Let’s cut to the chase: lockdown was tough. Whilst being stuck indoors is a minor issue in comparison to the global impact the virus had on many lives, most of us had our daily routines turned upside down, tackling changes such as WFH, working out from our living rooms and swapping social gatherings for Zoom quiz nights.
But, amongst all the chaos, lockdown encouraged new habits that have changed many lives for the better. In research conducted by Sky News, Psychologist Dr Amanda Gummer says the lockdown has positively impacted families: “Never before in modern history have so many parents spent so much time in one place with their children.” *
As well as more family time, embracing a slower pace of life and saying goodbye to the daily commute were changes welcomed by many, with Brits outside of London saving an average of 59 minutes each day by ditching the dreaded journey to the office†.
But which lockdown habits are really worth holding on to? We asked Online Fitness Coach Georgie Harris to reveal the 4 healthy lockdown habits she’s still embracing and why she thinks these have changed her lifestyle for the better.
"Now that we are easing back to normality, it doesn’t mean we should just go back to our old habits, so here are few examples of the lessons I’ve learnt and how I’m continuing to practice them.
SHORT AND EFFECTIVE TRAINING AT HOME
I used to be a firm believer that the gym was the only place I would get an effective workout, but lockdown proved me wrong. Training at home actually meant I had to get a lot more creative with my exercise and try something new. You may have experienced this too, but it meant trying different variations of moves that I probably would never have thought to do in the gym before. While your overall strength may not have increased, it’s actually a great way to work on your weaker areas, away from the big egos in the gym. And let’s not forget the time we all tend to waste getting to and from the gym, chatting to your pals and waiting around for equipment. At home you can get a really effective session over and done with in 40 mins!
While I do recommend getting back into a gym for a few sessions a week, don’t neglect those home workouts as, not only do they add variety to your workout regime, but they’ll save you valuable time too!
COOKING, MEAL PREPPING AND PLANNING AHEAD
Even if you’re a fan of cooking, convenience does seem to get the better of us and, with Deliveroo making it even easier to order meals straight to your door, our wallet, and healthy eating, can take a bit of beating. In lockdown, though, I found myself having to be extra organised with my meals to limit my trips to the supermarket and to ensure I wasn’t spending hours in my day cooking individual meals. Now that some of you might be heading back to the office or if you’re someone that is always on the go, meal prep can be a really effective way of ensuring you save money and time, but it also tends to mean you eat healthier in general. The amount of times I decided to forego a pizza delivery because I didn’t want to waste the food I’d already cooked is actually something I’m quite proud of.
APPRECIATING TIME OUTSIDE TO SWITCH OFF
At the start of lockdown, here in the UK, we were only allowed to go out once a day for an hour of activity and, as I was already training from home, I saw this as a good opportunity to separate myself from work, get outside and take a nice long stroll. This is probably the habit I have managed to be most consistent with and make it a non-negotiable in my day still. Instead of sitting at your laptop all night and never really switching out of work mode, or going straight from the office to your couch, taking yourself out for a bit of activity and a bit of headspace does wonders for your mental health and your step count.
You could make it a morning walk as part of your commute, a lunchtime walk to break up the day or a nice walk before dinner - especially now you don’t have to cook every evening (dinner date, anyone?!)
BEING OK WITH SAYING NO
I think FOMO is something that we all experience but, with social time-limited during lockdown, it really made me realise how much I actually value my alone time. I think we sometimes feel pressured to always be busy and feel bad for staying home, but one thing I started doing as we eased back to normality was turning down invitations with no guilt. Sometimes sitting home on the sofa with cup of tea isn’t such a bad thing and it’s made me appreciate the times I do go out more, but also allowed more time to indulge in a bit of self-care instead of always trying to please others!
Which lockdown habits are you still embracing? If you’re heading back to the gym, why not get back into the swing of things with this full body rack workout? Or, for those still loving their living room sweat sessions, give these 4 home-workout routines a go!
Sources
* https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-the-unexpected-benefits-of-a-world-in-lockdown-11985708
† https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/annual-commuting-time-21-hours-compared-decade-ago-finds-tuc