My 7 Ways Of Dealing With Lockdown In Winter

In my last post, I wrote about my struggles with full lockdown this second time round.

One of my struggles with lockdown this winter has been the terrible weather, which affects my motivation for outdoor exercise.

My other struggle with lockdown is the constant state of connectedness that seems more real now that I’m at home all the time.

Anyway, because I struggle with these two issues, I came up with some solutions. I don’t follow these all the time, but when I do, I cope better.

1. Exercise and nutrition

I’m not a sporty person at all, but I do like certain types of exercise. Disclaimer: not weights or CrossFit training!! No, the exercise activities I enjoy are dancing with the children, walks, sit-ups, or doing short races. 😂

Regarding nutrition, I notice that when I have a healthier diet; I feel more motivated and focused.

This means that I concentrate on eating food that is low carbohydrate (vegetables, fruits, healthy proteins, nuts, seeds, cheese) and on decreasing highly processed food and high carbohydrates (white flour, cereal, sugar, crisps, ready-made meals).

So while I have off days occasionally, I follow a healthy eating plan in my day-to-day.

2. Going out in the rain

Who knew that going out for a walk around the block, or a run around the patio with umbrellas, wellies and raincoats could be so invigorating?

Sometimes I feel physically uncomfortable with the bad weather, but it does wonders for my mental health.

3. Varying rooms around the house

What I mean with this is that when I spend time in different rooms of the house, instead of spending most of the day in the living room, I feel more motivated.

So the kids and I might sit in the kitchen for schoolwork, and then go to the bedrooms for playtime, and then the living room for their TV time (and my computer work time) and the basement for craft time.

4. Turning off social media

This is my very simple solution to the constant connectedness of the online world. If I want to use the internet but not social media, I put my phone on focus mode, which disables some of my apps (it’s customisable).

I don’t know about you, but I notice that if I have a day when I’m constantly connected, by the end of the day I feel stressed.

And when I spend large chunks of the day disconnected from social media and screen time, I feel so much calmer at the end of the day.

5. Connecting with different people

This is important to me because each person has a unique approach and personality, and it’s this uniqueness that brings so much richness to my life.

So while I disconnect from social media at certain times, I obviously also use it to connect with people in meaningful ways. Thank you, family, friends and acquaintances!

6. Doing fun activities with the kids

I notice that when I engage fully in one activity with the kids (drawing, board games, hide-and-seek, etc.) there are many benefits to us as a family. We use our imagination, we bond, and we create new worlds.

Yesterday, the kids and I spent an hour playing Screwball Scramble, hide-and-seek, and the statue game. It was a blast! It was so good to spend quality time together.

7. Relationship with God

This is important to me all the time – not just in lockdown – because it’s the basis of everything else. I pursue my relationship with God by praying, reading His word and putting it into practice and spending time in worship.

It’s my relationship with God that helps me have hope and be at peace, despite all the tribulations from this pandemic.

What are your ways of dealing with lockdown? Have you benefited from any of the above? Let me know, as usual in the comments or DM me. 🙂