Lockdown Part II
Return of the lockdown, here's my manifesto 📜
Maybe I tempted the gods when I wrote about depression last week, because oh boy, are things getting worse 🌧 To think, we could all wake up today/tomorrow and live in a world where we can’t go to the pub for a month and Trump might still be in the White House.
Maybe you are reading this in the future and shaking your head… I will sit in ignorant bliss for now.
In light of the imminent release of Lockdown: The Sequel, I asked on Twitter for your additions to my *Lockdown Manifesto* in which I make some promises to myself to not beat myself up for not being as productive or feeling sad.
I’ll start with mine, and follow up with the contributions from my lovely Twitter pals.
Minimise exposure to the news
I’m a compulsive checker and that extends to the news, sometimes I find myself refreshing the BBC homepage 100+ times a day. I don’t even know what I am expecting to find… yet I can’t look away. I am working towards a few checks per day, ideally with just one brief perusal after breakfast by the end of November. It makes me feel crap and there’s nothing I can do about it, yet I can’t stop myself.
Indulge in slower mornings
I’m a morning person by nature, so I won’t be lying in ‘til midday and staying up all night. But I have stopped setting any alarms, started leaving my phone in another room and I just wake up when I wake up (usually around 7.30 when Potter cries). We go on a walk and come back for breakfast and a read, rather than hopping straight on the computer. If there’s one thing in abundance right now, it’s time, so why try to rush the morning when a slow and easy start to the day will achieve just as much?
Spend more time outdoors
I’ve been running a few 5ks per week and that, alongside walking the dogs every day, keeps me outside - though I typically stay around my local area. I know we aren’t allowed to travel far, but I suspect we’ll be venturing to some of the lesser-known rural spots for longer walks throughout November as we aren’t restricted by the draconian one-hour rule like last time.
Get in the festive spirit early
We’ve already tucked into mulled wine a couple of times this year, and I am on the lookout for Greggs’ amazing vegan mince pies to soothe the mid-afternoon slog. Come 1st December, I’ll be covering my Zoom background in tinsel and playing Feliz Navidad on repeat.
Listen closely to my thoughts and feelings
Often, I ignore how I feel until alarm bells are going off and before I know it I’ve passed out on the sofa for two hours from post-Zoom exhaustion. This time ‘round, I’m making a special effort to notice the early signs of burn out and take breaks (easier said than done!).
And here are some of the promises from the Twitter fam:
What are you doing differently this time around? Let me know! P.S All of the gifs in today’s newsletter are from sequels except one. If you know which one, come tell me on Twitter.
🎧 I’ve been listening to Joji’s latest album Nectar on repeat and I can’t get enough. The perfect lo-fi working/driving music.
📚 This week I read It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover and it was truly an enthralling read. Clearly a very personal story for the author, the writing style is easy to read but the subject matter is anything but at times.
Oh, and since there’s not a “things I haven’t enjoyed this week” section, I’ll pop it here: before you set-off fireworks in your garden or a nearby field, consider the impact your actions make on poor animals - both pets and wildlife. Our youngest greyhound Harmony has been distraught every night since Halloween and it’s only getting worse. If you think fireworks should be kept for organised displays and banned for public sale, please sign this petition.
Enjoyed this? You might like these past issues:
28 October: Why business owners don't talk about depression
21 October: How to actually stick to something (and why it’s okay if you don’t)
14 October: Meet the bosses who shaped me
6 October: Running a business when you're sensitive AF
30 September - Let them eat lockdown layer cake 🍰
23 September - Poetry in Notion: How one tool revolutionised my work ✨
16 September - A sceptic’s guide to self development
9 September - A quick one from Bonny Scotland