Now, let’s be real here. Lockdown..sucks.
The way I've been dealing with lockdown is exactly the same way that I dealt with a breakup.
Stage 1: Denial.
I refused to believe that the UK would ever go on lockdown because of how unserious our government is... but better late then never right bojo.
Stage 2: Anger.
The money going to waste and the indefinite amount of time being away from the people I loved. The thought of online lectures and seminars with my sister singing in the other room, mum on a business call downstairs and the anxiety of praying for my dad to come back healthy and safe after going to work every day to be on the frontline to protect our country from the virus. Hence why I’m furious at the people still going outside, like is it that hard for you lot to just sit on a sofa and watch Netflix. You lot were cancelling motives to sit inside and do nothing before this virus and now suddenly you’re all athletes going on your tenth run of the day? Sit down and respect the NHS. The sooner we cooperate, the sooner we can go outside.
Stage 3: Depression.
Probs the stage you’re all at right now? You’ve watched everything on Netflix top to bottom. Made that tik tok coffee, baked banana bread for the third time this week and now you feel yourself going slightly insane. This stage often accompanies the other two, but trust me when I say it is temporary.
Here's some tips on how to keep yourself busy:
Have a routine. Wake up and go to bed just as you would before the lockdown.
Make sure you’re keeping your mind happy by fuelling it with endorphins. Whether it’s starting your day off with a workout or cleaning your room. Endorphins naturally make you feel happier. So, if you feel happier, you'll feel more productive during the day, automatically making you feel more relaxed and satisfied.
Don’t beat yourself up for not being productive one day, some days we do need just to lie in bed and binge Netflix. That’s perfectly normal, just don’t make it a habit because then it’ll only deepen this depression.
Take full advantage of personal space. Going from living independently to going back to living with your family can be a hard adjustment. Just like any relationship, being around them 24/7 can get tiring and could lead to arguments. So make sure you take time to yourself once a day.
Equally, spending time with your family is important. You’ve been away at uni for a while and our parents are still human. They are happy that you are safe under their roof and you should be thankful for this safety. So cook dinner for them, plan a movie night or just sit down and talk. They’re not getting any younger and neither are you. I found that having these conversations with my family have made me appreciate them a lot more and it has opened my eyes to how much they have shaped me to be the person I am today.
Self-care! Super important. Whether it is having a bath, eating a tubful of ice-cream or listening to music that always lifts your mood. If you take care of yourself on the outside, you’ll start to feel better on the inside. Aim to do this twice a week to keep yourself sane.
I don’t wanna sound like a naggy boomer but..put that phone down! Personally, since lockdown social media has influenced me more negatively than positively. So put your phone down for at least an hour and do some self-care, talk to your family or take that quiet time to reflect. Your mind will feel so much clearer without these distractions.
Start making your passions a career. However, I know this is easier said than done. My tip to anyone figuring out what their passions are is to write down every single thing you are interested in, from a little to a lot. Then take this quarantine to try out a new thing every day and who knows what might surprise you.
Connect with your friends. We’re all in the same boat at the end of the day. Keep each other’s spirits up and it passes the time!
Stage 4: Acceptance.
Soon you’ll accept that this is just something that needed to happen. Truly, I believe that this is a gift from God rather than a punishment. It’s God’s way of telling us to stop for a moment and reflect. My priest said, “viruses come and go, but God’s love is forever”. I couldn’t agree more. This virus is such a temporary thing, so there’s no point in dwelling on the negatives. We just need to look at each day as one day closer to being free.
Stage 5: Moving on.
When this virus is over we’ll soon look back this time and be thankful. This lockdown will allow us to live our lives with gratitude and appreciation for our world and the people in it.
Until then, just like dealing with a major break up, we have to be patient and let our world heal.
Respect the people out there on the frontlines protecting us from the virus.
Most importantly, we have to learn from this experience and think optimistically whilst putting our words into actions.
Let me know what you've been up to this quarantine by either tweeting me @roann_gutierrez or by commenting down below and I'll be replying :)
Comentários