The Spring Equinox (that was on March 20 this year) heralds the first day of a new season in most parts of the northern hemisphere including Asia. Our tropical climate might have a short window for spring before we feel the summer heat but the change from balmy to hot is palpable. The days are longer and winter blues feel like a distant dream.
Spring is also universally acknowledged as the time for new things, and the very important task of spring cleaning! So, it’s time to look inwards and initiate some serious spring cleaning — of body, mind and home. Here are some handy tips and recommendations to get you started.
Switching to juices from sugary sodas is a much-needed step towards a healthier lifestyle pixabay
Juice it up
We know sodas are convenient; no one wants to squeeze an orange every time they want a quick drink. That said, there are plenty of reasons to ditch sugary sodas and switch to healthier alternatives. While an occasional glass of pop is fine, if convenience is what’s standing in your way of switching to healthier options, consider ordering from any of the juice bars in the city.
The Yellow Straw, which claims to be Kolkata’s first juice bar, has been serving healthy drinks to the city for almost a decade. Apart from a range of fruit smoothies, and fresh and cold-pressed juices, they also have a selection of salads and healthy snack options. “We’ve seen a bigger shift in eating habits post Covid,” says co-founder Vikram Khinsawara, adding that people are more cognizant of eating habits now and opt for at least one healthy meal a day. When it comes to healthy food delivered fast, they are one of your best bets in the city given their significant presence. “Our daab drinks are some of the best-sellers. Since our juices and smoothies are made with seasonal and fresh fruits, people opt for those as well.”
Indian chain Drunken Monkey is known for their fresh juices and healthy smoothies. Their Kolkata store delivers via popular food delivery apps, so try their fare the next time a soda craving hits. We recommend their Pineapple Classic Mint and Muskmelon Magic — drinks tailor-made for summer.
Daily diet dos
Small tweaks to favourite recipes or switching to cooking meals at home can go a long way in starting a healthy everyday diet Wikimedia Commons
Switching to healthy alternatives for your daily diet or even treats need not be a mammoth task. If you’re looking to make a complete dietary switch, there’s a gamut of resources in Kolkata and recipes online — from vegan stores and cafes and cloud kitchens, to healthy alternative recipes for your favourite treats like waffles or biryani and kosha mangsho.
If you’d like to savour your dietary choices but still opt for healthy meals, all it can take is tweaking your everyday recipes a little bit, or starting to make your favourite meals at home. Pikturenama.com is a great resource for recipes on hearty and light home-cooked Bengali fare. Led by city food bloggers Madhushree and Anindya, the blog is a neat repository of recipes you would want to add to your repertoire.
Breathe easy and nourish the mind
An app that helps your clear your mind can be a good tool for productivity Headspace
The start of spring is also the perfect time to do some much-needed housekeeping both figuratively and literally. Just as you'd go through your home and clear out the clutter, it's also a good time to take stock of your everyday habits and relationships to see which ones are no longer serving you. It can be difficult to let go of things that have been a part of our lives for a long time, but sometimes it's necessary in order to make room for new and healthier ones.
Headspace is a useful app with resources to help you reset and be more mindful in everyday life
Headspace is a useful app to help take your mind off everyday stressors and get started on practising mindfulness in everyday life. With guided meditation practices, short courses and little tools, it’s a handy tool that teaches you to take a pause and clear the jumbles in your mind. You can also connect with other like-minded people, who too are on a journey to improve their wellbeing.
The benefits of a daily workout are widely known to all by now. Take out some time in the day to get those endorphins flowing. You don’t have to have a gym membership or fancy equipment to get going, a simple at-home free-hand routine is all it takes.
Declutter your work (from home) space
A clean work space is known to create a more positive environment Shutterstock
Your workspace or work-from-home-space is where you spend the majority of your time, so it's important to keep it clean and organised. A cluttered and messy workspace can lead to distractions, decreased productivity and even depression. Spring cleaning your workspace and your work methods can help you refresh and organise, leading to a more productive and positive work environment.
YouTube is a huge resource to go to for tips and pointers to get started. Popular YouTubers, including director of Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things on Netflix, Matt D’Avella, have a gamut of videos that you can refer to to boost your productivity and everyday work game.
But first, begin with a literal spring cleaning of the space you work from. As famous organisation expert Marie Kondo says, if it doesn’t spark joy (or in this case, if it induces anxious thoughts), it has to go. Declutter by throwing away unnecessary things that take up valuable space; create zones for working and relaxing; organise your belongings and make a plan; and most importantly, take your time and space out the cleaning. Check out this quick video by creative professional and YouTuber Matthew Encina to get started.