wellness
20 Things You Can Do During Lockdown
Back in lockdown, here's 20 things we think you could do to keep yourself occupied and productive.
Being in lockdown does mean staying at home but while we're there, it creates some opportunities to do a lot of things around the house. Yes we still need to work, watch the kids, home school and all that sort of stuff but if you do have time, then you could try working your way through this list!
As ideal as lying on the couch and watching Netflix all day sounds...having that as an option to do for a period of the day is something to look forward to while you can be productive, creative and a master of ticking things off the 'to do' list (that's not getting any smaller) for the rest of the day.
Here's some ideas on what you could do during lockdown:
1. Read a book
No doubt, you might be someone who enjoys a read already but if you are someone who isn't really 'in to reading' or feel like you just don't have time, then lockdown is a great chance to pick up a book and read a little. Find a quiet time of the day to just give yourself half an hour or if you can't do that, go to bed half an hour earlier and read before you go to sleep. It's a much better option that staring at your phone screen and gives your eyes and body a chance to prepare itself for going to sleep.
2. Write A Gratitude Journal
This is something that is recommended by wellness experts all over the world and something Celine Wallace of Sattva Soul recommended in her talk at the LiveFit Wellness Series. Give yourself half an hour when you wake up in the morning to write down the things you are grateful for. This could be simple things like the roof over your head, your health, having food on the table, a job, your family...anything you are thankful and grateful for. Write down whatever comes to mind. You might be surprised at all the things you think of!
3. Watch livecams of animals in their natural habitat
So here's one that could keep you entertained for hours although, probably not the best thing to do for that long! Explore.org has live videos from all over the world of wild animals in their habitat, whether that be oceans, national parks and cliff tops, for example. Watch bears, birds, orca, african wildlife and more!
4. Listen to a podcast
There's so many podcasts out there that offer some real insight, information, tips and laughs! Available on a range of platforms including Spotify, Apple, iHeartRadio, Rova and more, they give you access to so many international and local podcasts at your fingertips and here's a few we can recommend that are available on Spotify:
- The Trainee Sexologist
- The DediKate Podcast
- The Healthcode Daily
- The Girls Uninterrupted
- The Joe Rogan Experience
- The Rise & Conquer Podcast
- The Mindset Mentor
- Nike Trained
- The Pineapple Project
- Fierce Fitness
5. Try A Fitness Challenge
Lockdown is a great way to dust off the activewear, set some goals and create a habit of doing something each day. There's a few fitness challenges around but the most popular are the 100 pushup challenge, squat challenge, or the 30-day bodyweight workout challenge. The best part of these challenges it encourages you to move and stick to something for a certain number of days so help with the motivation.
6. Sock Basketball
Well this one is just a bit of fun! Roll your socks into a ball and use the laundry basket as your hoop. Shoot for the basket from varying distances and see how many you can get in! Play with someone in your bubble and it becomes a fun challenge to pass the time.
7. Organise Your Wardrobe and Drawers
Well, this is a great use of time. A chance to tackle the growing number of clothes that are filling your wardrobe and drawers. This is something you want to do in one go, not over a number of attempts so allocate time, grab a wine and pull EVERYTHING out. Sort in to KEEP, GO or MAYBE.
Personal Style Coach Chasing Cait recommends grouping your clothes together as this makes it so much easier to find things. Put all your short sleeve together, your long sleeve, dresses, jackets etc. It keeps it tidy and when you're in the middle of the morning rush, you know exactly where everything is.
As you put everything back, pay attention to what you are keeping and think how you can use it and what you can wear it with. You'll be surprised what you can mix and match items with after seeing it again if it's something that's been tucked away for some time. Whatever is in your GO pile is great to donate to a charity shop or 'hand me down' to friends and family members.
8. Try Yoga
Yoga is a great way to unwind, stretch, relieve stress and make time for you. Dr Manoj Kutteri, wellness director at Atmantan Wellness Centre in India, says, “Yoga is a great tool as the stretching poses help to reduce tension in muscles and joints, and this can, in turn, help relax the sympathetic system. There are many yoga poses which are excellent for managing blood pressure thereby reducing anxiety symptoms.”
There's a few free yoga sessions on YouTube you can try including from 2021 LiveFit Festival guest Sjana Elise as well as Yoga with Adriene, Yoga with Bird and more. There's also apps you can download - Yoga by Gaiam, Glo, Down Dog and Alo Moves.
9. Do a Spring Clean
Being home for a few days gives you a chance to give the home a real tidy and clean up. Doing a spring clean can also reduce clutter and mess which also reduces stress and anxiety, benefitting your mental health. Wiping down surfaces, vacuuming and dusting also removes germs, which is even more important in the current environment. Don't forget the corners both top and bottom of walls and look out for any mould, particularly in winter as this doesn't contribute to an overall healthy home.
10. Colour in
Normally something for the kids, adults colouring in is experiencing huge popularity. There's now hundreds of books available. Colouring has the ability to relax the fear center of your brain, the amygdala. It induces the same state as meditating by reducing the thoughts of a restless mind. This generates mindfulness and quietness, which allows your mind to get some rest after a long day.
11. Wash Your Make up Brushes
Been meaning to wash your makeup brushes for a while now? Besides bacteria, your favourite beauty brushes can also accumulate dead skin cells and oils over time, so it's pretty important that you keep them fresh and clean. Avoid makeup streaks and patches by painting your face with a smoother, more streamlined brush.
12. Do Some Gardening
A perfect time to attend to the garden, sorting out the overgrown weeds and out of control hedges during lockdown will not only make your garden look good but it's also a great way to relax during lockdown.
Research shows you can also burn 150-200 calories doing 30mins of gardening. It's a great way to reduce stress and can also help to get you a healthy dose of vitamin D which increases your calcium levels....benefitting your bones and immune system. Looking after your garden and growing vegetables can also mean healthier eating and less trips to the supermarket!
13. Go for a walk
Walking is a form of exercise that almost any age and fitness level can do. Walking for 30mins a day, 5 days a week can reduce your risk of coronary heart disease by 19%. Fresh air and a dose of vitamin D is great for mood, stress reduction, energy levels, strengthening your immune system and more. It's also a great way to think, spend quality time with a partner or the family, or some alone time if the home is a little chaotic during lockdown.
14. Do a puzzle
Puzzles are good for the brain. Studies have shown that doing jigsaw puzzles can improve cognition and visual-spatial reasoning. The act of putting the pieces of a puzzle together requires concentration and improves short-term memory and problem solving. There's also online puzzles you can do including crosswords, Sudoku, Word Search, Trivia Quizzes, Code Crackers and more and plenty are free like the ones at lovattspuzzles.com.
15. Make time for a bath
Winding down at the end of the day in a hot bath to some is their idea of heaven. It's a great way to relax and download the day. It gives you time to yourself. Add Epsom Salts to reduce pain, soothe dry skin and relax muscles. Add a bath bomb for a bit of added luxury which fills the bath with some amazing smells and scents to whisk you away to dreamland. Heck, add some bubbles for a bit of fun (soap bubbles not the kind that goes in your glass) or maybe some candles which can an excellent way to reduce the amount of light, help you relax and prepare your mind and body for bed, meaning a better sleep.
16. Have a games night
Dust off Monopoly, Scrabble or Cranium for a games night with those in your bubble. Having a bit of fun and spending time with loved ones can be great for your mood and can bring the family together (although Monopoly has a tendency to drive people further away!). It can take your mind off the stresses of being in lockdown and the things that are on your list of things to do.
17. Video call a friend
Just because you're in lockdown and can't go to visit people, it doesn't mean you can't still see them! These days, video calls are so easy to do whether that be through Zoom, Facebook Messenger, Facetime or Skype (if you still use that!). It's a fantastic way to stay in contact, share thoughts, solve problems, ask for advice and check in to see how they're doing.
18. Plan a holiday
Ok, so you maybe in lockdown now but we will be out soon enough and after that you'll no doubt be keen to get away so planning a holiday (be it most likely domestic) is something you can look forward to when you can get out and travel again. You may have more time to do it now that trying to fit it in to the evening 'after dinner' chaos or looking over your shoulder at work to make sure no one can see what you're doing!
19. Do a digital detox (or at least social media)
We spend so much time on our devices, taking time out can be highly beneficial but we often feel like we may miss out on something. You don't need to worry about missing what's going on and what developments there are as there's always the TV news updates. Even if you just take a break from social media, it can have a positive effect on your mental health and general anxiety. Rather than scrolling and seeing constant news updates or posts from others.
20. Watch a movie, doco or catch up on demand
While it may be last on the list, it's not for any real reason. It may not be healthy to binge-watch the whole lockdown, but setting time aside to catch up on your favourite tv shows or a movie is a great way to get some R&R and take your mind off things. If you've been busy dealing with the struggles of trying to balance work and family life, stopping and slowing down for a movie on the couch is good for you too and for both you and your partner if it's something you can do together. It gives you both time for each other...just try not to fall asleep halfway through!