Don't get bored in Lockdown. Make it a positive mental experience.
We live such a fast-paced life that we barely have time to stop. You could look at this 3 weeks (+) as a restriction on all the things that you could be out there doing. Or you could look at it as an enforced pause - a time to take stock, reflect, enjoy the slow pace of life and give your mental health a much needed break. Ways to make it amazing could include:
Quality focused communication
o Talk to one or two friends on the phone each day. We send messages rather than have a good old chat these days, which means we miss out on connection.
o Make the time to connect with your partner – each write out 15 questions that you have never asked the other that you would like to know and spend an evening laughing and getting to know one another more deeply.
o Look up old friends and send them an email
o Tell the people you love how much they matter to you
Re-evaluate what matters to you
o Set some mini goals for the coming year and beyond (see my blog: https://www.hypnosis-edinburgh.co.uk/blog/2020/1/3/throw-out-the-big-resolutions-this-new-year-focus-on-smaller-lifestyle-changes)
o Write out a list of your values and check in to see how well you are meeting each of these in your current life. What could you do differently to live more in line with these values?
Focus on your mental health
o Set aside time for a daily meditation
Sit at your window for 15 minutes and look at the clouds as they change shape and scud by. Or focus on a tree or something calming.
Find a meditation that works for you from youtube
Take your daily walk slowly and mindfully – take in every detail around you, look for patterns in things.
Eat mindfully – focus on all the textures, flavours and tastes and appreciate every mouthful rather than wolfing it down as we often do.
Calm your mind
o Listen to a recording developed by neuroscientists to relieve anxiety: Marconi Union Weightless
o Spend 15 minutes each day breathing in a way that will trigger the parasympathetic nervous system in your body to calm your whole nervous system. A simple one is 369 breathing (in for the count of 3, hold for 6 and breath out slowly for 9)
o Do a daily yoga or Qi gong session (see You Tube for plenty of beginner sessions)
o Take this time to get some therapy! Lots of therapists (myself included) are offering online sessions just now. There is no better time to stop and focus on you.
Get creative!
o What did you love doing when you were younger – that’s the thing that you should go back and pick up. (Hopefully that is art or writing or reading rather than cycling which might have to wait!)
o Pick up a pad and pencil and sketch what is in front of you. No-one needs to see it, but just lose yourself in the task for a while.
o Pick up a pen and write whatever comes into your head. It doesn’t need to make sense – it can just be a daily stream of consciousness.
o Learn a new skill
Coursera has thousands of free online short courses developed by Universities across the world in all subjects imaginable from economics to philosophy, art and science.
Learn a language!
o Cook beautiful food – make a curry from scratch.
o Learn to knit/crochet
Connect with new people
o Take the time to look up meet-up groups in your area who are currently doing lots of online sessions (see meetup.com)
o If you are single try online dating and take your time emailing and connecting on a mental level with people
Do some life admin
o Clear out your cupboards and feel the joy of letting things go – have bags of things that you do not need/don’t bring you joy ready to go to charity after the lockdown.
o Money can be a real source of stress for many people. Take the time to evaluate and work out where your money is really being spent, how you might spend it/invest it better. Chat online to a financial advisor. such as Anna Miller
Start a gratitude diary
o Write down all the things you are grateful for in your life
o At the end of each day, write down three things, small or big, that you were grateful for. This will start to programme your brain more positively.
Minimise screen time. It would be very easy to spend 3 weeks working your way through all the amazing series out there. But it definitely wouldn’t be the activity that makes you feel good about yourself and strengthens you. Instead:
o Curl up and read a great book
o Play a board game. If you live alone you can play board games online. For example download the app ‘words with friends’ and play scrabble with your friends from afar.
Instead of seeing being shut away for 3 weeks as something terrible, see it as an amazing opportunity. Its all about how you choose to view it – just change your mindset. Choose to make it a positive experience.