We’re into week four of the Coronavirus lockdown (I think) and I think it’s fair to say that it’s a very, very strange time. I don’t know about you, but I’ve completely lost track of the day and the date!
The inability to leave the house is taking its toll on everyone but hopefully this crisis is teaching you something about yourself. For me, it’s that I’m more than prepare to accept some discomfort for the sake of other people. Yes we’re all changing the way we do things – how we shop, how we exercise – but I’d rather give all that up than be the person who spreads this awful virus any further. (Maybe it’s fortunate that I’m an introvert who likes quiet time at home, but who also lives with someone so I’m not always alone.)
Practising Pilates (not a photo of me!)
This is an unsettling time for everyone and I’ve seen a lot of posts encouraging people to use this time to pursue a hobby, start something new or tackle jobs around the house that they’ve been putting off. I’ve also seen some negative reactions to those comments! It’s true that this isn’t a holiday and many people are still working from home, which can take some getting used to.
My view, for what it’s worth, is that finding a new activity may not be the best idea, but resting back on an old favourite may be comforting in these unprecedented times. That said, I’ve found in recent weeks (partly due to personal issues) that my reading and writing lives completely stalled. Usually this would be my way to release and without them, I did feel very uncomfortable.
So if you feel like lockdown is an endless struggle, here are a few suggestions:
Cut yourself some slack – you may not feel like doing anything, and that’s ok. A bit of time to wallow is acceptable. Remember that you can only do what works for you. If you’re working from home, that can feel very strange. If you now have to contact family only by phone, social media or video call, again, that may feel very alien. Not being able to continue with holidays and other fun plans, is very disappointing. You’re allowed to feel unsettled by the current situation; let’s face it, it is unsettling. So, feel free to do nothing, if that’s what your body wants.
Look after your body – it’s easy when you’re feeling a bit ‘meh’ to just flop on the sofa all day every day, but getting up and moving around can help you to feel a bit better. It doesn’t always, but it can help to improve your mood. I see from friends on Twitter who have children that there are PE sessions from The Body Coach every weekday morning at 9am so that might be something you’re interested in. BBC Breakfast have brought The Green Goddess to provide exercises to help older people to keep moving. My Pilates teacher has moved our classes online, which is a strange experience but a brilliant idea. I like to go out running (which I can’t really do now) so I’ve been making use of my husband’s rowing machine and also starting up a strength training routine, which I’ve been putting off for ages with the excuse that I don’t have time to do it. Whatever way you choose to do it, get moving a bit and see if it helps you.
Look after your mind – this one is so important because it’s a very worrying time. It’s perfectly OK to feel anxious, but it’s important not to let that control you. Find something to do that you find absorbing and relaxing. That could be meditation, playing with a family pet or even baking a cake. I’ve seen a lot of the latter on Twitter and it all looks fab! It’s important to remember to give yourself a break, particularly if you’re working from home and/or looking after children. One thing that’s worked for me is controlling how I view news and social media. It’s easy to get sucked into reading and watching every bit of news and spending hours scrolling through social media, but this can be destructive. Yes, you need to know what’s going on in the world, but don’t spend all day looking at it. Your brain needs a break. I also make sure that I’m strict with myself about start and finish times at work.
This isn’t an exact science. For example, I’m editing this after a full day at work and so you could quite rightly suggest that I take my own advice. The difference is that by working from home I save about two-and-a-half hours a day from commuting. So even if I spend half an hour working on this, I’ll be ‘home’ and on my sofa well before the usual time I get home from work. Plus this doesn’t feel like work!
I think it’s fair to say that we’re living in unprecedented times and no one really knows how to cope with that. But by the time this is all over, we’ll have learned something about ourselves and our society. As the Queen said in her speech to the nation, when we come out the other side, she hopes that everyone will be able to take pride in how they responded to the challenge.
Let’s all do our best to help end this crisis. Stay home and stay safe!
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There’s an irony in the fact that April is Stress Awareness Month. If you feel like you need some extra advice or ideas for managing stress, there’s a whole collection of resources here.