For mom-of-two Tia Mowry, the most challenging part of lockdown has been tackling household disagreements head-on. 

“Usually I would look toward work to release that energy,” says the actress, producer and author who stepped out in the sitcom Sister, Sister and more recently, Netflix’s Family Reunion. “You go outside, head to a different environment. You didn’t have to fix the issue right away, but now you do. You have to look it in the face and deal with it because nobody wants to be cooped up in a house feeling tension.”

She’s tried to stick to a daily schedule, but not obsessively, “because I don’t want to add any more anxiety or stress to the day than we already have”. It starts with a workout before her son Cree, 8, and almost two-year-old daughter Cairo wake up. 

“We may have a new normal, but we have to adapt, and that’s what I’m choosing to do. I have faith that everything will be okay.”

“Cree has school from 9am-1pm, so while he’s doing that I’ll go through work emails and obligations, then I’ll get lunch ready. After that, it’s cleaning time! I try to do one room a day. I’ll cook dinner, feed the kids, get them in the bath and ready for bed, and then my day starts all over again.”

Earlier this year, Tia released a line of vitamin supplements, Anser, formulated for women. Much like her cookbook, Whole New You, this venture was inspired by her own health struggles with endometriosis. Anser’s driving message is: ‘Self-care isn’t selfish’, and in the midst of the pandemic, Tia has leaned into her rituals of exercise, meditation and cooking – “an activity where I feel like I have some sort of control, which gives me a sense of normalcy”.

An optimistic outlook has also set her in good stead. “We may have a new normal, but we have to adapt, and that’s what I’m choosing to do. I have faith that everything will be okay.”