from public interaction, our at-home wellness treatments ensure that your lockdown experience feels like you’re on vacation. Here is how you can pamper yourself with spa-like luxury without having to spend tons of dollars on wellness treatments.

1.    Steam Facial

You can get glowing and clear skin with simple tools at home. Steaming is a classic at-home wellness treatment that makes your face look instantly brighter and radiant. All you need is to fill a bowl with hot water and wait till it cools very slightly.

Once you’re sure it will not burn your skin, add a few drops of your favorite essential oil, lean over the bowl and cover yourself with a towel. Make sure the towel drapes from your head to chest level to keep the steam from escaping. Pair this treatment with a moisturizer, toner, or clay mask for the best results.

2.    Mask and Bath time

Another at-home wellness treatment I love is combining my bath-time with a luxurious mask. I try to throw some rosemary or aromatics into my bathwater that help my muscles and my senses uncoil and relax.

Then, I lather on a glow mask while soaking in the scented bathwater. When you step out, you’ll feel like a royal woman, alright!

3.    Body Scrub

Exfoliate your body and uncover radiant, glowing skin by combining olive oil and brown sugar. If you like, you can mix in some honey as well as an orange essential oil. Scrub your entire body with this mixture in circular motions, more in the elbows and other rough areas.

4.    Deep Hair Conditioning

This at-home wellness treatment makes my hair shiny, lustrous, and utterly lovable each time. It’s my go-to natural conditioning treatment with simple ingredients that are always in stock in my pantry.

To give your locks a new life, mash an avocado and apply it directly onto your hair. If you want a more protein0packed mask for your mane, combine the mashed avocado with a beaten egg and leave it on for 15 minutes.

Then proceed to rinse off with cold water and your regular shampoo and conditioner. You’ll never find frizzy hair again.

5.    Candlelight bath

I’m sure candlelight dinners with your partner are magical but have you ever luxuriated in a candlelit bath too? Trust me; you’ll find this an out-of-the-world experience. Light a couple of perfumed candles around your bathtub, add a few drops of essential oil into your warm bath water, and sink in.

You’d never want to get out of this magical space, I promise. As for wellness? Tell me if all your aches, pains, and anxieties don’t melt away with this magic you create in your bathroom.

6.    Eye Treatment

Your eyes deserve as much pampering and attention as your face and the rest of your body. Give your irritated, dry, or puffy eyes some relief with a soothing and refreshing at-home wellness treatment. The traditional cucumber slices and chamomile tea bags cool the eye area while potatoes also soothe puffiness.

As with all other wellness treatments, I recommend putting on some slow, relaxing music and light some scented candles. Then lie back and cover your eyes with chamomile tea bags, potato, or cucumber slices and unwind completely.

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Health & Home Wellness

Secret RF Microneedling vs. Laser Scar Removal

Microneedling vs. laser scar removal are two of the most effective skin spa treatments catering to different issues such as stretch marks, wrinkles, lines, and more. Laser scar removal has been in the mix for a while, but is the Secret RF Microneedling more effective and worth it? Well, to find out, you must read this article and learn which treatment will help address your specific skin issue better. Both microneedling and laser scar removal have different types of treatments, which is why it might get confusing for you to choose the right one.

Microneedling vs. Laser Scar Removal

Both these treatments have some major similarities, but both give different results depending on the issue you face. One of the main similarities of both these treatments is that they use “dot therapy.” Dot therapy helps treat specific affected areas as this allows all the surrounding tissue to support and keep up with the healing process. When undergoing any of these treatments, you will see a wound on the skin that naturally triggers the healing process.

If you plan on using any of these treatments, you will need to get it at least three or more times for effective results. Then, you will see major skin upgrades. Both microneedling and fractional laser treatments treat acne scars, stretch marks, lines, and wrinkles. As you can see, there are many similarities between both these treatment types, but when it comes to laser stretch mark removal, only one of these is the best option.

Laser Stretch Mark Removal

Stretch marks are a very common occurrence in women and some men as well. They are a result of sudden weight gains, pregnancy, use of corticosteroid creams, and puberty. Sometimes, stretch marks become so prominent that they turn red and ruin your skin appearance. If you don’t like the appearance of stretch marks, you can get a laser treatment to fade them.

The Best Treatment for Stretch Mark Removal

The best FDA-approved treatment for stretch mark removal is Microneedling, especially the radio frequency kind. Though Microneedling Vs. Laser scar removal is effective; Microneedling gives far more effective results in diminishing stretch marks. There are many advantages of getting a laser procedure using the Microneedling treatment for your stretch mark. These cater to a more significant reduction. The fractional laser treatment is entirely safe and adjusts to all skin types.

The Microneedling treatment includes modified ways to tighten skin tissue better, allowing the stretch marks to diminish faster and effectively. Other than treating stretch marks, the Microneedling treatment also helps in treating acne and is very good for the whole body and neck specifically. Hence, you achieve an all-rounder effect with the help of the Microneedling treatment.

What Is The Benefit Of Using Secret RF?

The Secret RF treatment is a Microneedling treatment that helps eradicates stretch marks, fine lines, wrinkles, scars, and extra skin on the body. The Secret RF treatment successfully manages to target these issues through the use of insulated needles and radiofrequency energy that helps create heat in specific areas.

 This type of treatment helps increase collagen production, improving your overall skin appearance. According to the Cosmetic Surgery National Data Bank Statistics Reports, secret RF treatment has increased by 99.5% over the recent years due to its remarkable success rates. Some of the main things that Secret RF targets and improves include wrinkled skin, acne, scarring, and sun-damaged skin, stretch marks, and fine lines.  Mentioned below are the benefits of using secret RF treatment.

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Children Family Health & Home Recreation & Leisure

Warm-Weather Activities to Enjoy With Family

Some people may find the summer season annoying due to hot sunny days. But you can enjoy some warm-weather activities in this period with your friends and family. Wondering what you can do? Read the article to find some exciting ideas.

Go for a Picnic

Picnicking is one of the best warm-weather activities for families. So, pack a delicious lunch with your family or ask your friends to bring one food item with them to add a variety to your menu. Make sure to pick a new scenic place for having a memorable time with your friends or family. You can opt for a botanical garden, mountain, or lake.

And yes, do remember to take all the essential items with you, like a bed sheet to place on the ground and water bottles to keep yourself hydrated.

Whitewater Rafting

If you are looking for extreme fun and entertainment, whitewater rafting is for you. No other activity can beat the charm and pleasure of whitewater rafting down a river with your family or some buddies.

Not only is it exciting, but it is also pretty much affordable for a large group of friends. The best part is that everyone from beginners to experts can enjoy this activity. However, you have to pick a different level of rafting for everyone according to their skills.

Ice Skating

The idea of enjoying a winter sport when it’s burning outside seems to be absurd. However, a fun activity can help you battle the scorching summer heat. The first thing you need to do is to search for the best ice skating places near your location.

After that, wear some warm clothes so that you don’t get cold in that area’s freezing temperature. You are ready to head out to have a little bit of icy fun.

Go Boating

You don’t always need a yacht to spend some relaxing time on the water. You can go for a rowboat or paddleboat ride, whatever is accessible to you. This is a perfect way to enjoy some family or friend’s time together, as these types of boats can accommodate four people at a time. You can have a private tour of a nearby lake or river.

Make sure to take something to eat for your family or friends if you plan to spend the entire day on the boat.

Go Hiking

Clear and sunny days are ideal for hiking. But hiking for the first time will be boring if you go alone. So, make sure to take your friends and family who have the strength to hike across rough terrains.

Pack some tasty lunch, fill up your bottle, and get ready. Don’t forget to take your dog with you if he loves fun, competitive activities. Opt for any hiking trails near you and make the most of this adventure. Don’t forget to take sunscreen with you if you want to protect your skin from scorching sun rays.

Bottom Line

Apart from the warm-weather activities mentioned above, you can also watch sunset or sunrise, do gardening, or have a bonfire at night. Do anything that can help you enjoy this weather with your friends and family.

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Health & Home Media Recreation & Leisure Tech & Media

10 Movies of 2021 to Look Forward to

Have you been desperately waiting for cinemas to spring into action and your screens to come back to life? 2021 is looking like an excellent year for movies, and we’re excited at the promising projects that are lining up backstage.

Here are the top ten movies you can look forward to this year:

1. Coming 2 America

This is a sequel to the American Classic ‘Coming to America.’ Arsenio Hall and Eddie Murphy will be starring in it, while the movie promises to be a worthwhile hilarious ride.

2. Raya and The Last Dragon

An animated original since Moana, Disney is all set to light your screens with a dramatic-looking adventure movie. Get ready for a thrilling ride with warriors and monsters this summer.

3. Justice League

Zack Synder will be releasing his new version this summer, with a completely new take on his superhero story.

4. Cherry

Cherry promises a much more intimate feel with Tom Holland as the young lead. Set in Iraq, this story is all about the army medic’s experiences and his opioid addiction.

5. Spiral

Chris Rock brings a glossy sheen to Saw horror’s relaunch titled ‘Delayed.’ You will get to see elaborate torture traps and Rock playing detective in this movie. Ultimately action and suspense-packed, this movie promises to be a captivating one.

6. Godzilla vs. Kong

This movie’s title is all the attention it needs. Yet if you want some more incentive, Godzilla, the King of Monsters from 2019, is returning for the crown. This one promises to be a jaw-dropping monster-mash, and you better now miss it.

7. Cruella

Disney will be lining up another of its animated classics, and Cruella promises to be as dramatic as Maleficent. We’ll be seeing Emma Stone’s obsession with the Dalmations in this one.

8. Mortal Kombat

This video-game series will release in a movie form this year. Producer James Wan is preparing to impress the audience with a couple of screen tricks this year, and who knows, we might just like the fighting saga this time around.

9. Fast & Furious

We can surely expect this one to be another blockbuster, with actor Sung Kang and Justin Lin’s return.

10. In The Heights

This is a Tony-winning adaptation that will be releasing somewhere in the summer of 2021. If you’re fascinated with outstanding choreography and high-energy dance numbers, then this film might live up to your expectations.

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Health & Home Home Improvement

Converting Your Shed into a Living Space You’ll Love

Do you have a vacant shed taking up space in your backyard? Have you ever thought about converting it into additional living space? If so, this guide is for you!

Sheds can be converted into several types of living spaces. You can easily transform your structure into a cozy she-shed, a guest suite, or a place to work from home without any distractions. Regardless of your goals, there are a few simple steps you can take to make your shed into a comfortable space.

Install Insulation and Seal Cracks

If your shed already has electric, then you can start insulating right away. If you want to add more wiring, outlets, or any plumbing, that needs to be taken care of before you insulate. Otherwise, you’ll have to tear down your drywall and insulation!

Once that is done, you can install insulation. If you plan to spend time out there year-round, you’ll want to make sure that it is as comfortable in the heat of the summer as it is in the dead of winter. We recommend that you take the time to install insulation in all of the stud space of your shed. From there, you can cover the insulation with drywall to give a more finished appearance.

We also suggest that you go through the shed and identify any drafts or cracks. All of these should be sealed off for energy efficiency and protection from the elements. You can easily install weather strips in areas that feel drafty in cool temperatures.

Add Heating/Cooling To Your Shed

With the electric and insulation installed, you can add heating and cooling to the shed. There are several different options designed to fit a variety of budgets and needs. If you want something simple that doesn’t require a difficult installation, then a space heater or window air conditioner is a great option. If you plan to spend a lot of time in the shed, we recommend that you invest in something a little more efficient, even if it is more challenging to install.

Increase Lighting

Many backyard sheds lack adequate lighting, so you’ll want to remedy that solution by installing lights or buying table lamps. If at all possible, you should take advantage of natural light. You can do this by replacing the shed door with glass doors, installing windows, or adding a skylight. Your options are only limited by your budget and design goals!

You might want to consider adding outdoor lighting so that you can enjoy the space in the evening. You can add string lights around your garden, or you can install a porch light by the door of the shed. These lights will also help light your path if you need to go back and forth from the shed to your house in the middle of the night.

Add Furniture and Decor In Your Shed

Your shed should finally start to look like a living space with all of the basics done. The only things that should be missing are personal touches that truly transform it into a place you’ll love to hang out in. The type of furniture and décor you choose will largely depend on how you plan to utilize the space.

If you want a little home gym, you won’t need much furniture, but you’ll need plenty of equipment. A hobby shed should have ample workspace and storage for all of your craft items.   A guest room could have a futon, small café table, and a television. It’s entirely up to you and your imagination!  

Convert Your Shed Today

With so many of us spending time at home, there’s no better time to add extra living space to your property. We suggest that you start converting your shed today if you want to create a she-shed, guest house, home office, or gym. You can learn more about how to renovate your shed by researching DIY home improvement.

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Children Family Health & Home Wellness

Don’t Live Alone? 10 Ways to Carve Out Me Time

Not every one of us is fortunate to own or rent our own space. Sometimes, family obligations and cultural values force us to live in a family system, while environmental factors such as the pandemic and others force us to move in with family or roommates, instead of living alone.

No matter what the reasons may be, it can get entirely frustrating when you just do not get any time for yourself. Devoid of peace and quiet, one cannot survive calmly for long. So how can you carve out alone time for your own sanity when you don’t live alone?

Here is how:

1.    Communicate Your Need for Peace Clearly

Emphasize how you need peace and some alone time. Of course, if you’re dealing with family or friends, you need to set the boundary very gently without hurting feelings. You can make a weekly routine where you spend some time in a solo activity, like writing your journal, etc. Let others know not to interrupt you then.

2.    Boundaries

Set a physical boundary that helps you withdraw to a secluded corner, even if for only a few minutes in a day, to enjoy that much needed alone time. It could be your reading corner, a desk, or even a Prayer place.

3.    Plan a Solo Outdoor Escapade Every Weekend

Whether it is a close-by park or a hiking trail, or even a trip for groceries, make sure you plan one trip every Saturday or Sunday alone.

4.    A Daily Stroll

This is a great idea because it will not only keep you physically fit but also give you much-needed free time. A jog every morning or a leisurely stroll alone in the evenings is a great idea.

5.    Stop By at a Café on Your Way Home from Work

There are days when you are lucky to have a lesser workload. In that case, try not to return home directly but rather stop for a cup of coffee at a café for a breather and soak up all the moments alone.

6.    Early Mornings

The best time to grab some alone time is to wake up before the others. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it. Imagine the silence and tranquility when all else are asleep, and you can just relax without intrusion.

7.    Early Bedtime

Similarly, going to bed early is a great way to spend some me-time too. If nothing else works, an early bedtime routine during the week can give you some time to run through your thoughts alone before drifting off.

8.    Date Nights or Happy Hours

Although it may not be alone time, do not hesitate or feel guilty to plan these. It’s okay to grab some special time without the presence of your family or your roommates. A date with your pals or happy hours with colleagues is a treat you deserve every once in a while.

9.    Practice Solitude

Even when you’re living with a crowd, you can practice alone time. It requires some skill, but soon you’ll be able to withdraw emotionally and mentally from the others. Choose a quiet corner during family dinner times or others and try not to contribute in conversation. Focus on your thoughts while trying to block out the sounds around you.

10. Volunteer for Errands

Does your mom need something from the farmer’s market? Has the family pet run out of its stock of biscuits? Volunteer to run outdoor errands if you can manage them. This could be a great way of being by yourself, away from the people at home.

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Dating Health & Home

How Couples Stay Happy During Quarantine

The pandemic came as a welcome respite for many couples who were over the moon with joy at spending more time with their partners. For others, it is probably a nightmare, especially if the chemistry between them is dwindling, and they’re ready to pull each other’s hair out.

The good news is that it need not be as bad as that: certain key practices that can affect your relationship healthily, keeping both partners happy during the quarantine. Here’s how:

1.    Help with Chores

The first key practice is to share the load of home chores. Divide the work equally so one does not feel unfairly burdened. If you are good at cooking while the other has no issues doing the laundry, then volunteer to do what you’re good at it.

Sharing each other’s load like a team will keep you both happy and even strengthen your relationship.

2.    Give Each Other Space

Just because you’re spending all the time indoors together does not mean you have to constantly breathe down each other’s neck. Give each other ample space without creating a fuss. Let your partner breathe, have zoom calls or facetime with friends and family or even work out separately.

If your partner wishes to go for a stroll in the nearby park alone, try not to balk at it. Make your own me-time while giving your partner theirs. But the key is to coordinate your schedules so that you both take your alone time together.

3.    Plan Fun Couple Activities

Don’t let your time housebound become boring. You may not get to dine out at lavish restaurants, party at the bars, or go dancing on the beach, but you can plan all that and more at home. Make weekends special with cookouts in the backyard, plan movie nights with popcorns, or just a fancy date at home.

4.    Make One Meal a Day Special

If you’re both working professionals, then you’re perhaps working just as much from home. If the days are busy, at least try to make your dinners special. Cook what you both love, try out new recipes, and spend quality time with lively conversations during dinners.

5.    Try Couples Yoga or Meditate Together

If you both could never make time for these due to your demanding careers, now is your opportunity. Try practicing some meditation or yoga together. It will strengthen your personality and intellect and help attain a level of calm, peace, and control together. Besides, yoga and meditation are a great way to unwind from stress, and what could be better to do it as a couple.

6.    Fix Your Loose Ends

While you’re dating, everything seems like moonlight and roses as romance is in abundance. Once you start living together, you realize the many flaws and imperfections and many things you struggle to put up with in your partner.

A relationship strengthens and stays healthy when partners work as a team to address their differences. Take the pandemic time to focus on one another, accept your differences, work on your flaws, learn more about each other, please each other more and even give your home a makeover.