5 things you should be doing differently in Lockdown 2.0...and future lockdowns

This lockdown is different, the days are shorter, the temperatures are lower and general moral is wavering.

But this time we can learn from the first lockdown to understand what worked and what didn’t. We know now that it is essential to focus on both your physical and mental wellbeing as we all face challenges in this time. We’re here to show you how to improve your 2.0 experience for the better so you can ace however many lockdowns we’ll be having in the future!

1. GET OUT OF BED EARLIER AND AVOID INSTANT SCREEN TIME

This may seem like the last thing you’d like to do now that you don’t really have any early commitments, and it’s pretty easy to have that fourth, fifth or sixth snooze, but it’s now more essential than ever to get that little bit of vitamin D! If you can get up early enough to have a morning walk, it can make all the difference. Keep this routine going and soon enough your body clock will replace your alarm clock and you’ll feel motivated to keep your schedule going.

These dark mornings and early nights can leave your mind a bit fuzzy. Getting up earlier means you can spend some time doing other things before sitting down at your screen for the day. That could be anything from exercise, reading or even cleaning. It not good to start your day looking at a screen straight away - studies show that looking at your phone as soon as you wake up fuels FOMO, as you associate 'waking up in the morning' with 'all the things I've missed since yesterday.'" So it’s not just to get a dose of your vitamin D but having more time in the morning can help improve mental wellbeing in a variety of ways.

TOP TIP: Instead of checking your phone first thing, you should consider another activity that's more aligned with your true needs, such as making cup of tea, coffee or a smoothie.

2. REDUCE LOCKDOWN FATIGUE BY STAYING FOCUSED AND KEEPING A STRUCTURE

Lockdown fatigue is well and truly here. Prior to lockdown a lot of people had a schedule: wake up for work, have lunch at around the same time every day, finish work, exercise (possibly) have dinner, walk the dogs, or whatever it was that was a daily routine in your lifestyle.

As many of life's simple pleasures (going to the gym, going shopping, going to the cinema) have been taken away, our routines have slipped too. In a very short time-frame, we have become restricted in what we can do and our routines and habits have been broken. In addition to this, we have the added stress of the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak and many of us have the additional burden of having our jobs put at risk. The monotony of staying home has combined both stress and lethargy to our daily lives.

So, to keep us from feeling so lazy, it's important to consider structure. This does not mean always being productive and working hard, but focusing on the tiny accomplishments throughout the day can go a long way. Setting a structure can help you to wake up for a reason and go to sleep feeling accomplished.

TOP TIP: Stick to a loose plan (such as setting your lunch time, walk time or exercise time) that keeps you motivated throughout the day.

3. EAT HEALTHIER

During the first lockdown a lot of people took the time to focus on their health and try out new recipes. While others took full advantage of all the promotions that delivery companies were offering. With 30% of people saying they have had weight gain during the first lockdown, it’s crucial to make sure you’re not making any mistakes that could affect you in the long run. This is associated with eating less fruit and vegetables during quarantine and a more meat, dairy and fast-foods.

Lockdown is a perfect time to start a journal about how you’re eating and how you’re feeling, and you may be able to see a correlation between heavier, greasier foods and a more lazy approach to that day. Go ahead and grab that slice of pizza if you want to, but try a smoothie with fruit and vegetables in it, too.

TOP TIP: Set low expectations to keep you from going overboard and make sure your body is happy with the decisions you're making. This will give you more energy for the limitless outdoor exercise!

4. MORNING YOGA TO INCREASE BLOOD CIRCULATION

If you didn’t start to finally do yoga on the first lockdown, definitely push yourself to try it now. Morning yoga is another perfect way to reduce this lockdown fatigue and to increase your blood flow for the rest of the day. The benefits are quite endless, and it should only take half an hour of your day.

Surya Namaskar, or sun salutations, is great for novices and pros alike. Originating over 3,500 years ago, it was traditionally practiced during sunrise as a way to worship the Sun, the life nourisher and sustainer. Although you can practice these yoga flows at any time, it is best done when you wake up to give your body the stretches it needs after a long night of sleep. Sun salutations can strengthen and tone your muscles, increase your blood circulation, improve your posture and keep your lower back healthy.

TOP TIP: Check out the photo below to learn how to do your simple morning yoga flow. Focus on your breathing throughout each position and don’t forget to switch legs during the next cycle.

5. IF YOU SHOP, SHOP SMALL

Puzzles, paint by number, face masks, bath bombs., just some of the new items we all started purchasing in the first lockdown. With these tough times ahead for the economy it’s now more important than ever to support small and local communities who are struggling to stay standing when they have been forced to shut down their brick and mortar stores.

Although a lot of items can be bought on major online platforms such as Amazon, why not try and shop small and get unique and handmade things made of better quality all while feeling good that you’ve contributed to a small business. When you buy from a small business, you’re not only directly helping talented and amazing people by supporting their craft, but you’re also helping get their business become a super successful, one purchase at a time. Remember that Amazon won’t give you that special, bespoke thank you letter because to them, you’re only their 26.5 millionth customer.

TOP TIP: It can be quite hard to find these small companies so if you do struggle to find what you are looking for search for the product you want on Amazon, and then search for that company on a search engine as it will be highly likely they have their own site, buy from there and make sure you pat yourself on the back for supporting a good local business!

SUMMARY
Ultimately, everyone has their own way of keeping busy during this lockdown, but our list can be a great guideline to keep you at your most productive and make the most out of what we can currently do. Most importantly, stay safe, enjoy it as much as you can and take care of yourself both physically and mentally to keep you ready for the lockdown release.