Top tips on surviving lockdown

Covid-19 Lockdown, April 2020

Our lives have recently suddenly changed, and everyone is experiencing different episodes of normality. For the lucky, this is an opportunity to slow down, take time out, learn new skills, contact loved ones and catch up on DIY. For others this is a worrying time where vulnerabilities of financial security, the health and well-being of loved ones, or just trying to cope with a full household can dominate our mind. We can only hope and pray that not many of you have suffered loss, grief or are battling to hold onto life – our prayers and intentions are with all of you at this time.

On occasion the pandemic feels like a distant dream, sometimes we are detached busying ourselves in a new routine and time seems to be flying. It is essential to establish routine for our health and well-being. Many of our stress management and well-being strategies have been taken away from us during this time – including your regular massage treatment. For a few of us our stress has also been reduced, but for most of us our mental, emotional and physical stress has amplified over the past month.

One thing that we know about The Massage Centre clients is that you are resilient. My goodness, our team at TMC are constantly left in awe of your talents, personal drive and ability to juggle busy lives, families and careers. We know that you will make it through this, all we wish is that you to arrive the other side as the best version of you.

 

For the high achievers – Lower the bar.

Many of you entered lockdown with high expectations. You saw working from or being confined to home as the chance to quadruple your output. Time saved on commuting, meetings and less interactions was going to enable you to finally get ahead in your tasks. Outside of work you envisioned online courses, DIY, reading and catching up with people. Fast forward 4 weeks and it can be very easy to feel a failure, time has evaporated, and you may have not achieved enough to be satisfied with. This perceived lack of progress can leave you grumpy, irritated, and feeling tired. If you haven’t achieved all that you had wanted to, readjust your expectations. Set yourself free from ‘not good enough’ and realise that uncertain times required more emotional support for loved ones and that removing social, health and hobby rewards may have reduced your optimum performance.

 

For the optimists – Hope for the best but acknowledge and prepare for the worst.

Optimism can serve us through many of life’s endeavours, however, in dire situations balancing realism and optimism is the key to success. The likelihood is that normal life will not resume fully until a vaccine becomes widely available. Thinking that this will be over when lockdown is over can demoralise you and erode your mental and emotional well-being if that does not come through. Instead, have faith that you – we will prevail in the end but have the discipline to confront the more brutal facts of our current reality – that this could be a marathon without a finish line.

 

For the doubters – Back yourself.

Yes, life is and will be challenging, but after every winter the season of spring follows. This is a winter, a time to step back. Use this time to sharpen the tools for the spring to follow. Reassess your goals, determine your ‘why’ of life and reaffirm that you have successfully overcome challenges in the past. There is every reason to feel confident that you will overcome our current situation. History has taught us that life always prevails – this time will pass too!

 

For those who have lost routine – Find a new one.

We often don’t realise the value of something until we lose it! Hidden in many of life’s mundane activities are the secrets of our success. Who knows, maybe the daily commute gifted you alone time to stack the priorities of life into order – enabling you to go into/home from work with all guns blazing? In life, it is of more benefit to be at our best than to do our best. Routine allows us to shift our state of being to successfully carry out the tasks at hand. In the self-development world a lot of value is placed on morning rituals – getting our day off to the best possible start. Find what makes you be your very best by implementing something that grounds, centres or inspires you every day.

 

For those who are struggling – Learn a stress release technique.

If you are struggling during this time, it will be essential to find an outlet for your emotions. People struggle for a variety of reasons. Some struggle for fear of catching Covid-19 or out of concern for loved ones. Many have had their life’s work, business or financial stability cruelly taken away in one foul swoop. For most, you may struggle with relationships – loneliness if isolated, crowdedness if surrounded 24/7 by family or trauma if exposed to abuse. Our normal escapes are restricted so to improvise our stress release strategy may be essential to maintain mental and emotional well-being. Allow yourself a micro cry to express your feeling, use help lines or phone a friend to feel support and turn to journaling, art, baking and creative expressions to shake off heavy feelings. Realise that you will get through this and if we at TMC can be of any help, just reach out and we’ll help in any way possible.

 

We so look forward to seeing you and welcoming you through the doors of our clinic, but in the meantime, stay safe, well and be the best you can be.