Lockdown lessons
At midnight on Thursday 26th March South Africa went into a historic Lockdown. Leaving the house meant going out for essential trips to buy food and go to pharmacies when needed. Both Mark and I were fortunate to be able to work from home so we set up a routine and moved from office life to a work from home routine pretty quickly. I’ve found that certain things are helping and thought I’d share the lessons I’ve learn so far.
Keep a routine. For me this means starting work as per my usual time, taking a lunch break and ending my work day as close to 4:00pm as possible. The time that would have been spent travelling to work is used wisely. I set the alarm a little later, get up, make tea, put laptop on and get started - but always at the same time I’d usually begin my work day.
Take that lunch break! Again it is tempting (when the internet is slow or things are taking longer to complete than usual) to put in an extra hour. It is also a quick way to burn out. If you cannot take your full lunchtime - there are times I cannot - make time to stop, put the kettle on, go sit somewhere that is not near your laptop or pc and take a breather.
Get dressed. I admit I had a few pajama days at the start of Lockdown. But sitting all day in your jim jams so you can shower and put another pair on that evening gets old fast. So I get dressed every day, brush my teeth, comb my hair and immediately I feel more organised and ready for the day. I do wear slippers though!
Make your work space pleasant. I mostly sit in the kitchen and Mark gets the study. He has to dial in to loads of meetings and this way he can close the door and get some privacy. Make your space is somewhere that you’ll want to spend 8.5 or so hours working. Make sure there is plenty of light, good air flow and minimise distractions like the TV or ipad. This makes focusing easier. Keep your diary, phone and stationery close at hand.
Exercise. Yes I know this isn’t the time to train for that marathon or catch a surf! But a little light jogging on the spot for 15 minutes is better than nothing. Doing weights and practicing yoga are also options.
Get creative. Haul out that scrapbook box. Find that yarn and knitting needles. Dig out that paint set and brushes. If you have a hobby, indulge in it to your hearts content.
Practice gratitude. Yes we are living in hectic times. Yes there is uncertainty and for many of us our anxiety levels are through the roof. Once a day make a list of 5 things that you are grateful for. Today I’m filled with gratitude for a care parcel my husband’s work sent us. I’ve been craving a good cup of coffee and they sent us an awesome roast. I’m loving the not-yet-too-cold-weather. I’m grateful for the grocery shopping my husband did and the new series I’m going to watch later. See - 5 things that made me smile.
Declutter/clean/re-organise an area you’ve been putting off. I have done this to every cupboard, drawer and cabinet in our home and it feels so good. Everything is neat and organised and making space really leaves one with a feeling of calm. I’ve found random forgotten items and am putting them to use (or putting them aside to donate when this is over). It is a definite win.
Be kind to yourself every day! These are hectic times we are living in. It is okay to have days where you feel frustrated and downright grumpy. For instance I felt a bit cranky most of Friday. All day I felt moody and a little off. I realised it was the day our original Lockdown was scheduled to end and at the back of my mind I’d been thinking of that day and had written down plans in my work diary of numerous things I needed to do. Subconsciously I’d been looking at Friday as a big day! So I took a step back, did some journaling and then planned a home date night with my hubby. We played cards, had butter chicken for dinner and chocolates from Easter for dessert. Washed down with tea. Got comfy on the couch and watched some shows. It was a good start to the weekend.
Look at your priorities. Really look at what you are missing and what you are not missing. I’m missing my parents and sister. My parents-in-law. My lunchtime latte. Spontaneous road trips. Popping into a stationery shop to browse around (same for bookstores)! Weekend getaways. Date nights (out of the house) with my husband. A crisp glass of wine. Going for a run. Going to do a yoga class. You know what I’m not missing? Drama. Doing things I don’t want to do. Spending time with anyone who pushes my anxiety levels up. Saying yes to happiness means saying no to things and people who stress you out. When this is over I’ll have a different set of priorities and already I’m putting them in action.
xx