What you should be doing during the lockdown.
We are currently into week three of quarantine, I think, and we seem to have a lot of free time on our hands.
A lot of time to get things done that we've always put off. I have some friends who are currently learning a language that they've always wanted to learn and that's great for them.
More and more I see people on social media telling you to use your time to be more productive. Come out at the end of this with something that you are proud of.
I'm obsessed with creating content, mainly videos, and these social media comments have made me feel pressured into doing more video work.
In fact, I was spending most of my time during the day in my head trying to figure out what in God's name am I going to create? How am I going to make the most out of all this free time?
It actually got to the point where I was at a standstill. I was frustrated that I couldn't keep up with other creatives and their output.
Not only that, but the amount of exercise some people are doing is actually scaring me and I'm finding it hard to work out even twice a week.
Until I completely flipped it on its head.
This is an extremely difficult time we are all going through together and I realized that we should all do what feels best for ourselves.
That might sound obvious but if you are like me, who feels the need to be active all the time, it didn't come easy.
Instead of feeling guilty about watching eight episodes a day of The Walking Dead, I said f**k it, sat back and relaxed into that binge-watching.
I have even started to take it a step further.
I'm now doing less than ever.
I'm taking my time enjoying every little thing that my ordinary, normal life offers.
Morning times would consist of me making a coffee and drinking it while working on something. Barely even tasting my coffee as I try to keep up with some sort of work.
Now, I have completely detached myself from the world as I drink my coffee.
I sit outside my back garden, if the sun is shining, and just drink my coffee.
I'll spend an hour drinking my coffee and breathing in the fresh air.
Understandably, not everyone has the leisure of taking that much time as some people have to mind kids etc.
But still taking more time than ever to do certain chores or the most mundane daily activities you normally have to rush through, you can now take your time with them find them more relaxing.
Hanging out the washing in this weather for an extra 10 minutes can be nice or taking your time to add a little bit of extra spice to your meals.
What's the rush? We can't go anywhere.
I'm also disengaging from social media as much as I possibly can. Not only is this a good thing to do at a regular time but now more than ever.
Everything on social media seems to be about Covid-19 and, for me at least, is spiking my levels of anxiety.
Taking my life as slow as I possibly can has really helped. I'm way more relaxed than I've ever been before. I'm way more rested with the extra time I'm taking in bed.
This will all end and life will return back to normal so I'm taking this time to chill the f**k out.
I'm meditating more than usual, spending some time painting (even though I'm shite at it) pictures that people will never see, it's relaxing, and reading.
Now, does this mean I recommend everyone to take their foot off the pedal?
No.
What you should be doing during lockdown is whatever you want. Whatever brings you the most peace.
There is no competition going on here for the most output during the lockdown.
If you want to watch an entire season of your favorite show in one day? Do it.
If you want to blast out intense workouts every day? Fair play.
Cooking? Getting creative? Learn a language? Sit in your pajamas staring at a wall all day? It's all your decision.
Do whatever the hell you want and please don't feel pressured by anyone.
Congratulate your friends on their success of running that 5k challenge or learning a language and continue doing whatever it is you were doing.
One last thing, be nice to others, ring your loved ones. We are all going through this together.
