Lockdown is a word we are all familiar with now. It can be hard on mental health to the point that it affects day to day activities. Things are not the same anymore and we have to constantly adapt. However, there are some things we can all do to protect our wellbeing. It is more important than ever before to build in time for self-care. I’m going to share with you some habits we can all adopt during this time.
Set An Alarm Clock
Many of us still have to work so it is important to set that alarm and be on time for your working day. Whether you are more flexible with your hours now or whether you have less work or even retired, it is important to wake up at the same time each day. Of course, you are entitled to the weekend lie in, but it is important to get your body clock into a regular routine.
Go To Bed Early
Go to bed at a reasonable time. Don’t stay up late watching Netflix. Sleep is so important right now. We need even more to cope with how busy our brains are right now too. I like to get ready for bed early and then have some time for meditation, mindfulness and reading before bed.
Do Something Nice Each Day
Whether it is going for a walk, doing a silly dance, eating your favourite snack or making a herbal tea; plan something nice each day. Days can be mundane if we adopt the same routine and so we need to break away from the desk and take back that home life a little. Homes have been invaded by work lately and you need to remind yourself that your home is a place of calm too.
Stay In Contact
Make sure you regularly chat to people on the phone or video call them. Video calls are so great for seeing each other too and I really like them still. I know they are getting a lot of stick from people, but I think we should be grateful for how far technology has come and appreciate that we can see people’s facial expressions even if we cannot see them in person. It is actually surprising how you can feel like you are in the same room as someone on a video call.
Eat Nutritious Food
Eat a balanced diet. Plan some healthy but interesting meals to eat and dig out those recipe books for some inspiration. By having meals to look forward to, it means you are building in little joys into the day. Treat yourself to a breakfast or dinner takeaway occasionally too.
Get Outside
This one is hard when the weather is bad and being in London, I struggle with how busy it is. It also seems busier outside when people are in lockdown. However, finding some time to get outside each week is so nice. I don’t think we should feel bad if we don’t leave the house for a few days however so don’t feel too bad about yourself if that is you. It is a pandemic, and it is hard. Even if you only get outside for 5 minutes, you are winning.
Be Kind To Yourself
It is a pandemic after all and if you have a bad day, struggle to fit in everything on your to do list or feel overwhelmed, don’t be too hard on yourself. Remember we are all struggling, and this is only temporary. One day we will look back on this and be grateful for things in the future even more.
Fill Your Free Time With Joy
Apart from necessary chores, fill your free time with the things that make you happy. It might be reading a book, watching some TV or getting outside. Just make sure you do some nice things each day to look forward to.
I hope you enjoyed this blog post! What are your tips for surviving lockdown?
