How to get out of the Lockdown 3.0 rut

 Lockdown 3.0 has been cold, dark and pretty sluggish. The past few weeks have gone incredibly slowwwwly for a lot of us and motivation levels are pretty low. After realising that a few of my friends are going through the same demotivated rut too, I thought I would share the things that have given me a small boost of energy through my lockdown days so far, hoping that these tips will help others too!

1) Start journalling - I recently came across the idea of a 'positivity journal' where you commemorate EVERY SINGLE GOOD THING that has happened to you that day eg: drinking your morning beverage and watching the sunrise or a lovely email that you got sent. By writing it all down, you are only reflecting on the positives which can help you feel energized and inspired.

2) Switch your phone off - 2021 will be the year my screen time reduces significantly. I have already been doing this and I LOVE IT! I switch it off in the evenings about 1 to 2 hours before bed and switch it on around 11am the next day. It makes me feel so refreshed to not even have the option to scroll and I find myself with loads more time to do other things!

3) Read in the Morning - Reading sets me up for the day, whether I set myself 20 pages or an hour, it is always something I look forward to before sitting at my desk all day. 

4) Get Dressed & Make Bed Daily - Both of these are vital for me to ensure that I feel prepared for the day ahead. Whether you want to wear loungewear or officewear, give yourself a PURPOSE. Get out of your pjs and into the right mindset.

5) Make time to Eat - Make time in your day to eat substantial meals, that are nutritious. This is easier said than done, so to help, give yourself a full lunch hour, and wind down in time for dinner. Food is the most important source of our energy so make sure that you are eating well and enough! If you can, try to avoid fast foods and large amounts of sugar as that can make you feel pretty sluggish and tired. For new ideas check out BBC Good food.

Lockdown baths are pretty lush

6) Get outside - Another way to fuel yourself is with Vitamin D. Whether its 20 minutes or 5 miles, just get out, try not to use your phone so that you can fully switch off. When you are out, notice your surroundings, smile at people and just soak it all up. 

7) Get your body moving  - I have been really into home workouts on the Nike Training Club this month. I prefer fast-paced exercise so the HIIT workouts have been perfect. They are around 30 minutes long and I look forward to doing them 3 to 4 days a week after online school. 

8) Make time to socialise - We are all probably feeling a bit lonely from time to time and so it is crucial that you are making an effort to talk to your friends and extended family. Check-in with people. There are plenty of quiz ideas and games that can be done over Zoom. So get creative! It will also give you something to look forward to in your weekly/daily.

9) Change your workspace regularly - New surroundings are scientifically proven to boost your work ethic, so if you can, it is definitely something to consider. 

10) Treat yourself - for getting certain tasks done. There are always going to be things that we don't want to do but getting them done is better than letting it sit on your mind. Or, you can reward yourself for simply getting through the day/week! Rewards may be in the form of (online) retail therapy or as simple as a movie night.

11) Get Sufficient Sleep - Not too little and not too much. Around 7/8/9 hours a night is recommended by the National Sleep Foundation. To get the most out of your sleep, go to bed around the same time every night.

12) Take regular breaks - particularly away from your laptop/computer screen. Doing this for 5-10 minutes every 30 minutes to 1 hour can reset your focus and reduce the blue light strain on your eyes. You could even try the Pomodoro Technique to further increase productivity. 

13) Do things that inspire you - For me, this is simply scrolling through aesthetic lifestyle images on Pinterest and making vision boards (see me make my 2021 vision board here) A few other activities include learning an instrument, a new language, creating/designing etc. 

14) Set yourself realistic* goals - Perhaps note down what you want to complete in a week, month or 6 months and dedicate time every week towards that. I have set myself 6-month goals in terms of self-development and growth. Your goals could be work, personal, health-related. It's down to you and your personal aspirations! 

15) Meditations and Mindfulness - Meditating has been my biggest saviour during this lockdown - I couldn't recommend it enough. There are plenty of meditation apps from Headspace to Luminosity Mind to guide you. If meditation is not your thing, then there are other things you can try such as colouring/painting, knitting, writing etc.

16)  Have time off - At the moment I am trying to fit all my school work in from Monday to Friday and giving myself the weekends off from any work, to watch Netflix all day, and sleep in guilt-free. I get that this isn't always easy and usually we underestimate how long tasks take so this doesn't always go to plan. If you do this, try not to feel guilty because looking after yourself is self-care and in moderation, lazy days can be good for you too. 

Thank you for reading, I hope that these tips will help you feel energized and revitalised during these tough and challenging times. If there is any other advice you would like to share, feel free to comment below to help others. 🤍

Manisha :)