Routine

Monday is the beginning of the week! But this week is different from most. One lesson learned from the last lockdown was it is easy to lose track of time. If you are to work through the next month and be ready for the three weeks leading up to Christmas, take steps to keep to a regular timetable.

Research has proven a daily routine is useful for health and wellbeing. It makes sense to keep to a schedule. Moving away from a set way can cause mental health issues. It is possible to ‘feel’ as if you have let yourself down. And a circle of anxiety can quickly become active.

A daily routine can be as simple as:
Wake up at a set time
Bathe or shower
Light breakfast
Tidy house
Wash clothes
One hour rest
Prepare food for the rest of the day
Have lunch
Take a one hour walk or shopping
Internet tasks
Read a book – Listen to music
Evening meal
Do not leave the washing up until tomorrow
A short walk
Prepare for bed
Rest to sleep

Make sure you keep well hydrated and work through your diet to provide the best quality food. You could also consider ways of learning new skills or relearning old hobbies.

Many of you will have children, and fortunately, many schools are still open. Therefore your routine may not change as much as people who are not at work for the next four weeks.

We have already considered the idea of only thinking about what is known and keeping away from speculation. So, keep your mind sharp and focus on the reality of the daily routine.

Feng Shui

I asked many people about their achievements during the last lockdown. Many were ashamed that they did not take advantage of the situation! A typical comment was ‘I was so bored’ or ‘I watched television – what else was there to do?’ Surprisingly, a standard reply was ‘I cleared out all of my rubbish and the things I no longer used’. Charity shops did not benefit from the mass clear-outs. How do I know? I asked. With one lady telling me she’d taken her record collection to the tip! That one was hard to hear!

There is much to be said for the ‘clear out’ it free’s spaces and terrifies: when we realise just how much money we’ve wasted on items long forgotten or never used. But clearing deadwood is key to successful and fruitful living. Knowing our home is uncluttered will give an incredible feeling of achievement. And anything which makes us feel good is welcome at this time.

And here is a suggestion. Consider having a clear-out of old items, wrap them and place in a manageable box. Leave the parcel in the corner of a room. In two weeks, see if you can remember what is in the box. If you cannot remember, then you do not need the contents.

So, consider a routine. The one listed is only a suggestion. Write up the schedule and try t stick to it: you may think the exercise is pointless, don’t fall into this trap. Anyone who follows a routine will find immense rewards in the long term. Most of us learned great lessons from the last lockdown, but remember, the last one was in the summer: bright days and long evenings. We are now in autumn and winter is soon to be here: a different dynamic, short and dark days can quickly bring in uncomfortable feelings.

Why not consider taking positive steps today? Keep a little discipline in daily life. Do not underestimate the need to work twice as hard to stay focussed and see yourself through the next four weeks.

See You Soon

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