Staying Positive in Lockdown
Amy Cook 
When we're separated from the things that help us feel good it's important to take control and create that feeling ourselves.
These ‘Covid Times’ we’re living through aren’t unique – people have needed to isolate to differing degrees at different times in history for various reasons – but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. If you’re feeling stressed about being in lock-down here are some ideas that might help you get through in a more positive, healthy way.
Don’t attempt to do all these things. Simply choose the 3-5 that resonate with you most and implement them consistently. If you’re familiar with my work you know I love to do all things the EASY way and believe in the 80/20 rule (that we can usually get about 80% of the result with only 20% of the effort, as long as we choose where we put that effort correctly).
Here are my suggestions…
Prepare each day as though you are leaving the house
Shower, get dressed, put some lippy and perfume on if that’s what you like. I’m a huge fan of pyjama days but they need to be a special treat, not the new norm.
Reduce Your Commitments
If you're able to reduce work commitments or simplfy your children's at-home learning, go ahead and do it. The less you have on during this unpredictable time, the more freedom you will be able to enjoy. Considering that freedom is exactly what we don't have now it's slighty iroic really!
Eat healthy food and drink plenty of water
Limit coffee, alcohol, carbs and sugar as much as possible. Most people are being far less active than they usually are so adjust your diet to match your adjusted lifestyle.
Raise Your Heart Rate
Every day (or even twice!) do some exercise that gets the heart beating fast (cue family dance-off playlist!)
Maintain Your Routines
Keep your morning and evening routines similar to those you use when not in isolation. Obviously, gym visits and night classes are off the agenda but hanging out laundry and washing the dishes aren’t sorry!
Schedule Your Time
If you’re trying to work and parent, make a schedule of your work/school/play hours. If there are two parents’ home at your house consider a parenting roster. Tell the kids that when a parent in on duty the other is out-of-bounds. Even if you’re not trying to work this allows you some time to yourself, to recharge.
Avoid Solving All The Problems
If you have more than one kid, reduce the tale-telling by explaining to the kids that we’re spending a really long time together now so you only want to hear about matters that are to do with keeping someone safe. Anything else, they can sort out themselves. Then stick to it. Every time they start telling ‘on someone’ stop them and ask “if this about someone safety because you know what my expectation is don’t you?”
Stay Connected
Have at least one conversation each day with someone outside your household. Don’t ignore the topic of Covid-19 but don’t dwell on it either. You are calling to brighten their day (and most often it will brighten yours as well!)
Have Fun
Fill your free time with fun and laughter. Tickle fights, finger painting, silly make-up, funny voices, using the special party table cloth, food colouring in the bath water... whatever it is that creates smiles and laughter in your household.
Go on a Media Diet
Check the news once a day in case there is an important development that affects you, but other than that switch it off.
Check your Language
Make sure you're using positive language as much as possible. For example, think of other words for ‘isolation’, ‘quarantine’ and ‘lock-down’, that have positive, nurturing meanings and use those words instead.
I like ‘retreat’, ‘staycation’ and ‘home holiday’ - unless you're working at home during this time in which case a home holiday might be frowned upon!
Be Productive
Take the opportunity to do some jobs around the house. Decluttering, gardening, meal planning, updating the recurring appointments in your phone, cleaning out the fridge or pantry, unsubscribing from unwanted email lists…. But don’t put pressure on yourself. Only aim for one task a day and ensure you have planned days off too.
Plan Days Off
It doesn’t have to be Saturdays and Sundays but plan them a day or two ahead so you can look forward to them. We plan to have Wednesdays and Saturdays off from school work most weeks. On those days we don’t dos school, work or any extra jobs. Instead, we do things like have movie marathons, bake-offs, lazy days and make giant marshmallow cakes (see photo).
Play high-vibe music
That’s the music that makes you move and maybe even sing, too. (Dare I admit that mine is mostly from the 80’s!)
Use your Special things
A face-mark, a foot-scrub, perfume, the fancy tea-cups you inherited that sit in a cupboard most the time… all the things that make you feel fabulous!
Invest Your Time / Empower Others
Invest time and empower others in your household to share the load. This is the time to teach your kids how to fold washing, how to unload the dishwasher, how to vacuum. Often it’s quicker and easier to do it ourselves but now we have this time we should use some of it wisely to make life easier moving forward.
Be Grateful (It’s Not All Bad)
Practice gratitude throughout the day. I like to pick a number in the morning and each time I see or hear that number/digit I count off that many things I’m grateful for in that moment.
Dream About The Future
Have fun creating a vision board of all the things you want to be, do and have throughout your lifetime. If you have old magazine you could cut them up, or you could print pictures or make in on Pinterest. Put it somewhere you see it often. I like to save mine a screensaver too.
Stay Nimble
Do some stretching each day. We aren’t being as active as we usually are so taking care of our bodies in a more intentional way is more important than ever.
Journal (You’ll Be Glad you Did)
Grab a pen and get journaling. 20 mins of free-style journaling each evening does wonders for your brain and mood. If you don’t know how to start, just pick up a pen and paper and start writing about your day and keep writing for at least 20 minutes. If freestyle journaling doesn’t feel right to you, you could start with one of these prompts:
“In twenty years, when I look back at this day, the significant things I hope to remember are…”
“If I lived today over again one thing I would do differently is…”
“I feel so grateful today, for/that…”
What other ways are you keeping yourself healthy and positive during this time?
Categories: Mindset, Parenting, Positivity