Happy World Health Day!

Today, April 7, 2021 is World Health Day. The 2021 theme of World Health Day is “Building a fairer, healthier world” calling on leaders to ensure that everyone has access to living and working conditions that promote health and especially equal access to healthcare. A mission that we at BookZurman believe in and aim to support in our own work in health IT to help move that mission forward globally.

We at BookZurman feel so fortunate that we’ve been able to be well during the COVID-19 pandemic while still providing excellent services to our clients. We are so thankful for the blessings in disguise that the pandemic brought; we’d like to share with you our tips to self-care during the pandemic—ways that our staff indulged while staying safe as per CDC guidelines. In no particular order:

Dancing – My husband and I took ballroom dance lessons online; it’s something we’ve always wanted to do.

Baking – You have the time, bake bread, open that cookbook you got as a wedding gift, explore cuisines of the world!

Arts & crafts – There are so many amazing free online tutorials! I learned how to crochet. And I did a virtual paint night with my friends.

Playing music – Another vote for online tutorials, I taught myself new songs on the piano.

Cleaning and decluttering/organizing – Ok, this one doesn’t sound as fun, but trust us. You finally have the time to do it right, or take everything out of the garage and declutter. It is amazingly freeing!

Walking the dog/go for a walk – Take a lunchbreak, it’s ok, we promise. Use that time to clear your mind, get some fresh air, get your heart rate up with some cardio, and explore your neighborhood.

Afternoon naps – Another good use of a lunchbreak is to take a little power nap. Set your gentle alarm for 20 minutes and wake up feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the afternoon.

Exercising – Several of us amped up our home gyms during the pandemic and have set a routine of waking up 30 minutes earlier to exercise. Exercising is obviously healthy but it is also very energizing!

Board games/card games – After dinner, we started playing games as a family at the dinner table. It has been a great way to bond as we pass the time indoors together.

Going for drives – We love our weekend drives. There is so much beauty to beheld in our own neighborhood and it’s a great way to safely get out without getting out.

Restaurant dining experience at home – We pick a theme or a country and decorate menus and even have “servers” as we play restaurant for dinner.

Movie night at home – Break out the fancy popcorn maker, set up comfy floor seating, and pick a movie to watch as a family. We do this every Friday night!

Social media breaks – An hour, a day, a week, a month—you’d be surprised how cleansing social media breaks can be. Give it a try!

Finally using those fancy bath bombs – Because what else are you doing Saturday night? Take that long fancy bath, light some candles, read a book, and pour yourself a glass of your favorite adult beverage.

Gardening – ‘Tis the season! I am so excited to harvest all of the fruits and vegetables we planted and am so in love with the beautiful landscaping and flowers we constructed. It was really fun to plan and execute this project.

We hope you’ve found ways to be well during the global pandemic and we look forward to seeing you all again when we are on the other side of this.

BookZurman’s team of multidisciplinary, highly specialized experts continue to drive progress and innovation in the healthcare IT community. For more information on this and other work in the areas of standards and interoperability, informatics architecture or clinical decision support, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.