Some Tips I Learnt During Lockdown 1.0 That Will Get Me Through The Next Six Weeks

Lockdown 2.0

I was thinking about starting this yarn optimistically, but fuckkkk that. Returning to lockdown for another six weeks fucking sucks. I just really don’t think forced positivity is going to help anyone right now. So instead, I’m going to word vomit all the things that helped me get through lockdown 1.0. I’m not a psychologist, or an expert in any way, I am – like you –  just another Victorian digesting the thought of six more weeks.

Please feel free to drop some of your own tips in the comments if you’re keen.

Switch Off

I used to switch off on the bus ride home. I miss it a lot. But now, I switch off via Animal Crossing. Nothing about it is remotely connected to our “new normal”. Instead, I – my character – is stuck on an island somewhere in Woop Woop. I do aggressively menial things like weeding. I also swim. Animal Crossing has no plot. It’s not about anything. That’s why I love it. It doesn’t make my heart hurt, it doesn’t stress me out, and it doesn’t make me angry. And sometimes, that’s all I want, y’know?

However you choose to do it – whether that be reading, movies, sex, painting, arts and craft, yoga – please give yourself some time to switch off. Going to sleep stressed and anxious – it sucks. It really sucks.

Know yourself

About a month into lockdown I stopped trying to join in on everything. I think I had a sense of FOMO, like if I didn’t take part in this one online escape room, my friends would hate me forever. Or if I didn’t take part in trivia, I’d miss out on the laughs and be utterly depressed. But the truth is, I really fucking hate organised Zoom drinks. So I just think it’s okay to decline an invitation if you want to. If you know you’ll have a better time just sitting on your bed doing nothing, do that.

Exercise

This one’s a bit of a two-parter, because it’s also about keeping a routine during lockdown.

I really like having a routine. It keeps me grounded and going. One of the biggest things I miss about pre-pandemic times is commuting. I miss taking the train and stopping by the city for a Boost. I miss dipping into the Dymocks on Collins Street on the way home. I miss almost falling on my face when the driver suddenly brakes. It’s the little things. But like everyone else, I adapted.

My lockdown routine is exercising. My mates and I put together this weekly schedule and have been following it for 16 weeks now. We pretty much started it when lockdown 1.0 was announced. It’s something I can look forward to every evening, not because I enjoy exercising, but because if I’ve had a particularly frustrating day, I can burn the negative energy right out of me.

Whenever I can’t be bothered working out, I think of that Legally Blonde quote: “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t shoot their husbands, they just don’t.” I don’t know if the endorphins bit is true, and I don’t particularly care. I just don’t want to let Elle Woods down.

Frieeenndddss

Supporting each other is a huge factor in my lockdown experience. When I’m having an off day, my mates cheer me up and vice versa. And when we’re all having an off day, we pour ourselves a glass of wine and unleash. And it feels real fucking good. We also make plans for the future, which is something to look forward to – the light at the end of the very long and dark tunnel.

Communication

There’s an obvious difference between your best mates and your mates, and that difference is amplified in lockdown. Pre-pandemic, I used to see some people weekly, who I didn’t necessarily message online. When lockdown started, that weekly communication broke down. I liked one of my friends’ post on Instagram the other day and realised I hadn’t spoken to her in six weeks. I still need to work on this, but the gist is to keep the communication going.

Go for a walk around the block

… I just stopped going outside. Did you? I knew I still could, but I just chose not to. And it really messed me up. So when I realised how ridiculous I was being, I started to go on walks. The change was immediate. The walks cleared my head and the fresh air did me wonders, as did the sun. It was also really nice being away from my laptop and my desk. I always try and keep work and home seperate, but it’s hard to do that when home becomes your place of work.

Which brings me to my last point.

When it’s time to clock off, clock off

I’ve been guilty of this a couple of times, because it is so extremely easy to say, “Five more minutes, I’m already home”. But those five minutes will – will – turn into at least half an hour. So if you can and are working from home at the moment, clock off when it’s time to clock off.

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