With all the doom and gloom in the news currently it’s easy to get bogged down with negativity and fear but that doesn’t do us any good and if the current lockdown is going to last for some time, we need to try to get through it the best we can. I’m usually someone who worries about everything and can find the negative in every situation but I’m now making an effort to see the positives and try to find enjoyment in each day. Here are some of the advantages I can personally find in the current situation. Yours may be different but I hope this inspires you to find at least one good thing to come out of these uncertain times.
Not having to walk to and from work in the cold.
For some time I’ve referred to January and February as the wilderness months because they are usually the coldest months of the year and things are often fairly quiet socially anyway. In that sense, this lockdown is pretty well timed as the majority are working from home and don’t have to brave the elements to travel to their places of work. For me, it also means an extra hour in bed which is always a bonus.
Dressing for comfort
Don’t get me wrong, I love nothing more than getting glammed up but I’m a creature of comfort at heart and secretly rejoice that I can pull on joggers every weekday, rather than squeeze myself into smart work attire. It also means that the extra weight I’m carrying (mostly from Christmas indulgence) is free to roam and I can work to lose that weight in my own good time. As I only wear make up roughly once a week now, my skin also gets a break.
Time for workouts and preparing lunches
When I was working in the office, lunch would often be something fairly unhealthy from a local shop or takeaway but having lunch at home means I have much more choice and can enjoy meals such as stir fry, tuna steaks, freshly cooked halloumi and pasta dishes. I can also go for a jog/power walk during my lunch hour once a week which would not have been practical when working in the office.
Easier to cut out alcohol
With the bars, restaurants and pubs being closed I find it much easier to avoid alcohol. I’m sure that may change as the weather improves but for now I’m enjoying the benefits of reduced anxiety, slightly improved sleep, feeling less run down and using it as an excuse to eat my calories rather than drink them. (Not that I need much encouragement to each junk food)
Time to rest and for self care
My 2019 was manic and involved working hard and playing hard, rushing here there and everywhere, feeling like I barely got a moment to breathe. I miss socialising and seeing family and friends sooo much but I don’t miss the stress of rushing around and feeling like I spent my life on trains, in work etc. I suppose I should’ve been careful what I wished for but the past 10 months have definitely been a time to relax and reset. I have hermitic tendencies anyway and probably feel much less bored at home than most. Theres always something to read or watch, organisation or tidying to be done, content shooting to get on with and so on. Come Spring I’m sure I’ll be itching for a night out but for now I’m fairly content with magazines, Netflix and skincare.
I know it may seem like I’m clutching at straws here but everyone has different ways of coping with the strange world we find ourselves in. I appreciate that I’m very fortunate to be able to carrying on working and to do so from home and to live with my family who I get on well with. I really feel for those who are out of work or have to physically go to work everyday and those who live alone or have an unhappy home life. If you are struggling please don’t be afraid to ask for help or speak to someone you can trust.
Chelsey Prentice 