Five Ways That Can Help Shift Perspective During A Lockdown
This week we want to introduce you to our brand new author: Margot Murray!
Originally from Newfoundland, Canada, Margot Murray has always been an outdoor enthusiast, a sponge for knowledge, with a voracious curious mind. She has always had a passion for writing, travel, and as an adult she has developed a curiosity and passion for all things around health and well-being. Since moving to England, she loves kayaking, exploring, climbing, and enjoying a strong cup of tea with a side of biscuit (all for self-care).
In a time where we have to take mental health more important than ever before in this world, it is a pleasure to have Margot on board – focused on providing the greatest content related to mental health.
This week we spoke with Alison about five ways that can help you to shift perspective during a lockdown. And we know this could be very relevant for you right, since measurements and restrictions have been increased again on many places lately in order to fight the COVID pandemic!
2020
Who would have thought on New Year’s Eve 2020, the year’s must-have fashion accessory would be a trendy face mask and social distancing was air hugs to your friends and family – not just reserved for Doomsday Preppers and light house keepers.Transition hasn’t been easy for many, including myself. For me, what really brought it home is the fact that I may not see home very soon. I am a Canadian living and working in the UK. While I have been here for nearly three years I have never missed a lengthy annual pilgrimage home to family, friends, and the creature comforts of the Great White North. However, at this point in time, I have no idea when I may see my East Coast Island again.
The majority of us have been there, experiencing some version of the ebbs and flows of this pandemic: comfort eating, TV binging, furlough merlot, crying, frustration, and sometimes even anger. That’s okay. It is absolutely normal to have those moments and to let them happen; it is healthy… as along as we don’t stay in that negative or overwhelming headspace for prolonged periods of time. As we begin to transition into the cooler months, which have many concerned about a possible second lockdown, I would like to share with you five things I have discovered that help me reflect, refocus, gain a brighter perspective, and a more overall positive way to work through this pandemic.
Fresh Air
First of all: fresh air! It sounds so simple, and you may roll your eyes and think “isn’t this common sense?” Maybe so, but even being an absolute lover of nature, there were days when I just couldn’t be bothered to get up and get outside. After day in and day out of the same old routine, we can sink into a stale mind-set which leads to letting good, enjoyable habits slip.It wasn’t until I had to give myself a proper pep talk and virtually forced myself to set my feet out the door, that I suddenly remembered how good it felt gulping back big breaths of fresh air. It felt so liberating, invigorating and soothing. Even if you can’t go outside, open the windows for a little bit and let the fresh air fill your lungs and space. Not only is it meant to help you sleep better, (hello COVID insomnia, my new friend) but in the moment it can be a wholly energizing flip of the switch and can be a motivator to do something creative or productive. So many times, just opening my windows has made me instantly feel lighter and brighter.
Once outdoors, it opens up more activities to enjoy: exercising, exploring new streets or parks, seeing others (the world does still exist!) or getting creative (I love taking photographs of nature). Which leads me to activity number two…
Reading
Another activity that sparks creativity. If you’ve been struggling with feeling hemmed in amongst your four walls, why not try reading a good book? At the moment travel is limited, and when in lockdown it’s virtually non-existent. Books can feed the travel bug in a pinch and it’s not just the world that’s your oyster. Fancy a trip to a new galaxy? Want to live in a mediaeval castle for a day? Or what about deep sea diving? Time and space are endless! When I find a good book, unlike TV where I am still aware of my surroundings, I become fully immersed and can easily get lost for a few hours. Not to mention, with books, all systems are working when it comes to activating your brain, imagination, and giving your eyes a rest from the screens. It keeps the mind and brain active – creating the scenes while reading from the pages instead of just passively watching something. I love being able to create the world and people I read about in my mind, without having a producer do that for me. If you’re artistic, it might even spawn a creative flow of drawing or painting or even writing yourself – both fun and cathartic!On the other hand, if you’re into expanding your knowledge, there are countless things you can learn from books. It’s a nice break from the screen too, especially when trying to settle down for the night. All that being said, if you are new to reading or wanting to get back into it, and hour can seem daunting, be patient and give yourself bite sized goals. I started with 10 pages a day and now I am in the realm of “just one more page.” With any habit or hobby, baby steps can make big achievements.
Cooking
The third activity which offers a whole host of benefits is reconnecting with your kitchen. I love baking and cooking, I find it deliciously rewarding. Pre-COVID I was struggling to find the time or energy, after a long day, to come home and cook a nice meal. However, with lockdown and now working from home, I find I have more time and have rekindled my love of finding new or old recipes to make throughout the week. If you only have one day a week to cook make a big batch that will last as leftover for a few days. It can be so satisfying making a yummy, healthy, home-cooked meal. It makes me feel like I’m indulging, and yeah it’s easy, fun and a great form of self-care – nurturing through nourishing.Another motivation that got me back into the kitchen was that my partner and I were on reduced pay during lockdown, so takeaways had to be limited. So along with the challenge of creating recipes with different measurements and ovens (the adjustment is on-going), I started to try and recreate healthier – more budget friendly – versions of some favorites. Not all of my creations were successful, but trial and error can be yum too!
Don’t forget, sharing is caring. If you are living with a partner, housemates or family, why not take turns making a meal for the household or do it all together? Not only will you get a home-cooked meal but you get help, can have some great conversations and laughs, and feel more connected. So pop on some tunes, dance your way to the kitchen and sing-a-long while you cook for yourself or together!
Movement
As winter approaches in COVID times, finding ways to stay active may seem to be a bit trickier with the weather getting colder and (usually) wetter. Even if you normally love being active, getting cold and drenched to the bone in the name of fitness may not sound appealing. Gyms are open at the moment; however, if they do close again, that can leave options a little slim to none. If you fall under this line of thinking fret not, there are ways to incorporate movement when spending more and more time in one space. If you do have a little money to spend, why not invest in inexpensive equipment such as dumbbells, resistance bands, and more. My partner and I tend to be active people and when the gyms closed we were feeling it. Ultimately, we decided it was worth the investment and bought some equipment. My mother also kindly gifted me some funds for my birthday which I put toward a cheap and cheerful exercise bike as she knows how much I love to have cardio in my day (hello, endorphins and good digestion). Before the equipment, and even since, I continue to gravitate to the variety of online workouts that cost nothing yet, they get the heart rate up and the endorphins flowing! Some of my favorite go-to YouTube workouts are Dance Cardio, HIIT, Pilates, Yoga, and Barre. I especially love the dance cardio, not only does it not feel like a workout but you can sing-a-long and dance to whatever genre you like – it’s like a workout that doesn’t feel like a workout (my favorite kind)!For those who desire to take it a little slower, there are workouts for those with back or knee injuries. Even if you just putter about the house – stand while you fold the laundry, walking about to water your plants, just moving about no matter how much – can make a huge difference overall. This leads me to my final, but no less important point…
Nurture
One of the best feelings in the world can come from nurturing or taking care of ourselves or another being. It can provide a sense of warmth, purpose and contentment. If you have a pet, spend extra quality time snuggling them, playing with them, and being more present when taking care of them. While my cat is currently residing in Canada, I always found joy making sure she was taken care of and spending time with her. For now, during lockdown, I bought plants to bring nature indoors and to have something to take care of and to focus on. Taking time to water, tend to and feed them as needed brings me great joy and satisfaction. I even bought a beginners houseplant book to learn all the signs of possible problems and what each plant requires, which has me wanting to own new plants and fill our space with greenery. A bonus is that plants help clean your air.Another important part of life to nurture is our relationships, be it with ourselves, partners, friends or family. Now is a great time to come together and enjoy one another’s company (those in our bubble and others virtually) and have great laughs and meaningful conversations. Life can get busy, and sometimes we can take our loved ones for granted. With so much more time on our hands, now is the perfect time to reconnect or rekindle.
Every week my partner and I Zoom with our families – we prepare quizzes to play with each of our families or we play a beloved family card game, through an app and have great conversations. We play board games and video chat with friends and currently meet practicing social distancing with one or two local friends. I have reconnected with people I have lost touch with over the years, and seeing familiar faces, it just brings warmth and smiles to this time and reminds us we are in this together.
Make sure you make time for quality time for you too. Like with other relationships, when life gets busy we can forget our wants, needs and goals. When lockdown first started, I took time away to recharge. I took to my journal, I listened to inspiring podcasts, I painted, and I just started to relearn to quiet the noise and listen. I took the time for self-care: staying active, eating healthy, taking free online workshops and courses, and taking bubble baths. I started sipping my tea more slowly while watching the birds and other animals enjoy the bird feeder. All these little things add up – they replenish and restore.
Ultimately, this is a guide not a manual. We each have our own rhythms and know what nurtures us and makes us feel good. The big take away is when in a time of uncertainty and chaos, one of the best things we can do is to slow down, breathe, and find joy in the hobbies we may have let slide or in nurturing habits that make each day a better one. Even if you apply the five minute rule to get started on something you want to do or try, or working daily on trying to find a single bright spot, with time some anxieties and worries may shift to a new, fresher perspective.
We hoped that you enjoyed the first blog of our new author Margot Murray and maybe you can even apply some our these amazing tips in your own life. Stay tuned if you are interested in topics related to mental health, since more writings of Margot are yet to come!
You can have an overview with all of our current authors over here. Are you a writing talent yourself? Make sure to check out our vacancies and who knows you will become one of our great Sportacy sports and health authors!