How to stay sane during lockdown

By now you have seen a variety of blogs, articles and views on the lockdowns implemented around the globe. For the average household, the question is how to stay sane and survive this new normal. Herewith some ideas that really do work:

1. Have a routine

At first, we all thought that being at home or working for home would be fun – you can sleep in and no-one would know if you do not brush your hair or teeth, or worse: not get out of bed…

That is most probably the worst thing you can do. The human mind needs order and routine to function and the very best thing you can do is to continue with your schedule you had prior the lockdown as far as possible. Get up at the same time, get dressed, exercise, and do all the tasks you ordinarily would be required to do. Keep to your bedtime, reading time, etc.

Some of you might not be working right now and don’t know how to pass the time. It is now an ideal time to catch up on all those things around the house that you ordinarily don’t have time for. Perhaps go through your wardrobe and fix the jacket with the missing button, clean out the garage, give your garden some attention, etc.

In the absence of a routine you will soon fall prey to cabin fever (cabin fever = lassitude, irritability, and similar symptoms resulting from long confinement or isolation indoors. In severe cases it results in depression and anxiety).

For those of you that are working from home, ensure you remain productive by mirroring your pre-lockdown schedule as far as possible. Build in breaks (tea and lunch) and work a normal work day. You should also stick to a routine during your dedicated working hours. For example, if you are most productive and creative in the morning then focus on important tasks during this time, and dedicate the afternoon to replying to emails. It would also be a good idea to communicate your routine with your team members.

2. Stay active

Prior to lockdown we exercised, walked between offices, in shops, or to school. Not only can you not exercise as before, but during lockdown you stay in one area with little reason to walk around. That makes it even more important to find ways to be active. There are a variety of activities you can do at home, running stairs, walking in the garden, using Apps that give short workouts, etc. Become creative – two cans from the pantry can be a great replacement for weights or use your kids as weights, play with the dogs, mow the lawn, do a yoga session. Bottom line: you have to stay active.

To make it more interesting, you can challenge your friends and colleagues to a workout competition to motivate one another during lockdown.

3. Stay connected

Whenever you feel depressed, you often withdraw from others which worsen the condition. Even if you are not a social animal, you still need contact with others. We live in a world of technology; use it to stay connected.

What and who you stay connected to, also warrants attention. I have heard of many individuals that spend hours every day on social media platforms and follow all the horror stories with great attention. There is no eraser of the mind and whatever you expose yourself to, can impact your mental health and even your physical health. Limit your time on social media and rather stay connected with a hand-full of individuals that can uplift your spirit and talk to you about things other than Covid 19.

If possible, try to have some of your interactions using video calls; seeing the other person just makes the interaction so much more personal and real.

4. Make time for sun and laughter

Sun and laughter are the best medicine for a heavy heart and cabin fewer.

Where possible, make time in every day to get some sunshine and fresh air. Perhaps have your lunch on the patio or on your balcony. Take a phone call in the garden. You can even do your stretches and exercises in the garden.

If you do not have a garden, then open the windows and pull away the curtains; let your spaces be filled with natural light and fresh air.

Have at least one good laugh every day. Laughter benefits your health, your emotional well-being and your social interactions. When you learn to laugh more you will be happier and healthier. Find something to laugh about.

And if you can’t? Do a laughter exercise. There are four sounds of laughter: Ho, Ha, He, and Hay. Use those sounds to laugh right now. It does not matter if it is a fake laugh or real. Many people, when practising fake laughter, start laughing for real.

5. Show compassion

Compassion is the practice of being present to the suffering of ourselves and others and responding from our hearts to relieve this suffering with kindness, care and support. The suffering I refer to is the emotional pain, distress and hardship that you and others might experience during these tough times. A smile, kind word or just asking how someone is (and truly mean it!) are all examples of how you can show compassion.

Don’t be so caught up in your own drama and challenges that you forget to ask others how they are and reaching out to them with a kind word. The more you show compassion, the better you will feel about yourself.

Next time when you go to the shops, ask the elderly neighbour next door what you can bring along for them. When you at a store, thank the shop attendant for working during this time and truly mean it. You will feel like a new person!

6. Count your blessings

Now is a good time to count your blessings. Practise gratitude as I have explained before in an earlier blog: The attitude of appreciation.

For those of you that are working from home; also pay attention to the following:

7. Set up a dedicated working space

Some of you have an office at home; use it. If you don’t have that luxury, then turn any desk, table or nook into a work station. Have all your work supplies close by. Ideally, your working space should be situated in a quiet room like a spare bedroom to avoid distractions however, merely having a dedicated space is already a good start.

Do not fall into the trap of taking your computer to your bedroom or the couch – soon it will feel that work has invaded your home completely and you will not have a life outside work. As strange as it may sound – if you do not separate work and life, you could burn out, even though you are at home.

Make a habit of switching off your computer at night and put it away. You do not really rest and relax in the evening when you constantly can see your computer screen and every email arriving in your inbox.

8. Team catch-ups

Communication is key to know what is going on with your colleagues, and also for your own mental health. It is important to schedule regular virtual meetings to ensure work gets done and to check in with your team.

Perhaps you can add some fun, by having virtual coffees, drinks or lunches. Create opportunities where you and your colleagues and teams can speak about things other than work and all the challenges associated with the lockdown and Covid 19.

During times like these it is important that we look after ourselves and also our family, friends and colleagues.

Stay safe and healthy! And above all, stay sane!