Building new habits
during lockdown
Week 5 of lockdown here in Taipei— how are you all doing ? For me, the initial panic of being locked down, discomfort about a loss of normalcy, and worrying about fewer classes has slightly subsided. But while the “fight or flight” feelings may have eased, a kind of malaise has set in. The days are often blending together and energy to do tasks can be hard to find. Sound familiar?
Having the lockdowns extended in two week increments makes it difficult to feel particularly motivated to throw myself into work, good habits and projects. Should I just try to relax and use this time to rest since surely I’ll be feeling too busy again once the lockdown is over? How much of myself, my time and money should I invest in the present, such as online classes, if this is temporary? Instead of just trying to get through this, how can I make the most of this time?
Now that we’ve come to accept what the situation is and likely have more time in lockdown ahead of us, I find myself this week finally ready to view this period as an opportunity to build a new routine for myself and think about what I would like to add to my life even after the pandemic.
So where to begin?
After pouring over articles on setting routines during the pandemic, there is no shortage of advice to be found on simple ways we can care for ourselves and structure our time when so much is beyond our control. While each of our personal situations are different, over and over again the same ideas emerge which can be tweaked for our own lives.
Keep a manageable to do list. Stress and uncertainty make it really challenging to focus on one task at a time. Having a list can help us stay on track from distractions and give us a little boost of accomplishment when we cross something off. Today I put make my bed on the list— earth breaking , I know , but it was nice to check something off early in the day!
Schedule breaks away from technology. Allow yourself some time to read a book, have a goal of no phone time briefly after you wake up, a stroll around the block, or a few minutes of writing in a journal. I pulled out an old journal I hadn’t written in for 13 years this morning and wrote for 5 minutes instead of my usual half hour of scrolling in the morning. I had forgotten what holding a pen for that long felt like rather than typing on my phone!
Move. Even with how difficult it might feel to exercise from home, our bodies, hearts and minds need it more than ever ! Break up work with times to stretch, book a livestream or prerecorded class ( you know I’ve got you covered there!) or get silly and play with your children ( also got you covered with Family Moves classes there ;) ) . Moving will help you ease some of your stress, boost endorphins, build connection with those you are active with, and make it easier to feel good once we are on the other side of this.
Rest. Especially if you are working from home, make sure there is time that is off the clock just as when you left the office in normal times. Step away, end your day, eat a meal you find nourishing and tell yourself you’ve done enough! Every day won’t feel like a victory, but we can start over again tomorrow.
What are some of the things you are adding into your routine during the lockdown? Any tips for me or others that you find helpful? As always, we love to hear back from you, so don’t hesitate to reach out to us whether it’s to connect or dance together!
Stay strong and keep moving!
xx,
Katie
#katiemovestaipei #routineinlockdown #workoutfromhome #lockdownworkout #virtualzumba #familymovesbykatie