Balance Your Life

Lockdown Wellness Tip 7

While it might seem like a great idea to spend your lockdown days as if you’re on holiday, this will probably lead you into bad habits, lower your mood, and negatively affect your sleeping and eating patterns.

It’s important to schedule your time

Having a plan for your day is very important, especially if you’re not able to work at the moment.

If you don’t have a diary, find a large notebook, or order one online if you’re unable to get to a local shop.

What gets measured gets done
&
What’s written down has a better chance of materialising

  • Write with a pencil, that way you can move things around as it suits you.
  • Have one page for each day
  • Along the left hand side of the page, write a list of times, every 30 minutes is ideal
    Start with the time you get up, and finish with your bedtime
    It’s best for your health if these are the same every day of the week
  • Now write in the basics – times for breakfast, lunch and dinner
  • Next you can add exercise times
  • When you plan to shower or have a relaxing soak in the bath
  • Times to meditate and do your breath practice
  • Time to read a book or watch TV
  • Put a note in your diary to start your night-time rituals one hour before your bedtime, and set an alarm on your phone to remind you. To get the best night’s sleep, this hour will have no screen time, so it’s the perfect time to put your phone into flight mode and turn your computer off

You should now be able to see the time you have for leisure.
If you usually have a long commute or long working day, you’ll be amazed at how much time you’ve got available for yourself.

If you don’t know what you want to do in your leisure time, start by writing a list of everything you enjoy, from crossword puzzles to mountain hiking.

Other ideas include tidying cupboards, piling up unwanted items ready to take to a charity shop, and sorting your digital photos.

Then if you’d like more ideas you can do some internet research for hobbies and interests.

Now you have a list you can choose from.

Keeping a diary in this way is different to keeping a journal, and if you’re not used to having a diary you might be surprised at how much more efficient you become.

The most satisfying thing for me, is ticking off everything as I get it done!

On to tip # 8

If you found this tip helpful,
please share it with anyone you think would also benefit from it.