You did your best to stay healthy and safe yet somehow, COVID-19 managed to find you. 

Fortunately, after feeling the full effects of the virus for well over a week and finishing up your quarantine time, you now feel much better. You are ready to get back to work, school, working out and/or running errands, yet you are not really sure how to go about doing those things.

To help you in your quest to get back to life post-COVID-19, consider the following tips.

Slowly Get Back Into Exercising

As Houston Methodist notes, many people who have had the coronavirus deal with lingering fatigue long after they are over the fever, cough and body aches. If you were used to working out five days a week for 60 minutes at a time, you may be discouraged when you feel winded after going out for a 10-minute walk. Be patient during this time and understand that the fatigue, while annoying, is quite normal. 

Give yourself a pep talk after that short walk and remind yourself that your body just went through a pretty rough time, and that while you’ll be back at it full force before you know it, it will take a while to get there. Do shorter workouts until you feel your strength returning and then gradually increase the time as your body allows.

Continue to Wear a Mask

You may be tempted to toss every mask you have in your home and go out bare-faced like you did prior to last March. Although this feeling is understandable, continue to “mask up” as always. It is not only respectful to others, but it will also set a good example. Plus, remember that the vast majority of places require masks, whether you’ve had COVID or not. 

Stock up on a good supply of comfortable and well-fitting masks like black KN95 face masks from Green Supply and wear them as you always did at the grocery store, coffee shop, post office and taco shop. 

If You Wish, Look Into Donating Plasma

As the American Red Cross notes, those who are fully recovered from a verified diagnosis of COVID-19 may have antibody-rich plasma in their blood. Called convalescent plasma, it is being studied as a possible treatment to help those who are currently ill with the virus. 

If this sounds appealing to you, and if you meet certain criteria — you have to be at least 17 years old and weigh 110 pounds or more, you must feel well overall and you are free of symptoms — you can contact your local blood bank to see about making a donation. For some people who have recovered from the virus, they view donating their plasma as a way to find something positive about the whole experience.

More Than Anything, Celebrate Getting Through It

As you slowly get back to your regular routine post-COVID, remember to celebrate getting through it. It may not have been easy going for a while, but you are strong and a survivor. Treat yourself to whatever makes you happy and feel “normal,” be gentle with yourself and remember that while you do still need to take precautions like continuing to wear a mask, you can enjoy your life as much as you did before.