What do you do when you’ve been quarantined at home for (some of us) an indefinite period of time?
According to some of the more interesting social media posts I’ve seen lately, a lot of people are making weird TikTok videos.
I’ve also seen people who:
- Haven’t showered in days
- Don’t ever change out of their pajamas (my husband is one)
- Waste time and feel bored all day because they don’t have a plan
- Not getting simple and small things done (that are normally no big deal)
- Are suffering from more anxiety and stress than usual, because everything seems so out of whack.
I get it and I’ve been guilty of many of these things in the past month, especially getting the small things done. How many times have I walked past the same pair of shoes without picking them up? Am I in a contest to see how long I can go without actually moving them? Does it count if I nudge them out of the way while vacuuming? Hey, at least I vacuumed something.
It’s easy to let yourself drift around, not knowing what to do with your time, but right now it’s more important than ever to make sure that we’re doing what we can to keep our head in the game and not get too far off track.
If this sounds like you (or someone you know) then a little structure may be exactly what you need.
Let’s all play this game:
CREATE YOUR PERFECT LOCKDOWN DAY
Creating your own version of this will do a lot to reduce your stress levels, stay on-track with your goals, and even have more fun in your life, although ‘fun’ these days often has a different meaning.
Look, non of us knew that when this year kicked off, it would turn out the way it has so far. I know we’re sick of hearing about how this pandemic is unprecedented, but when you get down to it, none of us have ever been through anything like this before.
The best thing we can do is roll with it, adapt our routine, and get on with life the best we can.
If you don’t have a schedule, it’s like playing a game of dominoes.
If one little thing goes awry, it can cause a cascade of events that can throw off your entire day … or worse.
And that can lead to:
- Stress (which you know is bad for your health). Which can lead to …
- Poor sleep. Which can lead to …
- Not-so-healthy meals. Which can lead to …
- Little or no exercise / activity. Which can lead to …
- Weight Gain. Which is 💩
Now imagine the OPPOSITE of all that: having a sense of peace and feeling in control … sleeping great at night … having more energy … and feeling proud of yourself because you’re taking control of your day.
Just a few things plugged into a schedule can make a huge difference. Check out this sample schedule:
YOUR PERFECT LOCKDOWN DAY
Okay, so here’s my general routine during the week:
7:00 a.m.: Morning Ritual: Wake up, drink water, quiet time to plan my day (I like doing Morning Pages)
7:30: Workout – I do something different every day
8:30 a.m.: Shower
8:45 a.m.: Breakfast (usually a smoothie)
9:00 a.m.: Walk the dog
9:30 a.m.: Work
10:30 a.m.: Break – Stretch or walk
10:40 a.m.: Work
Noon: Lunch, get outside for fresh air, read a book
1-5 p.m.: More Work: client meetings, virtual coaching, writing, dog-walking, breaks and more
5:30 p.m.: Wine and dumb iPad games
6:30 p.m.: Dinner prep and eat, watch TV
9:30 p.m.: Go to bed, read my Kindle, hopefully some good sleep
Now, I already work at home so this doesn’t feel as odd for me as it does for some, but just having some kind of schedule with some specific goals will help you feel more in control in a world gone mad.
Take a few minutes today to create your perfect day schedule – set yourself up for success by being realistic about how much you actually can accomplish in a day. I know that, even though I have time to work at home, I can’t fill every second with work.
In fact, I’ve had to pare down my work these days because my brain is just fried, especially by the end of the week.
So, here’s your goal: Make Your Schedule
And then hold yourself accountable to following it.
You will be amazed how after just a day or two you will feel so much more relaxed and at peace. What’s your schedule right now? Leave a comment!
REFERENCES:
https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/health-benefits-of-having-a-routine