It’s another week of Directive 16, curfews and supermarket vouchers; life is really not what we are used to and many of us are struggling to deal with the situation. So to help, we would like to share with you what we believe are useful tips for taking care of your wellbeing during this lockdown.
Before we get into the individual tips for lockdown survival, we’d like to talk about arguably the most important factor for dealing with this situation: mindset. Stoic philosopher Epictetus wrote:
‘WE CANNOT CHOOSE OUR EXTERNAL CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT WE CAN ALWAYS CHOOSE HOW WE RESPOND TO THEM’
We’re in lockdown, there’s nothing we can do about that, but we can choose our attitude towards it. So with the right mindset, with a positive outlook and acceptance of the situation, dealing with the lockdown won’t be such a struggle.
However it can be difficult to always look on the bright side, so here are some tips that will help us feel good and keep our spirits high.
Routine. When working from home, it can be easy to wake up later, finish work earlier, eat at random times, watch more TV than usual, etc. However, sticking to a routine will help stop us from feeling like the world has been paused. So even though our regular routine has been completely disrupted, it doesn’t mean we can’t form a new, temporary routine for the lockdown. Waking up early, showering, eating breakfast, working out and starting work at the same time every morning will help keep us focused on our task list and less likely to procrastinate and lose motivation during the day.
Exercise – Not being able to get to the gym, go out for a run or even get our daily 10,000 steps in can have hugely negative effects on our physical and mental health. However, it is easy to have a great workout in a 2m*1m space and using no equipment. Ideally, still doing at least 30 minutes of exercise a day will not only get you sweating and burning calories, but it will increase your dopamine and serotonin levels, making you feel good. For the most part, we are spending our days sitting, so it’s important to remember to move. Take a five minute break from the computer screen every hour to give your eyes a rest and stand up and stretch. This will help stop you from feeling sluggish and tired.
Write a gratitude list. It’s really easy to focus on what we can’t do right now, but we still have so much to be grateful for. Many people have lost their jobs, business, homes, loved-ones and for some, all of that, and even then, there’s still someone worse off! Writing down what we have to be grateful for at the beginning of every day will put us in a better frame of mind and really shifts our view of the situation than if we wake up and start complaining about what’s not going our way.
Eat well. This is a tough one right now with food shortages and supermarket vouchers, but try to eat the best you can. By this we mean eat whole foods, not processed foods, or even worse, junk food. Whole foods will still contain all of their micronutrient and fiber content, keeping your body functioning properly meaning you’re less likely to feel unhealthy and get sick. Can you have a treat? Of course! But try limiting it to once a week and don’t go too crazy! Sticking with the whole food will help keep your energy levels high and you will generally feel better about yourself and the situation we’re in.
Meditation. If you’ve never tried meditation, when better to start than when you have more free time than ever? Meditation was for a long time seen as something only Buddhists and yogis practiced, however it’s now very common to see CEOs of blue chip companies, police officers, and professional athletes (including kickboxers & MMA fighters) practice meditation on a daily basis. Bringing ourselves into the present moment, without judgement of it, will help release any negative thoughts about the lockdown and help keep us calmer throughout the day.
Educate yourself. With all this extra time stuck at home, don’t be tempted by Netflix marathons, use the situation productively to do something you always wanted to do but previously never had time. We live in an amazing time to be stuck home. We can learn practically anything we want, from the best teachers in the world, for a very reasonable price. Whether it’s learning a language, an instrument, how to cook better, a skill that could bring you extra income, or just reading more, now is the time to do it. You may never get this much time at home again in your life so view it as a blessing and use it wisely!
Sleep. Studies show not getting enough sleep will cause an increase in negative emotions such as anger, sadness and frustration. Not what we need when dealing with a lockdown. Not only that, sleeping too much can also have detrimental effects on your mental and physical health, so it’s important to get around 7-9 hours of sleep per day to let your body rest and recover and keep your spirits and energy levels high.
Stay connected. Particularly important if you’re living on your own, but we all need to stay connected to friends and family. Catching up with people can really help our mental wellbeing. However, try to keep conversations as positive as possible. It can be a real drain on your energy levels if all you talk about are the downsides of the lockdown. Keep it light hearted and encourage each other to make the best out of the situation or else staying connected will have the opposite effect!
Limit alcohol intake – not a popular idea with many people but it’s an important and effective one. Alcohol is a depressant, so in a tough situation like a lockdown, it’s best to limit it, or better yet, eliminate it altogether. Having a few drinks may make you feel good and relaxed about the situation at the time, but the next day it’ll be a different story. Even if you don’t have a hangover, the effects of a few drinks the next morning can negatively affect your mood, your energy levels, your focus and your productivity, leading to anxiety. Cutting back on alcohol will have a hugely positive impact on your ability to deal with lockdown. We hope you find these tips useful. If you have any questions or feedback for us, please let us know.
We are currently running a number of KBF online classes throughout the lockdown to help keep people fit and healthy.
Classes take place Monday – Friday at 6:30am and 6pm, and Saturday at 2pm. Classes are around 45 minutes and consist of HIIT and kickboxing technique. Please message us for more information.
On Saturday mornings at 9am, we also run a FREE Community Fitness Challenge.
If you would like any further information about our online classes or free community fitness challenge, please contact us via Facebook or Instagram or email us at info@kbfkickboxingstudio.com
In the meantime, take care and stay safe. Mike and Mia