So here we are in the midst of uncertainty with the latest health scare that is Covid-19 or Coronavirus. As we attempt to join together by staying apart and help save our NHS heroes, we find ourselves in other vulnerable positions than that we are striving to help and that creates a whole other frightening outcome.
Like with anything, we must have all gone through the novelty stage of treating it like a holiday or 'staycation' but as the reality hits in, we find ourselves feeling like prisoners in our own homes.
So, instead of succumbing to the sofa and the tantalising tales of daytime TV (it's so relatable right now), we must find the positive in the situation we are now in.
We are allowed to walk our dogs, take up exercise and go to the shops but what else must we do with the majority of our time inside our four walls?
As we embark on the unknown and self isolate, we could use this time for positive gains...
What will I do with all this free time?
What have I been wanting to do but not had enough time?
Now is THAT time to put up those shelves, spend time helping your children with their homework, going through your wardrobe, culling those items you feel you have no business wearing (although trying them on would be a great trip down memory lane as much as it would be a great ego boost).
Ever since we had the news of working from home, I must admit, at first, it was a bittersweet feeling. Christmas came and went and it was not all the festive fun I usually feel. Maybe it's a sign of growing up but since then all we have seen is the decline of life as we know it due to the current outbreak. So from a personal point of view, I figured this could be a great opportunity for me, albeit bleak and dismal at the same time, to try to learn a new skill in order to shine a fresh light on something long and dark.
I am making my trips outdoors only within the realm of what we are able to do in order to keep numbers down, and I am trying to make the most of what 'free' time I have to put to better use.
As more of a morning person, I wake up at around 8am, I then put on the morning TV to get the latest updates, whichever channel suits you best and yes TV is much better than looking at phones as TV has the latest information and less irrelevant distractions of celebrity so called news.
I prepare coffee, the fresh smell of coffee drifting through the apartment in the morning is the best, once awake with the latest news and caffeine fix, I prepare my dog for his eagerly awaited morning walk.
Walking the dog, I try to make use of different scenery, whilst remaining compliant to social distancing. We go along the main road, crossing over to avoid any kind of contact whilst taking any side street that brings us back around to the original main road and back across the main road to another side street that brings us back closer to our flat. This figure of 8 is not exactly the most exciting adventure for our lovely pooch but at first it is a mixture of the surroundings and smells for him to do his doggy business and it does feel like a much longer walk, or until he gets use to all the scents at least.
During the daytime, I have been tidying and sorting in order to declutter my life and living space, this is something that I have been meaning to do for some time and now adds great value to this trying time.
If you have anything that you were longing to do around the house or in the garden, now would be the time to set the standard for how you want things.
Now, when I get back from the walk... I do have daytime TV on in the background as I have found that it can be a great part of the routine as its great to exercise to whilst also gaining some knowledge/inspiration for things to do. There are a few small masterclasses across the channels during the day.
After or during the work out make sure that some kind of routine is in place for hygiene, the family/house mates can take it in turns to use the bathroom as those that do want to exercise can get on with that.
Also if you have children, this would be a great opportunity to form and stick to a routine and after hygiene has been maintained get them to do their home work or set them chores or even a creative project to do together (remaining mindful of their health and safety). Maybe even from one of the daytime TV tutorials.
Going through laundry and organising clothes, relive those memories of trying on garments from a past life!
Thoroughly enjoyed trying on a navy blazer with a bicycle broach that I bought 12 years ago but last wore 10 years ago whilst getting a bit tipsy and climbed on top of a car!
Not just for the nostalgia but why not create some outfits, put together some clothes that look great in your mind take pictures on your phone and save for when you are next stuck with what to wear.
If garments no longer fit or they now look tired then its cut to the cull... that's half the job done at least!
Set aside a pile of garments that's are no longer needed, in order to donate, There are bound to be people out there who are in need of clothes especially when things return to normal and we could all do with donating something instead of throwing it away. I personally enjoy browsing charity shops and have found great deals before so do not fear about creating new memories for your clothes!
If you are living alone then why not get onto one of the various video calling platforms and contact your siblings, your parents, your cousins, and/or your friends and have a trip down memory lane.
Those who eat together stay together! - a statement that is very true!
Anyone who has ever enjoyed anyone else's company will know how true this is!
No matter who is the chef or who isn't... there is always a warming feeling coming together with your favourite people to enjoy a bite and their company. Eating together has created life long friendships with people I studied with and myself and my partner eat together on a regular basis which has proven a nice bit of normality during this isolation.
Again this can be done via video calling if you want to include someone who doesn't live with you or if you live alone, we live in a social world nowadays.
As the day heads to a close, I like to treat this as the norm... by watching TV and again catching up on the news. I prioritise escapism at this time though by catching up on TV programmes/series as there are regular news updates throughout the whole day.
Escapism is good, watch a DVD, catch up on something that you downloaded or saved and still be mindful about the latest updates when they appear.
Survival in Self Isolation can be all about setting the standard for the norm!
Let me know what you think and how you are self isolating...
Remember:
Whatever you're doing and however you're doing it...
#staysafe #stayhome #safelives
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