Post-lockdown: Getting my head in the game

Like many others during lockdown, I had hit a roadblock. I was in a slump. I wasn’t motivated to do work, I wasn’t keeping healthy, and I had majorly lost touch with my friends.

So how could I fix this? Well, for over a month now, I have put minimal effort into a few easy things that have made my life much easier, and happier!

Keeping healthy

To start with, I looked at keeping myself healthy. I had gained weight; although not much, it was unusual for me, and I was eating junk food all the time! And though I didn’t realise it at the time, it was also making me grumpier and quite frankly, unpleasant to be around. So now, I make sure to set an alarm for 9 o’clock every morning on a normal college day, so that I am up and ready by 10. This has helped my sleep schedule, and also allows me to stay on top of my work, so I don’t fall behind again.

I’m not a big breakfast eater, I only normally eat it because I have a long wait for lunch when I’m at college, but recently, I have been eating fruit and a glass of juice, or making myself a smoothie, to get the nutrition I need (plus, it’s super tasty!). This gives me a major energy boost.

Enjoying new and old hobbies

The money I saved from cutting back on eating junk food has been spent on art materials instead. I love to paint but rarely do since I never have the time. Lockdown has been the perfect opportunity to fall back into old hobbies, as well as create new ones! My family now have takeaway once a week, and me, my younger sister and older brother each make dinner one night a week. With two working parents, this means that they only have to cook three times, leaving them some time to kick back and relax too. With time to themselves, they get less cross at me and my siblings, as well as giving us a chance to develop our cooking skills – a win all round!

Focusing on a routine

I made a schedule, to keep up with my work. I get up and get ready by 10, and then do three hours work so that it is all out of the way first thing in the morning. I hate working at home as it is really rowdy in our house – we have three dogs and two cats as well as a full family! But in the mornings, everyone is either still asleep or out at work, so there is a reasonable amount of peace for me to knuckle down and get on with the work I need to do.

Taking on new challenges!

My mother and I have decided to do Couch to 5k. There is a really good BBC app that tracks your runs, and motivates you alongside telling you whereabouts in your run you are, how much you have left to go, and you can still listen to music. I am on week 9, the final week. Lucky me! This way, the junk food that I eat for dinner on Friday all leaves my body on the run. I feel fresher and I have more energy, despite being soaked in sweat and exhausted from running.

Checking in with loved ones

To get back in touch with my friends, I pick one friend a day, to message and check in with. This way, within two weeks, I have definitely spoken to every one of my close friends, maybe more than once! It also means that I spot more people on my contacts that I haven’t spoken to for a while, as I am not just messaging the most recent contact. Now, I remember to call my nan and my grandma once a week, which I rarely used to do as I would forget; I was too busy.

Life in lockdown hasn’t been easy, and the transition back into normal life is tricky. I have been on socially distanced dates, and been out with my friends without being able to hug, or high five them. I never realised how much I craved the touch of those around me. Lockdown has made me realise who and what in life is most important to me, and for that I am glad.

Let’s hear from you

Did you develop a lockdown routine to keep your head in the game? What did you do? Let us know in the comments below. And if you would like to submit your own blog, simply send your article to: editor@youthsight.com.

If you enjoyed reading this you may also like:

Your first option is not always your final option